Using Dd to Copy Dead Drive

[swenyo]

I need help using the Unix codes, never have done it before and I've surfed around but can't seem to make sense of it or even how to get to that screen (starting in single user mode?) I would really appreciate a dumbed down guide on how to use dd in unix to copy my drive. Below are the links to other articles about the program.
dd_rescue: http://www.garloff.de/kurt/linux/ddrescue/
dd_rhelp: http://www.kalysto.org/utilities/dd_rhelp/index.en.html

So here's the low down on where I am. My factory drive died on me. It's a 40gb IBM Deskstar that came with my 733mhz G4. Disk Utility would see it but wouldn't mount it or repair it. I then bought a 160gb Seagate Baracuda. Installed the baracuda as my Master and my Deskstar as the slave. I still couldn't get my Mac to see my Deskstar as a slave but when I started up it would say, You have installed a disk (the deskstar) that is not regonized by Mac, choose to initialize, ignore or eject. I always chose 'ignore'. After some surfing around I downloaded Data Rescue X and ran it on my Deskstar. Data Rescue X crashed on me and I shut down. Now my computer won't see the Deskstar at all. I also have disk warrior but niether disk warrior, disk utility or Data Rescue X see my drive. This is the case no matter how I install the drive. I have tried every single combination (Deskstar as Master with Baracuda as Slave, back and forth and including Auto spin disabling the Deskstar drive, limiting it to 32gb, forcing device 1 present, just starting with the deskstar as my master and using disk warrior or the OS install disk. Really every combination. If I put both my baracuda and my deskstar as Master drives (with the pins) and any combination of Master/Slave with the cables, It seems to start up but then I get the 'no entry' sign.

The only way I can start up now is to desinate my 160gb Baracuda as the Master (both drive and cable) and have my deskstar as slave. I don't get the "you have installed a disk Mac can't regonize dialog". When I open disk utility it see's the drive but labels it 'Media' and says in contains nothing. I can't erase it or initialize it. In this configuration disk warrior or Data Rescue still don't see the deskstar. Only Disk Utility but I still can't do anything with it.

The deskstar is still spining so I'm sure it works. Also ran the Mac Hardware utility cd on it and it says it's fine. I feel pretty sure that my info is still on there but just beyond the help of disk warrior or data rescue X.

The DD rescue program seems like my best bet but I don't know anything at all about using Unix codes and can't seem to find a good resource to help me make sense of it. I really would appreciate any help in getting me to run this program to hopefully recover the data on my deskstar.

[michaelsanford]

I don't understand something: your original deskstar is what, your only hard disk, and therefore your system disk ? If so, how did you run any of those apps (like Disk Utility).

And, what are you writing this post on ? If you have access to another computer, I would suggest booting from it and connecting both drives as slaves and try from there.

Also, just becasue your drive is receiving power (spinning up) doesn't mean it still works. You may, sadly, have to accept that the drive may be unrecoverable.