Hi.

I have a broken 250GB ext hard drive that has 30GB of valuable data.

Apart from Computer Union can you recommend someone personally who won`t charge me an arm and a leg to recover.

If he/she speaks english that would be great.

I don't want just go to Pantip and try to choose amongst all those Vultures there.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Broken how? I do data recovery, but only if the head moves and drive spins.

The question is what is wrong with the hard disk. There are many free programs that can recover data availeble for download.

Data recovery will depend on the severity of the damage to your HDD. If it is a fault on your PCBA or a broken motor or some form of firmware error, you can probably recover all your data. However, if the drive does not work due to some form of head to disk interaction. Then the level of data recovery would depend of the severity of the contact, only damage to that particular surface or due to gross particle release other surfaces were damaged as well. Data recovery on this instant is not all that great. Like the other readers have asked, you need to give a more detailed description of what is broken.

is it the hard drive that is broken or the outer case that holds the hard drive and converts it from an ide/sata hard drive to usb?

Something you might try is the freezer method first. Stick the HDD in zip lock bag and put in freezer overnight. Next morning quickly install in external HDD case and see if it works. Mine ran fine after overnight freeze and I was able to recover files.

Just out of curiosity I tried drive again the following day without overnight freeze and it did not work.

Hi sorry to bump into this topic.

I have a hard disk which contain alot of important data.

The hard disk is still spinning. But it cannot log into windows, when it reaches the window xp logo the screen turn blue with lots of DOS wording and it shuts down and restarts again.

Please do advice and thanks a million.

The question is what is wrong with the hard disk. There are many free programs that can recover data availeble for download.

Thanks a ton all you guys above.

I am trying to reply to all of you but am a tad unpractised at this stuff so hope it all comes out OK.

I regret I cant answer any of these technical Qs. How would I know?

THE WHOLE STORY

My ext HD is a 2007 "Medion" with a separate power supply and it broke because the power transformer fitted very loosely into the power points and was easily knocked, which resulted in the power being interrupted - and it seems repeated on - offs is what caused the problem.

For a few times I was able to open not directly but by going in via Explorer but was unable to copy all of the data as 'something' prevented me from doing so, but I was able to 'nibble' away at it getting a file here and there and each time it became harder to open. Sometimes I would try 8 – 10 times before it did. Then nothing!

I took it to 2 Recoverers in Fortune Town and one had it connected up for over 24 hrs but could not open it.

Sadly as my old ASUS was giving much trouble to " be safe" I put all my files onto the EHD and only brought back stuff I worked with regularly.

Apart from Computer Union – whom I can`t afford at this stage, [Like Bt 7500] I would need a highly recommended name at Pantip or anywhere.

How would I know I`d get an honest diagnosis?

I am attaching some pix of the unit in case it helps anyone here. Don`t know if I can only send 2 at atime - but lets see ??

More pix

Hi sorry to bump into this topic.

I have a hard disk which contain alot of important data.

The hard disk is still spinning. But it cannot log into windows, when it reaches the window xp logo the screen turn blue with lots of DOS wording and it shuts down and restarts again.

Please do advice and thanks a million.

The question is what is wrong with the hard disk. There are many free programs that can recover data availeble for download.

Your hard-disk itself should be fine. It is a total crash of windows, best is to re-install windows.

You can try PC-inspector to acces the drive. Free download from here: http://www.pcinspector.de/default.htm?language=1 Can't hurt to try.

Save the date on another disk ofcourse.

has the hard drive been removed from the outer case?

Broken how? I do data recovery, but only if the head moves and drive spins.

Broken how? I do data recovery, but only if the head moves and drive spins.

Broken how? I do data recovery, but only if the head moves and drive spins.

Mario thanks for your quick reply......

I did try to re-install windows in it, but it still fails to load up the windows....

Hi sorry to bump into this topic.

I have a hard disk which contain alot of important data.

The hard disk is still spinning. But it cannot log into windows, when it reaches the window xp logo the screen turn blue with lots of DOS wording and it shuts down and restarts again.

Please do advice and thanks a million.

The question is what is wrong with the hard disk. There are many free programs that can recover data availeble for download.

Your hard-disk itself should be fine. It is a total crash of windows, best is to re-install windows.

Mario thanks for your quick reply......

I did try to re-install windows in it, but it still fails to load up the windows....

Your hard-disk itself should be fine. It is a total crash of windows, best is to re-install windows.

Be careful... If your disk fails and you don't know exactly why, then you should never use it for anything ever again... best to recover the data and then scrap the disk. There is no reason to risk anything...

Martin