Re: [tlug] Rejuvenating Dead Hard Drives by Freezing Them

[Jim <jep200404@example.com>]

Micheal E Cooper <network-admin@example.com> wrote:

> That's the first time I have heard of that. Why would freezing help? 

I have successfully used freezing on one drive.  
When it warms up, it quits working.  

I don't know why it works, but I can imagine to ways: 

   1. Generally, most semiconductors work better at cooler 
      temperatures, so that when something has become 
      marginal, the cold brings it back over a threshold.  

   2. Mechanical stuff. I recall hearing that dying bearings 
      worked better when cold, but this doesn't make sense since 
      lubricants typically become more vicous and harder to 
      move when cold.  The resistance of the motor windings 
      would also decrease, allowing the motor to produce 
      more useful power instead of heat.  I don't know that 
      the extra motor power would over come the extra friction 
      from cold lubricants.  

So don't worry about the theory too much.  
Empirically, I've experienced it to work. 

I've also tried it on other drives and it did not help. 
It's a last desperate thing to try. 
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.