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Found a weird fix for a clicking hard drive at a repair shop in Denver last week

An old tech there said to gently tap the drive casing with a screwdriver handle while it was spinning, and I'll be damned if it didn't unstick the head for long enough to pull the data off.
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2 Comments
blair_webb
blair_webb22d ago
Did they explain why tapping the drive casing works better than just tilting it? I've heard people swear by putting a drive in the freezer for sticky heads, but that always felt like it would damage the bearings more than help. Just wondering if the old screwdriver trick actually realigns something or if it's more about vibration convincing the head to move.
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wesley_adams
Dropped a drive on a concrete floor once out of frustration and it started working again. No joke. Pretty sure it just knocked the head loose from where it was stuck. Vibration is probably all it is, not magic.
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