Michael Jones, our Chief Technician says:
"Hard disk drives (HDDs) are mechanical devices, and like all mechanical parts, they can wear out or fail. When a hard drive stops working, people often wonder if it can be repaired—especially in the case of physical damage. One of the most common and critical types of physical failure we see at DRS involves the read/write heads."
Understanding Physical Hard Disk Failures
Physical failures refer to damage or malfunction of the drive's internal hardware. This includes issues with the spindle motor, platters, circuit board, or the read/write heads. The read/write heads are delicate components that float just above the spinning platters to access data. If these heads malfunction—due to shock, wear, manufacturing defects, or power surges—it can cause the drive to click, grind, or stop working altogether.
Can Read/Write Heads Be Repaired?
Technically, read/write heads cannot be "repaired" in the traditional sense, but they can be replaced. This procedure is known as a head swap. It's a highly specialised process that involves opening the hard drive in a cleanroom environment (free of dust and contaminants) and replacing the faulty heads with compatible ones from a donor drive of the exact same model and firmware.
We replace read/write heads in our class 100 clean room to avoid dust contamination. First, our technicians identify a compatible donor drive with an identical model and firmware. Using precision tools, they carefully open both drives and remove the damaged heads from the faulty disk. The donor heads are then installed, aligned precisely to avoid damaging the platters. After reassembly, the drive is tested to ensure it can read data. If successful, data recovery software is used to extract files.
Limitations and Considerations
It’s important to note that replacing the heads does not make the drive reliable for long-term use. The goal is usually data recovery, not restoration of a fully functional hard disk. Also, success depends on the condition of the platters—if they’re scratched or damaged (especially during a head crash), recovery may be impossible.
Should I Attempt a Hard Disk Repair at Home?
Attempting to repair a hard disk at home, especially one with physical damage like failed read/write heads, is strongly discouraged. These components are extremely delicate, and opening a hard drive outside of a professional cleanroom can lead to irreversible data loss due to dust contamination or platter damage. DIY methods found online often make things worse. If your data is valuable, it’s best to avoid powering the drive repeatedly and consult us. While software repairs for logical errors can be done at home, physical repairs require specialised tools, clean environments, and technical expertise that most users don’t have.
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Author:
Michael Jones, Chief Technician
Further reading
How to fix "Boot Device Not Found" error
Hard drive is clicking
Freezing a hard drive