How to Transfer a Hard Drive Platter

A hard drive is divided into a series of "platters," which are flat disks magnetically charged to store and retain data. For all intents and purposes, a platter is no more than a section of the hard drive that contains data. Transferring a drive platter from one hard drive to another will allow you to repair a drive that currently has a damaged platter, salvaging the drive.

Things You'll Need

• Torx 9 screwdriver

Instructions

1. Remove the screws located on the bottom of the drive with the Torx 9 screwdriver and open the drive.

2. Remove the screw holding the drive magnet in place and pull the magnet off of the drive.

3. Pull the head lock off of the drive. This is the small metal clasp that is holding the platters in place.

4. Gently grasp the platters and remove them from the drive.

5. Repeat the instructions on the new drive to prepare it for platter transfer.

6. Insert the old platter into the new drive and reverse the instructions, placing the head lock and magnet back into place before reattaching the drive cover.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful not to bend the platter. Perform the operation as quickly as possible to prevent dust or other debris from entering the drive.

References

• Freewebs: Quick and Dirty Hard Drive Platter Transplant

Resources

• YouTube: Remove Platters from 500GB Hard Drive