How Can I Tell If My HD Is Repairable?

michael greymichael grey
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
About six months ago I was trying to copy multiple files on my iBook in OSX when it locked up. A forced restarted revealed no recognizable HD whatsoever. Even when booting from the TechTool CD I couldn't see the HD, so I bit the bullet and bought a new 20GB internal and replaced it.



So my Ibook is humming along, but now I have the 'dead' 10GB drive just sitting in a drawer. I'd love to buy a case and use this as an external Firewire drive, but I don't know if the drive is really dead or just in a coma.



So, my question is this: is there some way to know if this HD is really shot, preferrable without spending any money? I'm not concerned with recovering any of the data on the disc, just want to see it I can get it working again.



Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    alex londonalex london Posts: 613member
    I suspect that your drive is ok, I had my OSX drive suddenly disappear from my desktop when switching back from classic and it refused to let a number of utilities see it or repair it. Pressing alt at start-up didn't show it either. My OSX installer Disk Utility could see it though its' chosen name had gone and it wouldn't update the drivers as Apple suggested to me as a solution. The programme would let me zero all data and start again, which I did, a few months on all seems to be well so I'd suggest using your OSX install disk to wipe the slate clean.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    logan calelogan cale Posts: 1,281member
    iBooks and PowerBooks seem to have problems with drives, in my experience. Both of my laptops (iBook, Pismo) have had problems with that. I am not sure of the cause. :/
  • Reply 3 of 7
    michael greymichael grey Posts: 384member
    Thanks. I've been considering just buying a case, putting in the drive and seeing if I coulg get it working. I just don't want to spend the $90+ to find out that the drive is really a goner.



    From what I remember I couldn't get see the HD no matter what I did and it wouldn't spin up (just a clicking noise.)
  • Reply 4 of 7
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    if it won't spin, odds are that it's dead. i doubt that you'll be able to get it to work again. i wouldn't waste my money.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    stimulistimuli Posts: 564member
    Moreover, the clicking sound is never a good thing.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    r. h.r. h. Posts: 56member
    [quote]Originally posted by Michael Grey:

    <strong>I'm not concerned with recovering any of the data on the disc, just want to see it I can get it working again. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I notice that you're located in Baltimore... I can help you out, if you don't mind meeting me at my office in Arlington some time. I have a G4 tower on my desk there, and I have a little-bitty adapter cable, which allows me to connect an IDE laptop harddrive to a desktop computer. Fairly handy for situations just like this one.



    Send me a private message with the button immediately above this response if you'd like to discuss this further.



    [ 04-18-2002: Message edited by: R. H. ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 7
    soulcrushersoulcrusher Posts: 587member
    **** that drive and get a 10 GB iPod!!



    You get the storage + the mp3 player.
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