Hey everyone, I've got a broken internal hard drive that a professional says has mechanical damage, specifically a broken head stack assembly and platter damage. I'm unsure if I should pay to have it fixed since I don't even remember what was on it anymore. My main question is: if I decide not to repair it and just let it sit for a bit, is there any risk that the chance to recover data might decrease further? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
If the mechanic's assessment is accurate, recovery might be minimal at best. With the type of damage your drive might have, powering it on could worsen things. So, it’s best to avoid turning it back on.
Generally, you should be good if you don't plug it in. Theoretically, mechanical hard drives can retain data for a very long time without major degradation. Just make sure not to shake or bump it around, as that could potentially cause more harm if the heads are stuck.
Thanks! I won't mess with it. Did they check that the heads aren't stuck before sealing it back? Seems like that’s something he should manage.
It's definitely safe to let it sit there. If the drive is really dead and not powered, it's actually better to leave it alone. Just keep it in a dry, stable place. If you ever decide you need the data, a recovery lab can still take a shot at it later. Time won't really hurt your chances more than repeatedly turning it on will.
Thanks for the reassurance! The repair cost was a bit shocking. I had no idea opening and closing a drive was so complex!
That doesn't sound too promising... Fingers crossed it's just mostly pictures on there and the drive wasn't full.