Putting Harddrive in freezer?

**manic** · 12-08-2007, 03:54 PM

Im repairing a system, bad harddrive, lady really needs some data off of
it. You know the story didnt back etc,. Ive read where if you put the
drive in a zip lock baggy and freeze it that it will buy you some time
to recover. Sounds crazy to me, but what do I have to lose. Has anyone
tried this? or is it a bunch of hogwash,,lol Tia....

**linderman** · 12-08-2007, 04:37 PM

no its not hogwash

it does work especially on the old maxtor drives (before seagate bought them)

but as you know there are many reasons a drive can die, usually its the circuit board that fails & those can be replaced if you buy an EXACT same drive and remove the circuit board from the new purchase and put it in the old drive

if the old drive is "slapping" and make clickign noises <<<<< then the old freezer trick will tighten the drive parts for a brief period or time while you retrieve data ????

its all a crap shoot >>>>> BTW platter and or spindle replacement is out of the question; NO ONE can do that without a clean room and knowledge of very tight tolerances

**manic** · 12-08-2007, 05:23 PM

Thanks, its a old maxtor, not clacking or clinking, probably board.
Thanks, I might try it anyway, I am sort of paranoid about moisture
once I take it out of freeze, wondering if it shorts internally if it
will take out the psu or worse. What do you think?

stompiegsi · 12-08-2007, 05:53 PM

have you tried using get back data problem. if you want it ill email; it

**manic** · 12-08-2007, 06:50 PM

Thank you! But no, I have a data recovery program which I will try,
prior to the freezer,,lol, cant believe Im even considering it, but hey
live and learn...

**Doby** · 12-08-2007, 07:03 PM

I tried it once, didn't work, its like linderman said, its a crap shoot, anyway it did not hurt anything to try

**simpswr** · 12-08-2007, 07:05 PM

It is a crap shoot . . I have tried it three times . . worked once

**linderman** · 12-08-2007, 07:14 PM

hell yeah

if the drive is toast and your client is not dedicated to the recovery of the data

then I would try the freezer trick

it has worked about 2 in 6 times for me ?

I do the recovery on an old junker though; I dont bring the fronzen drive into my "pride and joy" box

that would be asking for a dance with Mr. Murphy >>>>>> I have had enough of that, he steps on my toes wayyyyyy to much for my enjoyment!

if your cleint is serious about the data then the best choice (as you already know)

is a data recovery service

2nd = try another circuit board

3rd = freezer trick

only the $$$$$ can pick the best choice

**manic** · 12-08-2007, 07:22 PM

Yep, as far as freezer recovery you folks are posting some pretty good
odds, I would have gave it one in 1000,lol I'll take a chance the pilgrims
did,,heheh. I love these people that have very important documents
and then there shocked and in disbelief when a hdd dies. Then they
act like its your fault, I just smile and explain that double and triple
redundency is the only way to go for precious data. They dont learn,
and I guess thats why I get to tinker with there machines and make
a little cash on the side. Gotta love It!
Thanks for your input,,

12-08-2007, 03:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,228 OS: xp	Putting Harddrive in freezer? Im repairing a system, bad harddrive, lady really needs some data off of it. You know the story didnt back etc,. Ive read where if you put the drive in a zip lock baggy and freeze it that it will buy you some time to recover. Sounds crazy to me, but what do I have to lose. Has anyone tried this? or is it a bunch of hogwash,,lol Tia.... __________________

12-08-2007, 04:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,429 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? no its not hogwash it does work especially on the old maxtor drives (before seagate bought them) but as you know there are many reasons a drive can die, usually its the circuit board that fails & those can be replaced if you buy an EXACT same drive and remove the circuit board from the new purchase and put it in the old drive if the old drive is "slapping" and make clickign noises <<<<< then the old freezer trick will tighten the drive parts for a brief period or time while you retrieve data ???? its all a crap shoot >>>>> BTW platter and or spindle replacement is out of the question; NO ONE can do that without a clean room and knowledge of very tight tolerances __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

12-08-2007, 05:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,228 OS: xp	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? Thanks, its a old maxtor, not clacking or clinking, probably board. Thanks, I might try it anyway, I am sort of paranoid about moisture once I take it out of freeze, wondering if it shorts internally if it will take out the psu or worse. What do you think? __________________

12-08-2007, 05:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
stompiegsi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: south africa Posts: 102 OS: Vista ultimate	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? have you tried using get back data problem. if you want it ill email; it

12-08-2007, 06:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,228 OS: xp	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? Thank you! But no, I have a data recovery program which I will try, prior to the freezer,,lol, cant believe Im even considering it, but hey live and learn... __________________

12-08-2007, 07:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,077 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? I tried it once, didn't work, its like linderman said, its a crap shoot, anyway it did not hurt anything to try __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

12-08-2007, 07:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,097 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? It is a crap shoot . . I have tried it three times . . worked once __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow?

12-08-2007, 07:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,429 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? hell yeah if the drive is toast and your client is not dedicated to the recovery of the data then I would try the freezer trick it has worked about 2 in 6 times for me ? I do the recovery on an old junker though; I dont bring the fronzen drive into my "pride and joy" box that would be asking for a dance with Mr. Murphy >>>>>> I have had enough of that, he steps on my toes wayyyyyy to much for my enjoyment! if your cleint is serious about the data then the best choice (as you already know) is a data recovery service 2nd = try another circuit board 3rd = freezer trick only the $$$$$ can pick the best choice __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

12-08-2007, 07:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,228 OS: xp	Re: Putting Harddrive in freezer? Yep, as far as freezer recovery you folks are posting some pretty good odds, I would have gave it one in 1000,lol I'll take a chance the pilgrims did,,heheh. I love these people that have very important documents and then there shocked and in disbelief when a hdd dies. Then they act like its your fault, I just smile and explain that double and triple redundency is the only way to go for precious data. They dont learn, and I guess thats why I get to tinker with there machines and make a little cash on the side. Gotta love It! Thanks for your input,, __________________