Hard Drive Cover Removal: Seriously, Don’t Do It

This classic video from our archive confronts an issue that remains as important as ever to data recovery. We know people are naturally curious, but that curiosity can sometimes threaten the chances of successful data recovery.

Why You Should Never Open a Hard Drive Yourself

The “do it yourself” spirit is alive and well in the age of video tutorials and online forums, but when it comes to your hard drive, you should never attempt a cover removal or any home data recovery method yourself.

When hard drives have their cover removed outside of a data recovery lab, it almost always complicates the recovery attempt in the lab. Aside from the obvious barriers, like the chance of dirt or dust touching the platters, cover removal poses other threats to a successful recovery as well.

In this video, we show that simply changing the torque settings of the case screws can mean the difference between whether or not a Western Digital WD800 80 GB hard drive is detected by a computer when it’s plugged in. Device not detected or computer not recognizing hard drive errors can be extremely problematic, as they are likely a sign that there is a mechanical problem.

With incorrectly torqued case screws, the drive makes the “click of death” and is unrecognized by a computer. Hard drives are highly specialized, sensitive pieces of equipment. Even the slightest disruption can cause mechanical failure. For reliable data recovery with the highest chance of success, trust your data to the professionals at Gillware Data Recovery.

Hopefully, our cautionary video has shown you just how dangerous opening up a broken hard drive outside of the safety of a data recovery lab can be. When you can’t access the data on your hard drive, and especially if the device is clicking, beeping, or won’t spin up, you need to put your trust in professionals like the ones in our data recovery lab.

Why Choose Gillware Over DIY Data Recovery?

Gillware’s data recovery lab has been in operation for over 15 years, during which we’ve helped over 100,000 clients recover their data from broken storage devices of all kinds with a success rate of over 98%. Choosing Gillware to handle your broken hard drive means you get:

  • Years of hard drive repair expertise
  • Top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art tools and techniques
  • Free shipping to our lab in Madison, Wisconsin
  • Free in-lab evaluations by world-class engineers
  • Firm, down-to-the-dollar price quotes
  • No charge for our services if we cannot meet your goals at a sensible price

Data recovery can be easy and painless when you choose Gillware

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