[KLUG Members] Any way to read this disk?

[Frank Garber]

On Monday 01 March 2004 11:16, Jamie McCarthy wrote:
> It's not working and dd_rescue isn't able to read anything either.
> Anyone know if there's any way to force spin-up of an IDE drive?
> I know it should spin up when I try to access it, but I'm not sure
> it's doing so, and I'd like to try forcing the issue.  (hdparm has
> options to set spin-down time but nothing to spin a drive up
> directly.)
>
> I know the drive's probably dead, but... :(

If the drive does not spin up there is one way to help it do so that relies on 
the fact that dynamic friction is less than static friction.  Hook the drive 
up outside the case, and at powerup simply rotate the drive suddenly back and 
forth along an axis corresponding to the center of the drive and thus its 
spindle.  That will cause the platters to rotate relative to the housing of 
the drive.  Even if it's the wrong direction, static friction will have been 
broken, and the motor may be able to spin the platters.  Many hard drives 
fail because of bearing or spindle failure, so this is worth trying.