[Hampshire] Lacie Backup Disks
I have a couple of 1TB usb based backup disks which I alternate between home and my daughters house. They are Samsung HJ103UJ disks in a Lacie enclosure. Both have developed a fault in which I can read files for about 10-20s but they then freeze. I have tried reformatting one (ext4) but then running fsck on the reformatted disk fails after about the same amount of time (although the time does vary between different runs). I guess it is the end of the line for both disks but it seems odd that it has happened to both and in both cases the electronics seems fine up to the point of failure. (I then have to remove the power before I can mount and read them again). Does anyone know of an obvious cause for this type of failure - dust, movement, overheating - or how to get into the enclosure (to clean) without destroying it? Regards, David Webb. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Lacie Backup Disks
On Sat, 10 May 2014 09:53:19 +0100 David Webb wrote: Hello David, >Does anyone know of an obvious cause for this type of failure - dust, >movement, overheating - or how to get into the enclosure (to clean) >without destroying it? If it's the drives that are failing, simply opening the enclosure and cleaning will not help. Opening the drive itself can only be done in a clean room otherwise the disk *will* be destroyed. There are companies that do this, but it's not cheap and not worth it unless the data you're attempting to recover is mission critical. Try the drives on other people's machines if possible to try and eliminate OS issues with your machines. I note that the two drives are the same make/model: Were they purchased at the same time? From the same batch? Maybe there was/is an issue with that particular batch. It's worth noting that, as good as your back up policy is, using drives (or any other media come to that [CD, DVD, flash, etc]) from the same manufacturer is, IMO, to be avoided because of the potential for failure due to manufacturing defect. However slim those chances may be. -- Regards _ / ) "The blindingly obvious is / _)radnever immediately apparent" The stakes were high but the danger low Charade - Skids signature.asc Description: PGP signature -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Lacie Backup Disks
On 10/05/14 10:18, Brad Rogers wrote: > Opening the drive itself can only be done in a clean room > otherwise the disk *will* be destroyed. You can just about get away with opening a hard disk in a clean zip-seal freezer bag (making a very small "clean room"). I did this when modding an old drive to have a perspex window on the cover, keeping the drive in the sealed bag for some time while attacking the cover. It passed all checks once reassembled, though I haven't used it recently as it's IDE. Perhaps I should find a USB-IDE converter so I can play with it as an external drive. Wouldn't fancy my chances at repairing a drive while it's in a bag though - the one I used was working properly before I opened it. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Lacie Backup Disks
I had a few of these series disks and they all went belly up within weeks of the warranty expiring. Samsung didn't want to know about the problems and in the end I decided to junk them( re-cycled). It also meant that Samsung is on my 'do not buy' list. My advice would be to replace them ASAP. Stephen D -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Lacie Backup Disks
On Sat, 10 May 2014 11:26:24 +0100 Alex Dicks wrote: Hello Alex, >You can just about get away with opening a hard disk in a clean >zip-seal freezer bag (making a very small "clean room"). You got away with it, but I wouldn't fancy my chances TBH. Drive head fly heights are measured in microns, and just one dust particle will wreak havoc because, sooner or later, it'll get dragged under the head and it's "goodbye drive". :-( -- Regards _ / ) "The blindingly obvious is / _)radnever immediately apparent" We don't need no-one to tell us what's right or wrong The Modern World - The Jam signature.asc Description: PGP signature -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
