How to recover data from a broken hard drive

​From cherished family photos and personal documents to critical business files, these storage devices are the keepers of our digital existence. So when a hard drive breaks, it can feel like a catastrophe. But broken doesn’t always mean the data is gone forever.

Chapter 1: Hard Drive Failure

Before attempting any recovery, it’s important to define what “broken” means in your case.

1.1 Types of Hard Drive Failures

Hard drive failure generally falls into one of the following categories:

1. Logical Failure

Definition: The file system is damaged or inaccessible, but the hardware is functioning.

Examples: Accidental formatting, file system corruption, OS crash, virus damage.

Recovery Difficulty: Moderate; usually recoverable with software.

2. Mechanical (Physical) Failure

Definition: Physical components of the drive are damaged.

Examples: Clicking noises, drive not spinning, damaged read/write heads.

Recovery Difficulty: High; requires professional tools or cleanroom service.

3. Electrical Failure

Definition: Issues with the hard drive’s PCB (Printed Circuit Board) or power system.

Examples: Drive not powering on, burnt smell, fried circuits.

Recovery Difficulty: Varies; sometimes repairable with donor parts.

4. Firmware Failure

Definition: The drive’s firmware (low-level software) becomes corrupted.

Examples: Drive detected incorrectly in BIOS, wrong capacity shown.

Recovery Difficulty: Complex; may require firmware repair tools.

Chapter 2: Signs of a Broken Hard Drive

2.1 Logical Failure Symptoms

OS fails to boot but BIOS detects the drive

Files or folders are missing or corrupted

“Drive not formatted” errors

Slow access or freezing during file transfers

2.2 Physical Failure Symptoms

Clicking, grinding, or buzzing sounds (aka “click of death”)

Drive not spinning up at all

BIOS doesn’t detect the drive

Drive randomly disconnects

2.3 Electrical Failure Symptoms

No power or response from the drive

Smoke or burning smell

Drive vibrates but doesn’t show up in BIOS

Chapter 3: Diagnosing the Problem

3.1 Does the Drive Spin Up?

If yes: Likely a logical or minor electrical problem.

If no: Could be a dead PCB, failed motor, or severe physical damage.

3.2 Check BIOS or Disk Management

Open BIOS or Windows Disk Management (or macOS Disk Utility).

If the drive appears with no size info, it could be a firmware issue.

If detected properly but inaccessible: logical problem.

3.3 Run S.M.A.R.T. Diagnostic

Tools like CrystalDiskInfo, HD Sentinel, or GSmartControl check health indicators.

Look for signs like “Reallocated Sector Count,” “Pending Sector,” or “Spin Retry Count.”

Chapter 4: First Steps for Data Recovery

4.1 Stop Using the Drive

Using a failing drive increases the risk of further data loss. Do not attempt to write new files or defragment.

4.2 Remove the Drive (If External)

Take it out of its enclosure and connect it via a SATA-to-USB adapter or directly into a desktop via a SATA port.

4.3 Create a Clone or Disk Image

Before recovery, always make a bit-by-bit copy of the broken drive using tools like:

ddrescue (Linux)

HDClone

Macrium Reflect

Clonezilla

Work from the clone to protect the original data.

Chapter 5: Recovering Data from a Logically Broken Drive

5.1 Use Data Recovery Software

If your hard drive is accessible and the issue is logical (e.g., corruption, accidental deletion), try recovery software:

Panda Assistant

Experiencing a broken hard drive can be alarming, especially when it holds irreplaceable documents, photos, or work files. Fortunately, Panda Assistant offers a smart, accessible solution for recovering data from broken hard drives whether the issue is physical, logical, or electrical.

Panda Assistant is engineered to detect and recover files from drives that are unresponsive, corrupted, or not recognized by your operating system. If your hard drive is suffering from logical failure such as partition loss, accidental formatting, file system errors, or virus damage Panda Assistant’s deep scan technology can analyze the drive sector by sector and retrieve lost files with precision.

