Hitachi Data Recovery – “Click of Death” Sound

A photographer in London experienced a catastrophic failure of their Hitachi external hard drive when it began emitting the notorious “click of death” sound upon powering on. The drive contained critical data, including high-resolution photos, video projects, and client deliverables, accumulated over several years. With no backup, the client turned to Advanced Data Recovery, London’s best data recovery company, for urgent assistance.

The Problem

The Hitachi hard drive failure was caused by:

  1. Mechanical Failure:
    • The clicking sound indicated a read/write head failure, where the heads could no longer read or write data and were stuck in a repetitive motion.
    • The drive’s platters were at risk of damage due to the repeated head motion.
  2. Data Inaccessibility:
    • The hard drive was not recognized by the operating system, rendering the data inaccessible.
  3. Critical Data Loss Risk:
    • The drive housed years of irreplaceable work with no backup.

The Data Recovery Process by Advanced Data Recovery

Step 1: Initial Assessment

The recovery team conducted a thorough evaluation:

  • Physical Inspection: The “click of death” sound confirmed a failure of the read/write heads.
  • Logical Diagnostics: The drive was removed and tested using specialized tools, revealing that no logical data could be accessed due to mechanical failure.
  • Disk Imaging Attempt: Initial imaging attempts failed, confirming the need for cleanroom repairs.

Step 2: Cleanroom Repairs

The hard drive was opened in an ISO Class 5 cleanroom to repair the mechanical failure:

  • Read/Write Head Replacement: The failed heads were replaced with donor parts sourced from a matching Hitachi drive model.
  • Platter Inspection: The platters were inspected for scratches or contamination. Fortunately, the heads had not made contact with the platters, minimizing physical damage.
  • Drive Stabilization: The repaired drive was stabilized to enable safe data extraction.

Step 3: Data Imaging

Once the mechanical repairs were complete:

  • Sector-by-Sector Imaging: A complete clone of the drive was created using advanced recovery tools that bypass bad sectors and handle unstable hardware.
  • Error Handling: Bad sectors were managed using specialized tools to maximize data recovery from the drive’s degraded areas.

Step 4: Data Recovery

  • File System Repair: The NTFS file system was intact but required minor repairs to restore the directory structure and metadata.
  • Selective File Recovery: The recovery team prioritized high-resolution photos, video projects, and client deliverables as specified by the client.
  • Complete Data Extraction: All accessible files were recovered from the cloned image.

Step 5: Validation and Delivery

  • Integrity Check: All recovered files were verified for completeness and usability, especially large photo and video files.
  • Secure Delivery: The recovered data was delivered to the client on a new external drive, ensuring immediate usability.

Challenges Faced

  1. Severe Mechanical Failure: The failed read/write heads required precise replacement and alignment in a cleanroom environment.
  2. Risk of Platter Damage: Quick action was necessary to prevent the “click of death” from causing additional platter damage.
  3. Large File Sizes: Recovering and validating high-resolution photo and video files required advanced processing techniques.

Outcome

Advanced Data Recovery successfully:

  • Recovered 98% of the data, including all critical photo and video files.
  • Delivered the recovered files within 72 hours, allowing the client to resume their professional work without significant disruption.
  • Provided recommendations for implementing a robust backup strategy to prevent future data loss.

Lessons Learned

  1. Backup Regularly: Use redundant external drives or cloud storage to safeguard critical files.
  2. Stop Using the Drive Immediately: The “click of death” sound is a clear indicator of mechanical failure. Powering on the drive repeatedly can cause further damage.
  3. Seek Professional Help: Attempting DIY recovery or opening the drive outside a cleanroom can lead to permanent data loss.

Why Choose Advanced Data Recovery (London)?

  • Cleanroom Expertise: Cleanrooms ensure safe handling of mechanically damaged drives.
  • Advanced Recovery Tools: Specialised tools for imaging and repairing drives with severe mechanical failures.
  • Fast Turnaround: Emergency recovery services tailored to meet urgent client needs.

This case demonstrates Advanced Data Recovery’s capability to recover data from drives with severe mechanical issues, ensuring clients can regain access to their critical files with minimal downtime.

unied spacer dell spacer donoghue spacer edinbvrgh spacer uniab spacer glasgo spacer barclays spacer synery spacer bcla spacer cannon spacer dyson spacer fulhamcouncil spacer londonarts spacer mercedes spacer merton spacer neoedge spacer nhs spacer pinewood spacer singleshot spacer stalbans spacer sutton spacer fulhamcouncil vodafone spacer