Mechanical hard drives (HDDs) rely on delicate internal components, and any physical damage can lead to grinding or scraping noises, which indicate serious problems. This case study details how we successfully recovered critical business data from a Maxtor hard drive that suffered head damage and potential platter scratching.
The affected device belonged to a local florist, storing essential business data, including customer orders, invoices, and inventory records. As Ireland’s oldest and most experienced data recovery specialists, we applied our cleanroom head replacement and platter inspection techniques to retrieve the lost files.
The Challenge: Maxtor Hard Drive Making Grinding Noises
The florist contacted us after noticing:
- The hard drive produced a grinding or scraping noise when powered on.
- The system was unable to detect the drive, making data inaccessible.
- Multiple attempts to access the drive resulted in clicking sounds and freezing.
These symptoms pointed to severe mechanical failure, likely caused by damaged read/write heads or scratched platters.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the drive arrived at our cleanroom, we conducted an in-depth hardware analysis. Our findings:
- Severely damaged read/write heads – The drive’s actuator arms were bent and dragging across the platters.
- Potential platter surface damage – Some areas showed early signs of scratches, increasing the risk of permanent data loss.
- Firmware corruption – Caused by failed head movements, preventing normal operation.
These issues meant that powering the drive further could worsen the damage, making immediate cleanroom intervention necessary.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom Head Replacement & Platter Inspection
To prevent further data loss, we:
- Opened the hard drive in our cleanroom under controlled conditions.
- Carefully removed and replaced the damaged read/write heads using a donor drive with identical specifications.
- Inspected the platter surface under a high-powered microscope to assess damage.
2. Imaging the Drive with Specialised Tools
Since some platter areas were affected, we used a sector-by-sector imaging process to:
- Extract as much data as possible without stressing the platters.
- Bypass damaged sectors and reconstruct the missing data using advanced algorithms.
3. Rebuilding Corrupted Files & Data Verification
Once the imaging process was complete, we:
- Reconstructed corrupted files caused by platter damage.
- Verified data integrity to ensure all business records were readable and functional.
- Transferred recovered files to a secure external storage device.
The Results: 95% Data Recovery Success
Despite the physical damage, we successfully recovered 95% of the florist’s business data, including:
✅ Customer order history
✅ Financial records & invoices
✅ Supplier details & inventory records
Thanks to our cleanroom head replacement and advanced imaging techniques, the florist was able to resume operations without significant data loss.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading experts in mechanical hard drive recovery in Ireland and the UK. Our specialties include:
✔ Cleanroom head replacements & platter inspections
✔ Physical & firmware-based hard drive recovery
✔ RAID, NAS, and external HDD recovery
✔ Chip-level recovery & forensic data extraction
If your hard drive is making grinding or scraping noises, stop using it immediately and contact us for professional recovery.