BXProject

[jonathan_dyane]

My hard drive died last month, and of course there was stuff on there which I hadn't bothered to back up, and was rather important. Today I came across a computer forum with a posting that suggested that you can often get a fucked hard drive to work for long enough to rescue data by giving it a session in the freezer

Despite being somewhat skeptical, I thought what have I got to lose (aside from frying a board in my computer anyway...) and having wrapped the drive in clingfilm I nestled it between some frozen peas and some chips.

Retrieved it after a few hours, plugged in my IDE - USB cable, and lo and behold the drive mounted and I was able to rescue what I needed

Sounded like a bag of hammers but...

[mat_the_cat]

What was the problem with the hard drive - if it cures the 'click of death' I'd be very interested! I.e. the head moving over the platter and continually crashing into the stops.

[jonathan_dyane]

Yep, that was indeed the symptom when I tried to mount the drive before the freezer treatment, constant click and no whirr...

[Bx Bandit]

Does it have to be peas and chips? Does cod and lasagne work too?

[Vanny]

its not a cure, its a temp bodge, one that has been in existence for me since around 1996! Used it many times, even on an XBOX hard drive! Now all you need is a risc PC and you can fix broken sector permanantly, though no cure for the click of death yet!:(

[jonathan_dyane]

Well, I have to say I have only tested it with chips and peas, and should you wish to risk substituting ingredients, do so with the knowledge that it is entirely at your own risk...

[Bx Bandit]

Ok, I think I'll risk cod and lasagne, but for some reason I wouldn't trust ice cream and definitely not sweet corn this needs thorough investigation.................

[jonathan_dyane]

Might be best avoiding 'sweet' foods altogether, a hard drive is (correct me if I'm wrong) an intrinsically savoury item...

[Philhod]

I think I need to stick the Picasso's computer in the freezer!!! It's started fooking about.
Telling me it's overheating when I just started from cold, fan cutting in and out. digital fuel gauge not going to full. cruise control ceased working. read out for fuel consumption freezes
Radio works fine but it keeps saying insert disc when it's already in and won't play.
Finally drivers door mirror folds outwards (instead of inwards) when switching on ignition about 1 in 10 starts, completely unbidden.

I fucking hate electrickery

[Bx Bandit]

haven't the french learnt by now that camembert is not a good conductor and brie is not 'la resistance'? It seems that lektrickery is not their strongest point!

I'd seriously take on board Mr Dyane's suggestion about avoiding sweet frozen foods though when placing your picarseole into cryogenic storage.......

[jonathan_dyane]

Oh God, I feel for you, I really do. I really hope I never end up with a motor car with a computer, give me good old single-plexed non-intergrated wiring and things I can understand for the smoke to escape from any day, but not that...

(I'd check earths and connections on the Picasso, but would suspect the BSI could be up the swannee... If you're brave leaving it with the battery off overnight might help)

[Bx Bandit]

Oh God, I feel for you, I really do. I really hope I never end up with a motor car with a computer, give me good old single-plexed non-intergrated wiring and things I can understand for the smoke to escape from any day, but not that...

Sounds familiar mate.............!!!!!

Not being unkind to Jon here, but his 306 was/is a true bastion of French workhorse longevity...........it's the car that refuses to die, despite endless amounts of neglect and abuse (not perpetrated by Jon I might add...) A sturdy hand painted work horse....................

[jonathan_dyane]

And it did go on fire a bit last month, I have to admit... It has been a wonderful workhorse, however next week will be its last on the Queen's highway, and following me pulling the engine and box out (still fresh at 220 000+ miles, how many plus I don't know since the smoke escaped from the circuit that worked the speedometer amongst other things), it will head to the knackers yard. I may shed a tear...

[docchevron132]

Poor little car...

Other good bodges..
Dead mobile phone battery?
Stick it in the oven for 20 mins on 200 deg C.

Dead car battery? Flash it across the mains (be prepared to run, very fast)

Dead car stereo? Hit it with a hammer.

[Bx Bandit]

I shan't be doing the mains thing for the car battery mate!

[Fish_Botherer]

Another one: mobile (old-school Nokia) dropped into seawater while fishing, recovered after 2hrs immersion.

Remove battery (sure to be dead). Part-dismantle. Immerse in (tap) water. Flush under running tap, repeat, repeat repeatedly. Leave to dry near a gentle heat source for a few days. Reassemble. Fit new battery - bingo! The durn thing's still working two or three years later though it eats batteries somewhat faster than normal (£1.99 for replacements on ebay).

[docchevron132]

I dropped my old 3230 down the bog once.
Was having a piss, whilst chatting to dad on it. I was, er, seven sheets to the wind at this point.
Anyway, the phone fucked off into a sea of bog water and man piss.

Somewhat dead, I removed battery and mem card, threw it on the heater and left for 2 days.
Plugged back in, viola!
Although the keypad backlights were always on for ever from that point, even if you switched it off...

[Fish_Botherer]

Rinsed and/or "flushed", hopefully.....

[docchevron132]

Erm, well, at the time I was rather too drunk to worry about silly things like that, but I did run it under the tap for a while the following morning!

[Philhod]

Well now everyone has had a laugh. Does anyone think it could be something to do with my altercation with that bollard, a couple of months back, It did do £2000 worth of damage.????????????????