Dead SCSI HDD

[Reed Jones]

It appears my HDD has failed this past weekend. When I boot my Proliant 800, during the "Scanning for SCSI Devices..." it returns: No SCSI Devices Found. Then I get an error that says something like I have a disk in the floppy drive remove and press any key to continue - but of course, I can't continue.

The question is - Do you think the HDD is dead, and if so, can it be repaired or the data salvaged?

Thank you much for you help,

Reed

[Reed Jones]

Just some clarification - after it says No SCSI Devices Detected, it beeps quickly twice adn says, Non System Disk or Disk Error, replace and strike any key when ready

I've placed my hand on the drive and it doesn't spin and I can't hear it spinning.

Also, I've tried using one of the other SCSI connections on the cable, but get the same results.

Thanks,

Reed

[MStoumba]

You may not like this. But if all else fails, take the drive out of the server and thump it on your desk. Not to hard now just a little thump. It might break it loose. I have brought a number of drives back to life long enough to copy them to another drive.

[Jens Baumann_2]

Of course there are several things which could cause this error, but the hard disk seems to be the most likely candidate. That the hard disk does not spin up is a bad sign.

The controller could be defective and not send the start signal to the hard disk. Have you checked with a different controller? Have you checked the controller configuration?

Second, the power supply / cable to the hard disk could be defective. Try a different cable.

Third, and most likely, it could be the hard disk itself. Try a different hard disk to see whether that one spins up. Older hard disks which ran 24/7 for a long time sometimes get "stuck" if the server is powered down. I "resurrected" several hard disks which seemed to be goners this way: take the disk out of the server and grip it from above, then move your hand (not arm) left to right and back again in a circular motion, like opening and closing a jar with a lid on it. This can help if the disks are stuck mechanically. If this does not help and a different hard disk works in your server, your disk really is dead.

As for salvaging the data - you can ask for professional help. Depending on how soon you need the data (same day or not) and on how much data it is, cost can vary and go from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. An example would be Ontrack (see their web page for details). Repairing a hard disk does not make much sense - buying a new one probably is cheaper. There are tools which allow you to do some data recovery yourself, but they require that the hard disk is still working and accessible (they are only thought for things like disks which accidentally got partly overwritten etc.).