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61 Comments
- serif69, on 03/13/2009, -1/+46I'm confused as to why it doesn't say, "Walk closer, dumbass."
- Barr08, on 03/13/2009, -1/+46"If your NES Cartidge is not functioning correctly, just turn it upside-down and blow gently across the bottom".
- CasinoJack, on 03/13/2009, -1/+39"Hold the metal key part of your key fob against your chin, then push the unlock button. This trick turns your head into an antenna, which can extend the key's wireless range by a few car lengths."
"And that's the spirit of these folk remedies: they may or may not work, but what have you got to lose?"
My dignity? - JAPHacake, on 06/11/2009, -2/+37"Suppose your remote car door opener does not have the range to reach your car across the car park."
Nightmare, how embarrassing. - bryanlong, on 03/13/2009, -1/+25Originally reported and written by New York Times. The linked Web site gives no credit to the original source. I think the entire site should be banned from Digg.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/technology/perso ... - Barr08, on 03/13/2009, -1/+21it's common "sence" to you to stick your faulty HD into the freezer for a night? Sounds like you should spend less time putting electronics in the fridge and more time with the study of phonics!
- inactive, on 03/13/2009, -1/+15Putting a mobile phone in the fridge is a great way to promote condensation and water damage your phone.
- wjlaw100, on 03/13/2009, -0/+12Yes, I PERSONALLY did this fall, Just before 10/2008, with an External USB Drive, (Think the Drive was an IDE in side the case). I salvaged about 3Gb of Photos off the drive that were not backed up. Left it in the freezer, and it crapped out when I went to get the additional MP3s that were not backed up.
FYI, whatever the internal problem, it definitely was the heads reading the Directory. Before Freezing it, all I would hear upon turn-on were the heads re-seeking on the platter.
It did work, and I have had it work also YEARS ago on MFM Hard drives. But its a last resort. - bryanlong, on 03/13/2009, -0/+11Actually, it's a word-for-word copy of a story originally published Feb. 18 in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/technology/perso ... - inactive, on 03/13/2009, -2/+12Is it on? Then turn it off! Is it off? then turn it on!
- Barr08, on 03/13/2009, -1/+11brain cells
- barnis, on 03/13/2009, -2/+12this article is a blatant copy/paste of one that was on DIGG about 2 weeks ago...
- stix213, on 03/13/2009, -0/+9"Turn off the phone and put it in the hotel refrigerator overnight to slow the battery's tendency to lose its charge."
Nice - condensation will be great for those batteries. I wonder now if those exploding cell phone batteries I keep hearing about have anything to do with this advice. - Treshnell, on 03/13/2009, -0/+6Even that will stop working (or not work very well). The problem in that instance is that the connectors inside the NES get bent during prolonged usage (when a cartridge is in the slot). That bending makes the games not work because it can't always get a good connection.
Blowing on the cartridge adds moisture to the connection which can provide enough contact to play the game, but over-all it's a pretty bad way to solve a fairly simple problem.
Just open the NES and bend the connectors back a little bit. Alternatively, you can easily purchase that part online and replace is for an NES that works like new. - Amlethus, on 03/13/2009, -1/+7I've always thought the best cure for a crashed hard drive is a couple martinis, and my methods have yet to leave me unhappy.
- m00nmaster, on 03/13/2009, -0/+5That's a Tech Trick, but low-tech.
- drewbeta, on 03/13/2009, -0/+5then you just throw it in a jar of rice! didn't you read the article? beware of infinite loops though.
- Y0tsuya, on 03/13/2009, -0/+5My way of dealing with mobile phone in the toilet is to remove battery and any other covering to vent the phone, then place it on a constant heat source such as a TV overnight. That helps speed water evaporation and the phone should be ready for use the next morning. Works for most other small electronic items.
- strictnein, on 03/13/2009, -0/+5Windex? Try rubbing alcohol.
- kylehoward, on 03/13/2009, -0/+4But its all on one page so its better.
- Y0tsuya, on 03/13/2009, -0/+4I once has a notebook hard drive fail on me. Normally I would just toss a failed drive but there was essential data on there I forgot to backup. Replacing the controller board from another identical drive didn't help. I ended up taking it apart and found the motor shaft somehow got stuck. Using a torx screwdriver I worked it free again. Of course afterwards I had to copy all my data out of that drive in a jiffy. Not sure if that's a common problem. But if you're desperate but too cheap to pay for data recovery, it could work. At that point you've got nothing to lose anyway.
- majortom1981, on 03/13/2009, -1/+5Not just two weeks ago . Its been making rounds since a couple of months ago.
- MikiMac, on 03/13/2009, -2/+69. you have a problem with your computer, and you are running windows?
Reboot - Daz_Genetic, on 03/13/2009, -0/+4Yeah, I had a drive fail on me. After trying multiple times to attempt data recovery on multiple machines, I had given up. Drive was making clicking noises and was failing to even be recognized as a drive. Was just going to toss the thing.
But then I read about freezing the hard drive. I put it in a ziplok and froze the drive for about 2 hours.. Took it out and put it right into the machine. The drive was recognized immediately. It did fail again about 10 minutes later, but I used that time to get some data off the drive. Froze it again, and again got about 10-15 minutes of time with the drive.
I repeated this process a number of times and eventually got everything off the drive. None of the data was really that important (I have proper backups for that), so it was more a fun little experiment than anything, but I can definitely say it worked. Not recommended as the first recovery method, but certainly worth doing if you're about to throw the drive in the trash. - jalepenochips, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3LMAO at this one! It's a good tip, I hope it works!
On another note, why would you unlock your car door when you are 'across the park'? This makes me worry I'm accidentally unlocking my car door...
