Case file, 2024 · 500 GB 3.5-inch Seagate desktop drive from an all-in-one computer
A dead head, a scratched platter, and the computer booting the same day
A business brought in the drive from one of its all-in-one desktop computers as a rush job. The goal was the computer itself back in service, not just the files.
Under 3 hoursfrom drop-off to a computer booting again
100%of the 35 GB system partition read
1failed head replaced from a matched donor
What made it difficult
- The heads hadn't parked properly, which left scratches on the surface and caused read failures.
- One of the drive's two heads had failed completely, and the top platter showed visible damage.
- A replacement head has to come from a matching drive, not just one with the same model number.
- The result had to boot in the original computer, with its manufacturer's diagnostic and recovery partitions intact.
What we did
- Opened the drive in the clean room and confirmed the damage.
- Backed up the drive's firmware, then imaged everything the working head could read, before touching the damaged side.
- Sourced a matching donor drive and tested both of its heads.
- Swapped in the donor head stack and filled in the areas only the failed head could read.
- Copied the diagnostic, recovery and Windows partitions to a new Samsung 870 SSD, installed it in the computer and confirmed it boots.
The result
The 35 GB system partition was read in full. By lunchtime the same day, the all-in-one was booting Windows 7 from a new SSD.
Lab notes: Seagate ST3500418AS · 2 heads, head 1 failed · head stack swap from matched donor · imaging by allocated bitmap
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Matthew Kinderwater
Director of IT, iCube Development (Calgary) Ltd.
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