If a hard drive has stalled, should it be sent in for repair immediately or can it be done after 2 years?

Without any further damage the longer you wait, because for the high costs of such a repair of the hard disk or data recovery, I first have to save money, but on the other hand I have to save the data otherwise I'm lost… My notebook struck me half a meter to the ground and since then my hard drive has not been recognized anymore, I also carefully removed it from the notebook and put it to one side. I also don't know exactly to which experienced hands it should be handed over for the repair, I live in Hamburg.

Just do it yourself. Important data over to ne external hdd and is good.

And then get an SSD for the laptop, that doesn't happen.

If I'm not completely nuts, then I think I have read that his hard drive is no longer recognized.

Ah yes. I must have overlooked that.

Then, of course, things become a little more difficult for the layperson. But I would only do a data recovery for very, very important data because it is usually exorbitantly expensive.

Would look beforehand whether you can still copy force over Linux e.g.

Otherwise screw it up and take a look.

If a hard drive does anything unusual, clone it right away and swap it out for a new one.

One day nothing works anymore.

Then! When you least expect it 👀

After unscrewing it, you can dispose of it completely - never heard of dust, right?

Organize the same record again, then the rescue will be a lot cheaper…

and by the same, I also mean the same date of manufacture…

Perhaps you find out more about such things! A hard drive can't be repaired… It will be replaced with a new one. If you have always backed up your important data nicely, then you can restore it after reinstalling the operating system and programs and everything is fine.

If there's important data on it, there are special companies who try to use special procedures to get as much data as possible from the hard drive. But this is usually only done with business computers because such a rescue can cost four digits; A new rock slab, on the other hand, usually costs less than 100 euro, depending on the size and design.

You don't have to dispose of the HDD just because you unscrew it… Doesn't make sense.

I've done it umpteen times is no problem. Other parts are partially properly covered in dust and they don't really care (apart from the temperature).

Well, then let a layperson open an HDD…

Ui, there are such funny little arms in there, whether I can move them.

Then maybe I turn the records with my finger because it's so funny.

If you open an HDD, it is doomed - and it doesn't help, the head crash can't be eliminated and you can hear and feel whether the motor is turning…

And yes, I know that too, because I've already opened tens of records and even operated them openly…

But none where important data was on it…

First question: SSD or normal magent HDD? The former can lose data if it is left without power for a long time. But usually also has fewer problems with falls. A normal HDD can lie there for years without any problems

You can't really fix an HDD. If there's really immensely important data on it, then a data recovery company can possibly rescue it - but that costs a lot, has no guarantee of success, and it may make sense not to wait too long. These companies must e.g. Install the disks in identically constructed hard disks to read what is not possible when things are too old.

In the private sector, however, this is usually not worthwhile, because it is really, really expensive (several hundred to a thousand euro).

As a layman you have to be careful, of course, but everyone was a layman and at some point you have to start.

But you shouldn't do that with important data…

I also have one of those cases at home - all the photos from my youth are still on it, but the head crash is also on it and I have exactly the same record for an ambulance service, but it's expensive…