In article , Diesel
wrote:

if you don't have a non-windows system available, try spinrite:
https://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

I have a legit regged copy of Spinrite 6...It's quite a program, but,
it's not a miracle worker. If the drives in rough shape (clicking
sounds) I dunno if I'd go that route first...As the last thing you want
to do is stress that drive further. It could indeed be a mechanical
failure in progress, and that can be very bad for the data on the
platters, IF, it's still intact.

he wants to try homebrew solutions, and of those, spinrite has a *much*
higher chance of success than physically opening the case and moving
platters, especially without it being done in a cleanroom.

if he actually wants the data, the best choice is a recovery company,
who is almost certain to recover it (they've recovered drives in far
worse condition), but as has been noted, it ain't cheap.

Spinrite is also a DOS native program; You can't make full use of it
under Windows.

that's the whole point. it's as close to the metal as it can get.