Hard drive platter swap

[LakeyDaKidd]

Hey guys the circuit board on my hard drive got fried. I swapped circuit boards now the hard drive gets power but making clanky noise. I was just wondering if anybody knows a way I could swap hard drive platters myself without paying a company $1,000?

 

[strategic]

It's not a big job, but if the info on it is that important, grab an obsolete HDD and rip it apart to get the just of it. The key thing is you need to be extremely careful, that's why it's an expensive job, for the liability. Personally that's what I would do (and what I have done) if I didn't know how it worked.

 

[Technochicken]

I think it would be almost impossible to swap the platter on a hard drive without scratching it or getting any dust on it. If you have ever pulled open a hard drive you would know how easily the magnetic coating on the disks is damaged. Also, it is often difficult to actually remove the disks. The six hex screws holding the disk in are screwed in very tightly, and to turn them you have to clamp the motor down, so the disk don't spin. Even oil from your fingers would probably ruin the disk. In my opinion, just by a new drive, as they are very inexpensive these days.

And to swap a new disk into it, you would have to buy another of the exact same drive anyway.

 

[raybay]

You absolutely cannot switch platters without special equipment and a "clean room".
The tolerances are too fine, and the dust produced in a normal environment would defeat you.

 

[LakeyDaKidd]

Fine I guess I'll just send it to the pro's. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[raybay]

Pick those "Pro's" carefully. Most of them start at $450 or more, cash in advance, whether you rescue any data or not.
Some are very good, and reasonably low cost. Just be sure in advance.