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Hi everyone,
First off, I'll get this out of the way... Yes, I know I SHOULD have backed up! I'm really sad that I didn't do it more frequently. Hind sight is 20/20.Now, I have a hard drive which crashed, and I need to recover data off of it.
Here's how it crashed: For a long time, when I used to boot up, the hard drive would "click", like it was poweing up and powering down repeatedly. It would do this several times before it finally got past this point and functioned normally.
Then, about a week ago, when reading data, it would sometimes get very slow. Tranferring data or just opening up My Computer would freeze the window for a minute or so. Finally, it crashed one morning, and the boot sector was gone (i.e. DISK LOAD FAILED, PLEASE INSERT BOOT DISK... or whatever that message says) or at least damaged.
I had another drive handy, so I booted up on it and hooked up the crashed drive as a slave. I was able to transfer SOME of the data off, but I was starting to get long delays and CRC errors on many of the files. Finally, it just froze. I rebooted, and the hard drive appeared to be totally dead. Now, the BIOS won't even recognize its existence.
What I'm looking for is suggestions on how I might go about recovering some or all of the data on this apparently-dead drive.
From my research, I've discovered these possibilities:
1) Try different master/slave/cable select configurations with the drive, in combination with another drive, and on its own.
I have tried all possible configurations (I believe), but haven't been able to get the BIOS to recognize the drive.
2) Freezer method. I've heard from a couple of different places that freezing your hard drive can sometimes "reallign" platters that are misaligned -- or something to that effect.
Interesting suggestions. I haven't tried it yet, but I am willing, if nothing else works. Any know the proper method?
3) Professional Data Recovery Service
Well, I'm not made of money. Anyone know of a good place to go for this? (Preferrably in Canada)
So, my questions are:
A) Does anyone have any other suggestions aside from these 3 options?B) Does anyone have any successful or unsuccessful experiences with any of the above 3 options?
C) Please share your experience with this kind of problem. What worked, what didn't, what mistakes did you make, did it work, if not -- why not, where did you go for help, etc. etc.
Thanks in advance!
i know fellas that buy an exact duplicate of the damaged drive.
they take the electronic board off the duplicate, screw it to the crashed drive.
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Actually, I did read about this on the website of a Professional Data Recovery service.
Do you have any experience with it?
I've never opened a hard drive before. ..At least not when planning to close it up again. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this properly? Or any links to good information on the subject?
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Don't open the drive up. It's not necessary to replace the board.
If you do try to replace the board, try and get the exact same board with the exact same version. It will be tough.
I've seen a couple of people claim that the freezer thing works.
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The board has not failed. Replacing it will do nothing. The click sound is to do with reading head.
You can freeze it. Here's the rub. You really need to use one of those air suction sealing things for food, you know, the ones that vacuum seal the food. I tried the freezing thing. The condensation is BAD!!!
So. Vacuum seal it, deep freeze it for a few hours. Then go for broke.
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Maybe spinrite could help?
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My two cents, which you dont want to hear, Throw the drive away and consider it a lessoned learned and do it right next time.
May it be said when I die, He was a man of integrity.
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Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions. It is appreciated!
However, doc, as for throwing the drive away without even trying any of these options...
uhhh... wow... that has got to be the dumbest comment I have ever heard.
I'm not even sure how to respond to that.
Throw the drive (and the needed data) away without even attempting to recover it. Yes, that's brilliant. Thank you for your incredible insight. I'm really glad you posted that message.
Yes, I should have backed up more often, that's given. You must have missed the disclaimer in my message.
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Freddrick Flintstone, you should learn to be more civil or you will have trouble getting help.
You will eventually find out that Doc was correct.
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Mr flintstone has good reason to be a little funny about that remark. He asked if there was anyone that could help him in recovering the data.
Suggesting to throw the drive away is not constructive help. We could advise everyone on here to throw away their computers the minute they get stuck!
Although, I would agree Doc is probably right, unless of course the poster wants to spend minimum $500 on professional recovery.
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I did the freezer thing and it did work to get the data off, at least for my problem. I just put it in a zip lock bag but the air tight bag would be better. I also got the hdd to work by putting it outside for a couple hours ,winter time and around 30 or so.
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Yes, if I wanted people to tell me "not to bother trying", I don't think I would have posted a message asking for advice on how to recover the data...
Don't get me wrong; I am grateful to those who have posted some information and suggestions in their responses. But, "don't even both"? Sorry, that's just ridiculous. What am I, an Ostrich?
Anyway, as for the data recovery service; well, that is a possibility, but like I said, I'm not made of money. It's not like the drive holds the secret recipe that is going to make me millions... Just stuff like family photos, which although I can live without, I'd rather not. Sticking the drive in the freezer (or something equally crazy) and having it resurrect the drive long enough for me to get the data off is the kind of thing I'm looking for.
Thanks again.
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I had an old 4Gb HDD and it died without any notice and it had abot 720 MP3's that I didnt want to loose. My PC also chose to completly ignore that it exsisted so I put it in a different computer and it gave me access. After about 10 error messages while first getting in to it I managed to get them ALL off but it took ages because the drive was really struggleing to operate at all. I think you should try the freeser thing as a last resort, I have tried it once before with an old 480Mb drive but it didnt work very well. I would try the drive in another PC first.
Mattwizz3 : )
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You should have kept in mind that I stated in my post as well that what I was saying you didnt want to hear. If indeed the drive is what I myself would call faulty then rest assured throwed away is what will happen and the data along with it! I have seen first hand people thinking their harddrive was faulty when indeed it was not.
Girls just wanna have fun! Im out to help them all I can!
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Oh yeah and another thing,
{uggesting to throw the drive away is not constructive help}
This is what the poster said under section c
(Please share your experience with this kind of problem)
I did what he asked!
Girls just wanna have fun! Im out to help them all I can!
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If u can still hear a sound or if u touch the hdd and u feel that there is movement inside then u might have a chance (that means that the motor isn't dead) Try to bot with the hdd in different positions, like upsidedown, on a side, etc...gravity can do miracles to platers/heads ... It did do once for me...
GooD LucK!It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice...
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