---
title: "Data Recovery from Seagate Drive. Failed to Start After Power Outage - EXALAB"
description: "This case of data recovery from a Seagate hard drive after a power outage shows the importance of not only data backup but also computer power backup."
url: "https://www.exalab.cz/en/blog/from-practice/labnotes/data-recovery-from-seagate-drive-failed-to-start-after-power-outage"
date: "2026-06-27T02:19:57+00:00"
language: "en-GB"
---

##  Data Recovery from Seagate Drive. Failed to Start After Power Outage

Hard drives have been storing our data for decades. This particular one served well for over 10 years, and if not for an unexpected power failure disrupting the symbiotic hum of its read heads and data platters, it probably would have had a few more years of service left. This older Seagate model has an obsolete configuration where the read heads don't have a safe zone outside the data platters, but instead rest in the middle of the platters. Normally, the heads would retract to this area when powered off, but in this case, they got "stuck" on the data platters. Initially, data recovery didn't look very promising, but it was ultimately successful.

  ![Záchrana dat z disku Seagate. Po výpadku napájení již nenaběhl](https://www.exalab.cz/images/blog/EN2405022-zachrana-dat-z-disku-Seagate-fw1200.jpg) A hard drive should be able to handle an unexpected power failure, but things don't always go as they should. A combination of factors prevented the Seagate drive from shutting down correctly, leaving the magnetic heads "stuck" on the data platters in an area they shouldn't be. This situation can be dangerous for user data because the drive's motor might have enough power on startup to "tear off" the magnetic heads, which could have catastrophic consequences for the recording layer on the data platters. Especially in 3.5" drives (used more in desktop computers or large external drives), the motor has enough power to do this. Therefore, if a drive fails and you only hear a faint clicking sound, do not try to power it on repeatedly. The cause might not be the same as here, but it is likely.

After freeing the magnetic heads and visually inspecting both the heads and the data platters, damage was found that would probably mean the end for more modern drives. The situation here wasn't very hopeful either, but there was a chance. The magnetic heads and other drive components needed to be replaced, the drive's service data had to be modified, and then the drive could be initialized. It worked. Surprisingly, without significant further issues, we were able to create a backup of the service data and start a binary copy of the drive's contents - the user data. The process went better than expected, and in the end, only a few files in the user folder were damaged.

**Medium:** Seagate Hard Drive ST500DM002
**Capacity:** 500 GB
**Problem:** Read head failure after power outage
**Solution:** Invasive hardware intervention on the hard drive, read head replacement
**Result:** 99% of data successfully recovered

This data recovery from the Seagate drive was successful. Modern hard drives are more sensitive to similar defects, have higher data density, and use different recording and reading technologies, making data recovery significantly more complicated. Don't underestimate the importance of regular backups, and if you encounter a problem with your hard drive, take advantage of our free diagnostics or consultation.

   Details   By Frantisek Fridrich  Frantisek Fridrich   Parent Category: [Z praxe](https://www.exalab.cz/en/blog/from-practice)   [LABnotes](https://www.exalab.cz/en/blog/from-practice/labnotes)

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