HDD won't get detected by any system I use it on

[xant14]

So here's the deal, a friend of mine brought his laptop cause it would boot straight into the bios menu. I checked and it would not for any reason at all detect the hard drive. I thought it was wierd and I tried connecting it on my w10 system and it just freezed it, then I tried on my linux system to see if would have any luck and it would not detect it also. Finally the drive won't show up in any bios of any pc i have tried using it in.

I am 99% sure the drive is toast, but is there any way I can at least recover some files that are necessary for his master's degree or his doomed to redo months of work?

[Biohazard777]

I've had success in the past repairing dead HDDs (as in not showing up in BIOS /  disconnecting randomly) simply by replacing the circuit board.
What you described sounds like it is fixable by replacing the PCB.
Quite simple to do, all you need a screwdriver and new PCB or a donor HDD (in which case you should try to find the same model). 
It is also very cheap, PCBs are 5-10$, donor HDD might be a more expensive approach but since you don't care about the donor's health (you don't need the cylinders) that also can be found for cheap.
Here is a random video showing the process:

If you've got a mechanical failure going on then you will have to send it to a shop for professional data recovery... because you shouldn't open the the drive unless you are in a clean room, and even if you somehow have a clean room you'd also need specialized tools and knowhow to actually salvage data from it.

 

 

42 minutes ago, xant14 said:

is there any way I can at least recover some files that are necessary for his master's degree or his doomed to redo months of work?

Well some people need to lose months of work to understand the importance of keeping data backed up... Year is 2021 there is no excuse for him not having important stuff backed up. 
If you don't manage to salvage the data for him, who knows maybe it helps your friend in the long run... like next time not losing years of work because he got burned now hah.

[Radium_Angel]

Data recovery is expensive. I know, I did it professionally for many years.

That video above only shows *part* of the solution.

You need a new PCB, but you also need an *exact* *identical* down to every last details, PCB board, failure to match that *WILL* destroy the drive.

 

You can try the old freezer trick. Wrap the drive in several ziploc bags, stick in freezer overnight.

Pull out and as fast as you can, stick it in as a slave drive, you will get one shot (usually only a few minutes) to pull data off the drive, if it is seen at all.

Beyond that, prepare to fork over many thousands of dollars for a professional recovery service.

[SorryBella]

17 minutes ago, Biohazard777 said:

Here is a random video showing the process

And here's Linus' video showing the proper, longer way:

 

Its not as simple as finding the right revision and right PCB, as @Radium_Angelsays, you need to get it basically cloned 1:1 to replace the board. If the data is super important, i would go for the recovery route, period.

[xant14]

Unfortunately data recovery is a big no no because it costs about a months salary here in Greece and it would be more cost effective to have someone redo all that work for him. Now I have to embark on another adventure to maybe fix something a friend broke.