Remote car key
Suppose your remote car door opener does not have the range to reach your car across the car park. Hold the metal key part of your key fob against your chin, then push the unlock button. This trick turns your head into an antenna, which can extend the key's wireless range by a few car lengths. - browe07, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3I work in IT. However, upon further examination your comment is still %100 correct.
- TheMidnight, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3I've resurrected a Motorola RAZR battery by leaving it in the freezer overnight, letting it get back to room temperature then charging it from the wall plug another night. The battery works like new. Before this trick, you couldn't even power the phone on when it was plugged into the wall.
- caulkrocket, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3This advice works surprisingly well in other scenarios as well...
- ghostofpanty, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3you got all that crucial porn saved
- CDRaff, on 03/13/2009, -0/+3Here is a good trick that I learned from many years doing tech support for cell phones, if you are getting a lot of dropped calls, bad battery life, not receiving text messages, or even things like not getting your night and weekend rates, reboot the phone.
As I would tell many customers, I know it sounds iffy and like voodoo, but the phone is a little computer, and like computers a reboot will fix a lot of issues. Not only does it restart the OS, but it will force a reconnection to the cell tower and fix some service issues. - kokoshka, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2Is there a bury as plagiarism option?
- raintheory, on 03/14/2009, -0/+2Or just wedge another game in on top of the the main one a bit...
- spritom, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2FTA: This trick turns your head into an antenna
Yup, that's gotta be healthy pushing even more EM radiation through my head. - bobdigi, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2If you've been through 15 HD's, apparently you are doing something wrong.
- duncan202, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2Admittedly I might try the wifi antennae for kicks.
- bobdigi, on 03/13/2009, -1/+3*BUZZER SOUND*
- browe07, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2I've heard of success stories, but I've tried it about 15 drives with no success. So I would guess it only works in very specific scenarios.
- HPMNick, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2This will rarely, if ever, work for modern hard drives. It would work great with drives that are about 7+ years old, with a very specific problem.
When freezing does work:
The read head becomes slightly out of alignment with the tracks on the platters. Freezing it can minutely adjust the position of the read head on the platters, allowing it to read the SA (service area) and pass a POST test.
When it will not work:
1) Bad clusters
2) Bad PCB
3) Scratched platter
4) SA corruption (bad blocks, or loss of information in the negative tracks)
5) Any file system based corruption (duh)
etc, etc
Most drives undergo (hardware) failure due to bad PCB's. Freezing it will not help. In fact, freezing the hard drive is probably one of the WORST things you can do to a drive if you ever want to see your data again. Once you cool your drive, the temperature will probably be below freezing. When you boot the drive up, it will heat up inside very fast. The difference in temperature between the internal parts and the cool air will cause condensation (i.e. water) to form on your platters. Water on the surface of your drive is a very very bad thing. There goes your data.
Replacing the PCB by finding one with an identical serial # is the best case scenario for most problems. It is easily done, and will probably cost about $50. I'd say 70-80% of the time this fixes it. WD drives are especially known for this type of failure.
If you want your data back
1) Make sure its a hardware issue first - many times data is merely lost through file corruption (Bad MFT or superblock). Software can often easily retrieve the data. If the drive POSTS fine, and is detected (but appears to not be formatted), the hardware is not an issue
2) Try a different controller - Addonics sells SATA and IDE to USB adapters (for notebook drives too). These often are more forgiving and can allow you to access your data in another computer.
3) Try a PCB swap. All you need is the right PCB and a torx bit for your screwdriver.
4) If all else fails, professional data recovery is costly, but they have very high success rates. - m00nmaster, on 03/13/2009, -0/+2Or...you can buy a SNES/NES combo system new!
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/games/b76e/ - inactive, on 03/13/2009, -3/+5Freezing a hard drive is a myth I think, I've tried it with 3 or 4 different drivers, never got any results from it. Anyone have a success story?
- foofightrs777, on 03/14/2009, -0/+1Clearly was not meant to be serious.
- chaos7, on 03/13/2009, -0/+1bury stuff.co.nz
- MicrosoftBob, on 03/13/2009, -0/+1How do you rub alcohol?
- Soxxers, on 03/14/2009, -0/+1Interestingly, there are two ads for the New York Times on the stuff.co.nz page.
- wepeel, on 03/13/2009, -0/+1Well, that's all it takes to elicit a bury from me
- shadowspawn, on 03/15/2009, -0/+1Worked for me for client's drives, as a last-ditch effort before sending them to a data recovery place (if I couldn't find the PCB's) and I've used it personally to get 120gb of mp3's off of my only media drive. (I do raid from now on)
Only thing is, and this is something to consider, keep it in a ziplock. Stick a remote IDE cable and power supply through the ziplock and keep it sealed as best you can.
Humidity can ruin a drive; condensation will form. Those little white "vents" can suck in air as it cools, then form onto the platters. Usually the platters will warm up first, but you never know so you might as well be safe. - shadowspawn, on 03/15/2009, -0/+1Yea, but condensation will turn those little white disks red. It's happened to me before. Been inside someone's house who keeps their AC cranked, then went outside and kept my phone on the porch table in good ol' Austin, TX hot summer night humidity.
Next few days were ok, then took the battery off to swap it with my spare and the water indicators were bright red.
I was ***** on my warranty. - IsraGeek, on 03/13/2009, -0/+1All of these tips are great and practical. I especially find the mobile battery refrigeration advice useful. Thanks!
- nubnub, on 03/13/2009, -0/+1Also Toothpaste Trick. Worked for me before
http://lifehacker.com/software/cds/macgyver-tip-fi ... - spoonchucks, on 03/14/2009, -0/+1For when you send someone to your car to get something... Although it seems it would be easier to just give them the key... :O
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