For partially functioning or intermittently failing hard drives, Panda Assistant enables users to create a full disk image before beginning the recovery process. This prevents further deterioration and ensures data is recovered safely. Its user-friendly interface makes even complex recovery tasks simple, guiding users step by step through scanning, previewing, and restoring files.

Although Panda Assistant cannot repair severe physical damage (such as clicking noises or non-spinning drives), it can help users determine the nature of the failure with built-in diagnostics. For serious mechanical issues, the software will suggest professional recovery services, ensuring you’re never left without a plan.

Steps:

Install the software on a separate drive.

Launch and select the broken hard drive or its clone.

Choose a deep scan.

Preview recoverable files.

Recover files to another healthy drive.

Chapter 6: Recovering Data from Physically Broken Drives

6.1 Warning

If your drive is physically damaged, do not open it. This requires a cleanroom environment to avoid contamination.

6.2 Symptoms of Physical Failure

Clicking sounds

Unusual grinding

No spinning

Frequent disconnections

6.3 DIY Physical Recovery (Not Recommended, But Possible)

Freezing Trick

Place the drive in a sealed plastic bag, freeze for 4–6 hours, and quickly attempt data access.

May work if bearings or actuator arms are stuck.

Tapping or Tilting the Drive

May temporarily free stuck parts.

Caution: These tricks are last resorts and may damage the drive further.

Chapter 7: Recovering Data from an Electrically Dead Drive

7.1 Replace the PCB

If the circuit board is damaged:

Source a donor drive of the same model, firmware version, and manufacturing date.

Swap the PCB. On modern drives, you may also need to transplant ROM chips.

7.2 Check Power Supply

For external drives, test a new USB cable or power adapter.

Try a different enclosure.

Chapter 8: Firmware Failures

8.1 Signs

Drive shows incorrect size or model name in BIOS.

Drive hangs during boot or scanning.

8.2 Solution

Use tools like WD Marvel, PC-3000. or SeDiv (specialized and expensive).

Often best handled by professionals.

Chapter 9: SSD-Specific Recovery Notes

9.1 SSDs Don’t Fail Like HDDs

No moving parts, but NAND memory can wear out.

TRIM command permanently erases deleted data.

9.2 Recovery Chances

With TRIM enabled: Low.

Without TRIM (e.g., external SSDs): Possible.

9.3 Best Tools

Panda Assistant also support SSD recovery.

Firmware or chip-level issues? Seek professional help.

Chapter 10: When to Use Professional Data Recovery Services

10.1 Indicators You Need a Pro

Physical damage (clicking, beeping)

Drive not recognized at all

Firmware or PCB problems

Important or irreplaceable data

10.2 What Pros Offer

ISO Class 5 or Class 100 cleanrooms

Hardware-level access and tools

PCB and firmware repair

10.3 Top Services

DriveSavers

Gillware

Secure Data Recovery

Ontrack

10.4 Cost

Starts at $300 and can exceed $2.000+ depending on damage and urgency.

Many offer “no data, no charge” guarantees.

Chapter 11: Recovery on Mac and Linux Systems

Mac Users

Use Disk Utility to check disk health.

For recovery: Disk Drill, Data Rescue 6. PhotoRec.

Linux Users

Use TestDisk, PhotoRec, or ddrescue.

Mount drives manually if needed.

Chapter 12: Specialized Cases

12.1 External Drives

Try removing the internal disk and connecting via SATA.

USB interface could be the point of failure.

12.2 RAID Systems

Don’t reconfigure RAID if it fails.

Use R-Studio, UFS Explorer, or seek RAID recovery experts.

12.3 Laptops

Remove the internal drive and connect to another computer via SATA/USB.

Chapter 13: How to Prevent Future Hard Drive Failures

13.1 Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Rule

3 total copies of your data

2 different types of media (e.g., local + cloud)

1 off-site backup

13.2 Use Monitoring Tools

Install CrystalDiskInfo, SMART Monitoring Tools, or HD Sentinel.

13.3 Avoid Shocks and Overheating

Use padded cases and cooling pads.

13.4 Power Protection

Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to guard against surges.