Need advice on getting a donor hdd

[P1LGRIM]

Yes it would be good if some of the UK moderators did have some knowladge regarding the drive and places to take it to.

I have never heard of a professional outfit requiring the customer to provide a donor drive.
All of the services that I have experienced have a 'post it for a quote' system.

 

[macydee]

Any of the

I use a company based in Los Angeles that charges very reasonable rates, no kidney donations needed. The problem with that is that when you ship mechanical HDDs in the mail you have no control over how they are handled. Even more damage to the drives can occur. Let us know how it all works out for you.

Agreed shipping is too risky. I'll update as to my progress. I know these things are always good to know.

 

[macydee]

I have never heard of a professional outfit requiring the customer to provide a donor drive.
All of the services that I have experienced have a 'post it for a quote' system.

Probably true but there is always a 1st time right? . I was being quoted £350 just to source the drive with no garantee it would work. I figure if I take the sourcing of the drive out of the equation hopefully I can bring the cost down. Worth a try right?

 

[trs96]

My drive is a 2017 and one is 2018 one 2020 and not sure about the 3rd.
Date of the drive is kinda key as from what I understand it relates to firmware.

Based on the symptoms you've mentioned its not likely a firmware issue or a failed PCB issue. Did the shop you took it to even see the drive or did they just mention this over the phone ?

 

[P1LGRIM]

Probably true but there is always a 1st time right? . I was being quoted £350 just to source the drive with no garantee it would work. I figure if I take the sourcing of the drive out of the equation hopefully I can bring the cost down. Worth a try right?

Not really.
They recover the data to a server and then can copy it to any kind of media.

 

[macydee]

Based on the symptoms you've mentioned its not likely a firmware issue or a failed PCB issue. Did the shop you took it to even see the drive or did they just mention this over the phone ?

They took it out the back lol.
Not sure if they did just a visual check or a plugged it into a dock

 

[macydee]

Not really.
They recover the data to a server and then can copy it to any kind of media.

So your saying I might be able to get the data back even without a donor

 

[UtterDisbelief]

So your saying I might be able to get the data back even without a donor

I know the data is important ... but a clicking drive is hardware not firmware as I understand it (?). Happy to be corrected.

I would attach the drive again. If it still clicks you may be talking true pro recovery work which does not need a donor drive, as @P1LGRIM said.

If the drive mounts, personally I would run the TestDisk utility in non-write mode just to see if it can show any of your file-system and data. If yes, that would indicate the data is possibly recoverable with software. If no ...

Don't try if you don't trust doing this.

 

[trs96]

Since @Feartech is experienced with the tech repair shop world, I'd like to hear his opinion on what approach to recovering the data would be.

 

[P1LGRIM]

So your saying I might be able to get the data back even without a donor

Not you, but someone with the appropriate equipment.