Crashed HD: DATA RECOVERY SERVICE in the DR?

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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My new laptop's motherboard went up in smoke yesterday and as a last action, it could not resist also damaging the HD.
Yes, I do backups but I had not done so for a month and I have some work on it.
I got it out and into an external USB disc case and it rotates but does not show up as a hard drive or anything.
I doubt it's a head crash since the computer apparently overheated, shut down and upon restarting automatically suddenly died again... that time for good.
The computer does not even charge anymore... so the issue did most likely not originate at the HD.

Anyways... long story short. I would dearly welcome directions to anybody/company who LOCALLY specializes in retrieving data from damaged HD's.
Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete (I doubt it)... hopefully Santiago or well, Santo Domingo.

No fumble tigueres please.

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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My new laptop's motherboard went up in smoke yesterday and as a last action, it could not resist also damaging the HD.
Yes, I do backups but I had not done so for a month and I have some work on it.
I got it out and into an external USB disc case and it rotates but does not show up as a hard drive or anything.
I doubt it's a head crash since the computer apparently overheated, shut down and upon restarting automatically suddenly died again... that time for good.
The computer does not even charge anymore... so the issue did most likely not originate at the HD.

Anyways... long story short. I would dearly welcome directions to anybody/company who LOCALLY specializes in retrieving data from damaged HD's.
Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete (I doubt it)... hopefully Santiago or well, Santo Domingo.

No fumble tigueres please.

Thanks! ... J-D.
JD, take the HD out and put it in another laptop and see if it's still alive. If so, copy what you need.

A good place for various parts is: Ascendtech Wholesale Computer Sale Laptops Servers Cheap PC Parts

There are tons of "how to" tutorials and videos online for laptop repair.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Take it to Rocky (Marc Beland) over in Sosua at Rocky's Bar on Dr. Rosen.

If it can be fixed I think he can do it.

HB
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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The only place I have seen that specializes in data recovery is at the back of La Sirena on Winston Churchill (Santo Domingo).

It's a small shop next door to a cigar club. Sorry I can't remember the name and it's a bit hard for me to walk around the corner to get the name and details as I'm in Colombia right now :) But if you walk along the street at the back of La Sirena that runs parallel with Churchill, you will see it.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Thanks!

CB:
Good to see you are still around (too)!
I HAVE taken the disk out while it spins it does NOT register as a disk anymore.
This may have a couple of different causes.
I did google the issue and I SUSPECT the most likely one, since the computer overheated and eventually apparently fried itself is, that the disk's own motherboard got hit too.
There are no nervous clicking noises from the reading arm, it just turns on, spins but does not come up as a storage.

HB:
I was under the impression that Rocky's strong side was mostly software. I will stop by and ask thou. I haven't checked on him for almost a year now.

Robert:
Thanks for the info. I will have somebody close look them up. If they are whom you say they could be... I might hop on a bus and just go see them. Thanks!

... J-D.
 

mido

Bronze
May 18, 2002
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My new laptop's motherboard went up in smoke yesterday and as a last action, it could not resist also damaging the HD.
Yes, I do backups but I had not done so for a month and I have some work on it.
I got it out and into an external USB disc case and it rotates but does not show up as a hard drive or anything.
I doubt it's a head crash since the computer apparently overheated, shut down and upon restarting automatically suddenly died again... that time for good.
The computer does not even charge anymore... so the issue did most likely not originate at the HD.

Anyways... long story short. I would dearly welcome directions to anybody/company who LOCALLY specializes in retrieving data from damaged HD's.
Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete (I doubt it)... hopefully Santiago or well, Santo Domingo.

No fumble tigueres please.

Thanks! ... J-D.

I had exactly the same happen to me, my old HP laptop got to hot and the motherboard burnt. I took it to Compucentro in Santo Domingo and they put the old HD into a casing with USB connector and when I connected it to my new laptop it worked fine. I keep it now as an external drive for backups. The enclosure costs about RD$500.00.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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I had exactly the same happen to me, my old HP laptop got to hot and the motherboard burnt. I took it to Compucentro in Santo Domingo and they put the old HD into a casing with USB connector and when I connected it to my new laptop it worked fine. I keep it now as an external drive for backups. The enclosure costs about RD$500.00.

That is a good first thing to try. Been there and done exactly that.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Been there and done that too. I got an external USB enclosure for the disk.
The HD does spin but does NOT show up as a USB mass storage device at all.
So, there IS a problem with the HD.
I suspect the HD's own circuit board.
Data recovery services have the hardware to bypass the HD's circuitry. Some will even take them apart.

So, right now, I DO need a DATA RECOVERY SERVICE able to retrieve data from DAMAGED HD's.

... J-D.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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Robert:
Thanks for the info. I will have somebody close look them up. If they are whom you say they could be... I might hop on a bus and just go see them. Thanks!

... J-D.

AZB is just around the corner, I'm sure he can get you the details.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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OK.
My GF went and looked the place up.
The address is:

Ensanche Julieta Virgilio Diaz Ordonez #58
It is a little "up" from behind MultiCentro, but yes, next to a cigar club.

The man with the know how is:
Don Luis BAEZ-Brugal
Phone number is: 809-563-7727

He only works there Mon. thru Fri. from 8:00 'till noon.
For the rest of the day, there is a "secretary" who has NO clue at all beyond being barely able to convey that who ever knows is not here (my GF wondered why they don't replace her with a cheaper "CLOSED" sign on the door :D).

