Hard drives are mechanical devices that rely on spinning platters and read/write heads to function. When a hard drive is completely dead (no spinning sound, no power-up response), it often indicates PCB failure, motor seizure, or power issues.
This case study details how we successfully recovered valuable personal data from a Western Digital Green hard drive inside a Gateway PC that had stopped working entirely. The affected device belonged to a pensioner, containing family photos, personal documents, and important records.
As Ireland’s oldest and most experienced data recovery specialists, we applied PCB-level repair and cleanroom techniques to retrieve the lost data.
The Challenge: Dead Hard Drive with No Spinning Sound
The pensioner contacted us after their Gateway PC suddenly stopped recognising the hard drive. The issues reported included:
- No spinning sound when powered on, indicating a complete failure.
- Drive not detected in BIOS, making data completely inaccessible.
- No response even when connected to an external adapter.
Since the drive contained years of personal memories and essential documents, a professional recovery solution was urgently needed.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Western Digital Green hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we performed a full diagnostic scan. Our findings:
- Failed PCB (Printed Circuit Board) – The drive’s main electronic board had burned out, preventing power from reaching the motor.
- Damaged TVS diodes – Power surges had fried the drive’s protective components.
- Motor seizure risk – Since the drive had been non-functional for a long time, a potential spindle issue was also considered.
These issues meant that a direct replacement of the PCB alone would not work, as modern drives have unique ROM chips storing calibration data.
The Recovery Process
1. Repairing the Drive’s PCB
To restore functionality, we:
- Located a matching donor PCB from an identical Western Digital Green model.
- Transferred the ROM chip from the original board to the donor PCB.
- Replaced damaged TVS diodes to restore power regulation.
2. Testing Drive Functionality & Spinning
After repairing the PCB, we:
- Reconnected the drive to check if it spun up correctly.
- Verified that the BIOS could detect the drive without further damage.
3. Imaging the Drive & Extracting Data
Once the drive was operational again, we:
- Cloned the entire hard drive sector by sector using specialized imaging tools.
- Bypassed any bad sectors to extract as much data as possible.
- Recovered and verified the pensioner’s personal files.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Despite the initial total failure, our expertise allowed us to recover 100% of the pensioner’s personal data, including:
✅ Family photos & videos
✅ Financial & personal documents
✅ Emails & correspondence
The pensioner was overjoyed to have their priceless memories restored.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading hard drive repair and data recovery specialists in Ireland and the UK. We specialize in:
✔ Dead hard drive recovery (no spin, no power)
✔ PCB, firmware, and motor repairs
✔ SSD, HDD, and external drive recovery
✔ Cleanroom head replacements & advanced forensic recovery
If your hard drive has stopped spinning, is not recognised, or has suffered electronic damage, don’t attempt DIY repairs—contact our experts for safe and professional data recovery.