Seagate hard drives are widely used for storing personal and family history records, making them a vital resource for individuals documenting their family tree and genealogy research. However, when a hard drive starts beeping, it often indicates a spindle motor failure, preventing the platters from spinning, making stored data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered years of family tree research and genealogical data for a client in Glasgow from a Seagate hard disk, after mechanical failure rendered the drive unreadable.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using cleanroom disassembly, spindle motor replacement, and forensic data extraction techniques to restore lost personal data.
Seagate Hard Drive Beeping & Not Spinning
A client in Glasgow contacted us after their Seagate hard drive stopped functioning, with the following issues:
- The drive was making a beeping sound and was not recognized by the computer.
- No spinning noise, suggesting that the platters were not moving.
- Attempts to connect the drive externally resulted in no response.
- The drive contained years of family tree research and genealogy records.
Since a beeping hard drive often indicates mechanical failure, an immediate cleanroom recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Seagate hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full mechanical and electrical diagnostic. Our findings:
- Spindle motor failure – The motor was seized, preventing platter movement.
- No visible platter damage – Increasing the likelihood of a successful recovery.
- No PCB (Printed Circuit Board) failure detected – Indicating the issue was mechanical, not electrical.
Since spindle motor failures require physical intervention, we prioritized cleanroom disassembly and spindle replacement.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom Disassembly & Spindle Motor Replacement
To repair the drive and allow data extraction, we:
- Opened the hard drive in a dust-free cleanroom environment.
- Carefully removed the platters to prevent misalignment.
- Replaced the faulty spindle motor with a compatible donor motor.
- Reassembled the drive with precise calibration to ensure platter stability.
2. Imaging & Cloning the Repaired Hard Drive
Once the spindle assembly was stabilized, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the recovered drive.
- Used advanced tools to extract as much readable data as possible.
3. Extracting & Verifying Family Tree Data
Once data extraction was complete, we:
- Recovered all family tree documents, ancestry records, and research files.
- Repaired any corrupted genealogy files and scanned documents.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 94% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our cleanroom spindle motor replacement and forensic imaging techniques, we successfully recovered 94% of the client’s lost genealogy data, including:
✅ Family tree research and ancestry documents
✅ Scanned historical records, birth certificates, and census data
✅ Organised digital archives restored for easy access
The client was able to retrieve all essential genealogy records, ensuring that years of research were not lost.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful hard drive recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ Cleanroom hard drive repair
✔ Spindle motor replacement & platter realignment
✔ Genealogy research, family tree data, and historical document retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your hard drive is beeping, failing to spin, or preventing access to important family tree research, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.