[mythtv-users] Help with a semi-busted hard drive (with all my recordings)

[Mark Oliver]

Brian Wood wrote:

>On Feb 5, 2006, at 1:50 AM, Mark Oliver wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Kristo Kriechbaum wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>The drive is a Seagate Barracuda 7200.7, 200Gb, model  
>>>ST32000822A.  Pictures
>>>detailing the damage are at http://robotics.caltech.edu/~klk/drive/
>>>
>>>I figure alot of people on this list have this drive.  If anyone  
>>>who has one
>>>of these drives could somehow measure the capacitor I would be  
>>>greatly
>>>indebted to you.  At the very least, I would buy you many beers if  
>>>we ever
>>>met :-)
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>I have the drive sitting in its box.  Unfortunately, you used the word
>>'measure,' which means I will be of no use to you (unless you like
>>guesstimates).  If no one else is able to answer your questions, I can
>>run this over to my brother-in-law (who is an engineer), and he should
>>be able to help answer your questions.  Hopefully, someone else here
>>will be able to help you sooner, but if not, then I can probably get
>>something for you by monday night at the latest, depending on dave's
>>schedule.
>>    
>>
>
>
>An impedance bridge is not something that a lot of folks have at  
>home, plus you would have to remove the component from the circuit in  
>order to measure its capacitance.
>
>Fortunately, most capacitors in digital circuits are not all that  
>critical in terms of value, and a lot of them are simply for de- 
>coupling. Probably anything even reasonably close in capacitance  
>would work. Be careful that you have not damaged the extremely tiny  
>lands on the PC board, and remember that a lot of those boards are  
>multi-layer, once damaged they can rarely be repaired, so be very  
>careful.
>
All the more reason for me to pass this along to someone who knows more 
than I do.  Thanks for the info and the words of caution, though I have 
no intention of doing anything other than transporting the drive 
somewhere.  The drive is still in its original packaging, so as long as 
I do not drop it...

I am not sure what dave (my brother-in-law) has or has access to, which 
means that this may end up in the hands of one of his friends, so the 
time aspect for getting an answer may well be more like a week or two, 
if it is even possible.  I guess I will find out more later today or 
tomorrow.

mark