I talked to Don Luis on the phone. He SEEMS quite knowledgeable. Asked the right questions and also seemed to understand my comments, concerns and ideas. Also seems to use a thing called "logic" when addressing these issues (after over 4 years here, a real eyebrow raiser!).

Initial check is 500 Pesos, after which he can tell if it's a lost cause or that he may access some data.
The 500 Pesos are not refundable but will be applied against further work to retrieve data if that was found to be possible.
Data retrieval cost is TIME dependent, NOT data load dependent (surprisingly logic too!)


I will send him the disk and post later as to the results.

... J-D.
 

NotLurking

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Jul 21, 2003
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Been there and done that too. I got an external USB enclosure for the disk.
The HD does spin but does NOT show up as a USB mass storage device at all.
So, there IS a problem with the HD.
I suspect the HD's own circuit board.
Data recovery services have the hardware to bypass the HD's circuitry. Some will even take them apart.

So, right now, I DO need a DATA RECOVERY SERVICE able to retrieve data from DAMAGED HD's.

... J-D.

If the drive doesn't show up when you connect the drive using a USB case/adapter but the drive spins as you stated the dive's controller board died. The drive's controller board it the small PCB attached to the drive by a few small screws. The way I've recovered data off a drive with a bad controller board is by replacing the controller. It's really not difficult to replace the controller board on a HD however it is difficult to purchase a replacement controller. What I have done is search the internet for the EXACT HD model number and manufacture and order an EXACT duplicate of the failed drive. Once I have the new duplicate drive I swap out the defective controller and recover my data. I then return the good controller to the new drive and use it in the laptop as the replacement drive.

NotLurking
 
Nov 25, 2008
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best person in Santiago Is Tony, does alot of freelance for doctors, lawyers, dental groups, setting up 2-3 servers to 10-15
recovers HD, sometimes for the HARD recovery, CECOMSA calls him

829-383-7491
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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If the drive doesn't show up when you connect the drive using a USB case/adapter but the drive spins as you stated the dive's controller board died. The drive's controller board it the small PCB attached to the drive by a few small screws. The way I've recovered data off a drive with a bad controller board is by replacing the controller. It's really not difficult to replace the controller board on a HD however it is difficult to purchase a replacement controller. What I have done is search the internet for the EXACT HD model number and manufacture and order an EXACT duplicate of the failed drive. Once I have the new duplicate drive I swap out the defective controller and recover my data. I then return the good controller to the new drive and use it in the laptop as the replacement drive.

NotLurking

I was thinking along the same lines, NL. Actually, you may think that I am incredibly lucky: The laptop has TWO HD's, exact same ones! But the Torx screws are so small, even me who has almost any tool... don't have that one. Anyways, I intend to bring the second disk (which IS working) along to the tech.

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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www.hispanosuizainvest.com
best person in Santiago Is Tony, does alot of freelance for doctors, lawyers, dental groups, setting up 2-3 servers to 10-15
recovers HD, sometimes for the HARD recovery, CECOMSA calls him

829-383-7491

I just called "Tony" (real name Jose Antonio ADAMES). Also seems to know some... he is closer so I will be bringing him the disk(s) and see what he can do.

Thanks for the tip! ... J-D.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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In a last moment re-change of heart I sent the disk to the person suggested by Robert (Don Luis Baez in Santo Domingo).
He called me today and told me he had been able to make the data on the disk appear. He quoted a price to get the 138Gb of data... a task he said would take about 24 hours straight. He quoted the price and we agreed.
It's NOT cheap, but if he indeed gets all the data uncorrupted... it's a fair deal and still bellow prices I know from the US.

I'll report back with the final result.

... J-D.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Mr. Baez called me today again with the good news that all data has been successfully recovered.

Apparently, he takes the HD apart and rigs up the disk(s) into some reading machine. He found that the disk's boot sector was damaged/corrupted and it therefor would not register and be readable under normal circumstances (under Windows). He also indicated that ther are some programs which will try to force a disk to register, but that if they fail they more often than not may damage data further to the point where even he could not help anymore (short, he advises against it).
Apparently, he also does forensic work.

About an hour ago, he called again, and told me that when he reviewed the recovery report he saw that there was a folder with a LOT of mp3's, and asked if they were music records. It told him that yes and he asked if it was OK with me for him to copy them for him. "Sure, if you're one of the millions of Dominicans who really dig Western Swing and Steel Guitar Jazz, go ahead, make yer day!". :D
Really, when a local asks you "may I?" when they have full access and you are not standing in their back, one tends to look nervously over it's shoulders... could it be candid camera? Speaks a world for the man, I think.

I will get my disks back when I come back from my trip to PR, next week.
Final report then.

... J-D.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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I got my damaged disk back last week but was vacationing with the kids.
I have just looked at the "rescue" Don Luis Baez did and actually retrieved ALL data (over 130Gb) successfully.
Cost was 7000.oo Pesos from which the initial 500.oo Pesos have been deducted.

I'd like to thank Robert for the tip and tip my hat to Don Luis Baez.

Thanks! ... J-D.

Now, I need instructions on how to navigate my new computer... a MAC (for the first time).
 

Mark Lloyd

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Sep 3, 2010
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Hi JD,

I replied to your other post about MacBooks, I would be quite happy to fill you in on the delights of owning a MacBook, PM me if you would like to talk more,

Regards
Mark