drive... recovery process/services

[bruce]

ps.

when i say "old" the drive is 5-4 years old 1tb 2.5 internal

bruce

On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 6:59 AM bruce <badouglas at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Gene.
>
> The issue is, the drive is in the "insignia" it's attached to the new
> test linux system via usb.
>
> This works with other 2.5" drives. With the error one, no response.
>
> Now, as a curiosity, I did the same thing with a windows/usb and with
> the insignia with/without drive in the dock slot, got diff information
> in the "disk management" app.  it may have been drive id data.
>
> Also, the drive/dock slot light was lit on the insignia when drive inserted.
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 6:42 AM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
> >
> > On 6/20/25 05:36, bruce wrote:
> > > Hi All.
> > >
> > > This continues the issue/problem of the drive having the "no bootable
> > > device" error.
> >
> > Then next thing is to determine if the drive is spinning, which may be
> > done by touching its frame with a long screwdriver while listening by
> > sticking the handle in your ear, using the screwdriver for a
> > stethoscope. You should be able to hear a faint humming sound from a
> > spinning rust drive, which I assume this old drive to be.  It may be
> > difficult to do this while in the old computer but it could also be done
> > while plugged into the insignia via its usb cable.  Ideal if  you do
> > this while powering it up. You should hear it spin up, then do a couple
> > seeks to calibrate track zero, if all is well. If you hear it seek many
> > times and the data is important, seek a repair/recovery firm, either the
> > head has fallen off or the logic board has failed.
> >
> > If no seeking sounds, I'd just plug in an SSD and reinstall a recent
> > noble, You will be impressed by how much faster that old computer feels,
> > as small data read/write speeds will be at least 5x what the spinning
> > rust drive could do. On half or less the power input.  If the data is
> > important, then send the drive to a recovery service, get a StarTech usb
> > drive adaptor and use that to copy the recovered drives data back to the
> > old machines new SSD. I've had other brands of usb adaptors fail, but
> > the StarTech Just Works. Good luck!
> >
> > >
> > > If one has a drive in this situation, where when inserted into the
> > > "insignia" drive dock, the drive doesn't appear, how do you even begin
> > > to "see" the device at all. And then how do you go from there.
> > >
> > > I'm asking about all of this, as it relates to the operation of ubuntu
> > > for the person that might run into this problem!!
> > >
> > > And while it is "easy" to say -- try A, or try B, and then maybe a
> > > data recovery service, have you looked for "data recovery", 'scam" on
> > > google!!
> > >
> > > It's better to be prepared to have as much of an understanding as
> > > possible before talking to a "service" that you have no clue about
> > > other than what you may have seen online. And, it's not as though you
> > > can make a copy of the drive that's having issues!
> > >
> > > So, I'm trying to get into the depth of -- how does one, (even if the
> > > resource has a lab, etc) -- how do you start to get the drive to show
> > > the data? I've yet to see anything online, other than - "we use
> > > magic", and we've done this for a long time"..
> > >
> > > So, if you don't mind, if you have skills in this area, if you're
> > > curious (as you might want to know, just in case), please add your
> > > information, or any service you've used that's worked, or failed.
> > >
> > > thanks all!!
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 12:45 AM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
> > >> On 6/19/25 20:05, bruce wrote:
> > >>> the 2.5" drive in the original centos was plug-in,  no cables.  using the
> > >>> drive with insignia device, fresh usb interface cable provided by insignia.
> > >>>
> > >>> I know it works as a different test dive works correctly.
> > >> Rules my idea out then, so it does sound as if the drive has failed. I had
> > >>
> > >> a pair of 2T 3.5" seagates do that at only 10 days from 1st powerup 3 yrs
> > >>
> > >> ago.  Simply disappeared from the ends of 2 new cables.  Almost all drives
> > >>
> > >> at this site, are now 4T SSD's.  Around 9 of them, but 12 are powered up,
> > >>
> > >> they last longer when they aren't being power cycled. With continuous
> > >>
> > >> pwr, they can auto-correct their alpha hit errors for long periods of time.
> > >>
> > >> Sitting powered down, the errors accumulate until the drive dies.
> > >>
> > >> I can't recommend a data recovery, the last time I used one was around
> > >>
> > >> 27 years ago when a drive containing lots of  tv station ID gfx we didn't
> > >>
> > >> have backed up needed to be recovered, done successfully, they
> > >>
> > >> repaired the drives PCB, I think.
> > >>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2025, 8:01 PM gene heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> On 6/19/25 16:02, bruce wrote:
> > >>>>> Hi
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Got an old drive. In an old system, and when doing an off/on cycle,
> > >>>>> got a "no bootable system" err.  Thats bad. Tried again, same thing.
> > >>>>> Turned it off.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Got an Insignia dock device -- tested with another 2.5 drive, the test
> > >>>>> box/Insignia showed files.
> > >>>> Different data cable to drive when connected to the Insignia device?
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Old one reddish magenta? Try a new cable, preferably not that same
> > >>>>
> > >>>> brilliant red. Something in that dye causes the copper wire to oxidize,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> turning the metallic copper into rust colored dust, a lousy conductor
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Takes 3+ years.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>> So tried the target 2.5" drive.  Nothing. The insignia did show drive
> > >>>>> light being on.  But no data/usb to the box.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Any thoughts?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Any possible data recovery services you can recommend?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> thanks
> > >>>>>
> > >>>> Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> > >>>> --
> > >>>> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> > >>>>     soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > >>>> -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> > >>>> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
> > >>>>     - Louis D. Brandeis
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> --
> > >>>> ubuntu-users mailing list
> > >>>> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> > >>>> Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> > >>>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
> > >>>>
> > >> Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> > >> --
> > >> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> > >>    soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > >> -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> > >> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
> > >>    - Louis D. Brandeis
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> ubuntu-users mailing list
> > >> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> > >> Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
> >
> > Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
> > --
> > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> >   soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
> > If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
> >   - Louis D. Brandeis
> >
> >
> > --
> > ubuntu-users mailing list
> > ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> > Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users