XBStart version 2.0 beta 1 released

edit: added missing dll's to the installer, please re-download the file.

Edited July 8, 201412 yr by oomek

INPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT:

XBStart 2.0 beta will be my last release. My HDD died just the day after I posted the installer and all my source code has gone. Maybe It's recoverable, maybe not, but I do not have a spare £300 at the moment to find out. Little advice, don't buy Seagate drives, EVER!

 

EDIT: I've managed to decompile the XBStart.exe and recover my sourcecode. You may expect a new version soon.

Edited July 8, 201412 yr by oomek

I opened it with dotPeek and got good results

 

http://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/NETPEEK/dotPeek+Early+Access+Program

 

You can decompile the source of the Exe into a new sln+csproj file with code.

I opened it with dotPeek and got good results

http://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/NETPEEK/dotPeek+Early+Access+Program

You can decompile the source of the Exe into a new sln+csproj file with code.

I was trying Reflector but wasn't happy with the result. Does this netpeek extract the embedded resources as well? Thanks God that at the last moment I've decided to NOT obfuscate the exe.

Edited June 18, 201412 yr by oomek

try it out. export the exe into a new VS solution and look if you can recompile it.

For some reason I cannot connect to the website. Could I get it emailed to gacgacao@live.com?

Edited June 20, 201412 yr by Zarzuh

Maybe It's recoverable, maybe not, but I do not have a spare £300 at the moment to find out. Little advice, don't buy Seagate drives, EVER!

If, by any chance, it is a 7200.11, it is possible that fixing it will be much cheaper than that.

We have "saved" in the past a few hundreds (possibly more) of such disks:

http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/169-hard-drive-and-removable-media-issues/

with just a few bucks/Euros needed for the TTL adapter.

jaclaz

Maybe It's recoverable, maybe not, but I do not have a spare £300 at the moment to find out. Little advice, don't buy Seagate drives, EVER!

If, by any chance, it is a 7200.11, it is possible that fixing it will be much cheaper than that.We have "saved" in the past a few hundreds (possibly more) of such disks:http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/169-hard-drive-and-removable-media-issues/with just a few bucks/Euros needed for the TTL adapter.jaclaz

I heard about that issue with the old Barracudas, mine is unfortunately 7200.14 ST3000DM001. It spins up, makes about 10 clicks and spins down. Not visible in the bios or Windows. I've recorded a video, so maybe with your experience you could fortell the source of the problem, whether it's PCB or mechanical failure.

If it's PCB i could try to find a donor and transfuse the flash chip, as i'm skilled well enough in soldering.

EDIT: Well, the PCB I got from Canada didn't work. I guess this is the end of story, as I can't afford the clean room recovery.

Edited July 1, 201412 yr by oomek

I've managed to disassemble the xbstart.exe and toastnotification.dll and recovered the sourcecode. I'm rearranging it now to make a workable project out of it. After that you may expect a new beta release with some bugs fixed.

ok, no put the source into a version control system and do regular backups.

ok, no put the source into a version control system and do regular backups.

Yes, I've learned that in a hard way.

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by oomek

Only to let you know (though it won't help) the 10 (or 11 or 12, it may vary) clicks and then spin down should mean more or less:

1. the disk PCB and the contents of the ROM/Flash on it are fine
2. it loads an initial part (form the flash) fine
3. then attempts to read *something* from the reserved area on the actual platters
4. then tries again a few times
5. finally gives up and spins down

 

Loosely this can be caused by two different issues:

1. a failed head - (please read as extremely expensive recovery in a clean room^[1]) or
2. one or more failed sectors on the actual plater surface.

 

 If the latter, a PC-3000 (or similar specialized hardware) can AFAICU "inject" a replacement piece of code "good enough" to allow the disk to spin up and recover the files ^[2} (very possibly only partially).

 

jaclaz

 

^[1] When you read "clean room", in - say - 99.00% of cases you should translate it as "common laminar flow bench"

^[2] In a not so little number of cases this much simpler recovery will be anyway billed as "clean room recovery"

Thanks for your input jaclaz. I ve sent my drive to a company claiming to fix the HDDs from £97. After the diagnosis those £97 went up to £290 initial payment and £190 after the work is done. It's sad how these companies rip people off. The new drive costs £70 so they want £410 for a head replacement. I had do pass because it's way over my budget, but at least I already know what's broken.

MInd you that not necessarily it is a rip-off (i.e. there are many very good guys in the field) only, it is a matter that can be easily turned into a rip-off.

 

IF the issue is actually a failed head AND head replacement (and possibly pre-amp) is needed AND replacement is carried properly, £480 (included the cost of the donor drive, I haven't understood if also the cost of the new disk needed to hold the recovered data is included in it ) is IMHO an "average" price, in US dollars you can expect anything between 500 and 1200.

 

jaclaz

XBStart version 2.0 beta 2 released