Failed HDD data retrieval?

[kimincm]

What's the the process of finding out what is retrievable and what is not?Nothing life shattering can be lost only a bit of browsing and streaming,entertainment no business,but what I would like to find is if I can access pictures.I'm no artiste with a camera but memories lost is a bit disappointing.I did a bit of searching and it seems I need to get access to an external HDD and see what's there and copy what I can to some storage device and then load onto new computer,is this the case.Thanks for any assistance.

[schondie]

I've used a program called HDD Regenerator to save some files from friends' failed hard drives. It can take a couple of days to recover files, depending on the size of the drive.

I see it costs around $60 but it can be found a lot cheaper if you know where to look.

[rhythmworx]

1st things first do not attempt to write or install anything to the drive you want to recover.

How has it failed? Can you give more info, is it recognized in the BIOS, is it spinning up.

The more info you give the more you can be helped. Manufacturer and model and age too all printed on the drive.

Don't rush into anything someone recommends it could be bad advice.

[farang62]

If the drive is recognized and spins, feel the small motor on the board it should be recoverable.

Get a good, (many free one out there) recovery progran and follow the instructions.

Read the instructions and then read agian so you don't cause further problems.

This is not Magic any more, but takes perserverence and time.

The rocovery process is a long process and requires a lot of patience.

Good Luck

[rhythmworx]

Ignore these idiots F.B.S

Feel the small motor on the board...he must have been smoking ya ice.

@ OP .. What brings you to the conclusion it has failed?

[p_brownstone]

If you are in Bangkok:

There's a very good Data RecoveryCompany in Panthip Plaza, top floor where the large IT Shop is turn left into the small corridor just before entering that shop, maybe 20 meters in on the left a double fronted shop with yellow sign - forget the name.

You will have to buy a new HD of course but they will not charge you if they cannot recover the Data.

Patrick

[rhythmworx]

I wouldn't expect to be charged after they have rendered the drive unrecoverable either.

[kimincm]

Thanks for all replies,I tried to reply in the am.but could not.People I'm a non techo so bear with the explanation as best I can give you.About a 2 weeks ago there was grinding/buzzing/whirring whatever noise when I turned the 7yr old rig on.Next came no desktop and after a bit of toying around the start up diagnosis told me the "C" drive could not be detected.I'm struggling trying to remember exactly,currently a bit bamboozled changing over from XP to 8.1 Thanks for your time and trouble.

[JesseFrank]

Take a look at spinrite.

https://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

[HardenedSoul]

Had a similar problem myself a little while ago.

Fixed it myself without getting involved with data recovery businesses.

Check out the thread here.

You might find something useful.

I downloaded EaseUS Data recovery software and that might be enough for you.

My issue went one step further with the actual hardware being encrypted.

In the end, I flipped Western Digital the bird for suggesting I pay one of their DR services the best part of $1,000 and recovered my data in its entirety for the princely sum of $50 by ordering a part from these guys http://parts.com.hk/1/

[Daffy D]

HDD Regenerator and Spinrite are both good programs that may fix some faults but if your system does not recognize the drive there might be a problem.

A 7 year old rig you say, desktop I'm guessing. First thing I would do is check the cables to the hard drive. Just unplug them and replug them a couple of times from both the HDD and motherboard, if you have some contact cleaner all the better.

If this works it shows your drive is Ok just bad connection. Though a wake up call to back up your data.

If the connections seem OK it could be the data read arms inside the drive are stuck (happens sometimes) I would then take the drive out of the case and tap the side of the drive on your desk or any solid object. Yes get the drive and tap the narrow edge on a table/desk to free the date read arms.

If this works make sue you have a empty HDD standing by to copy all your date before the drive stops working again.

Good Luck

[NeverSure]

Get everything ready to copy the HDD. Everything set. Then put the bad HDD in the freezer overnight and try to copy from it while frozen. Work fast.

[JesseFrank]

Get everything ready to copy the HDD. Everything set. Then put the bad HDD in the freezer overnight and try to copy from it while frozen. Work fast.

All those cables going into the freezer

By the way, I think it's frozen already since it doesn't spin anymore

Edited May 10, 2014 by JesseFrank

[NeverSure]

Get everything ready to copy the HDD. Everything set. Then put the bad HDD in the freezer overnight and try to copy from it while frozen. Work fast.

All those cables going into the freezer

By the way, I think it's frozen already since it doesn't spin anymore

He reported grinding sounds. Freezing might not work, but if it did it would be because he shrank the platters and the read/write heads enough to give clearance so it could work. If it did work, he might have to freeze it more than once because it could warm up before he got all of his data.

It doesn't cost anything and it actually works "sometimes."

[NeverSure]

He reports that the bios can't see it. What the bios sees is software. The bios won't see a HDD that can't read.

If you don't believe that, take an old but good HDD, attach it to a desktop and blow all of the software off it. The bios won't see it until it is activated with software.

At the command prompt open diskpart and use the diskpart /list disk switch to see all of the drives. Use the diskpart /select disk switch to select your old experiment disk. Now it will show the old disk as selected so use the diskpart /clean all switch to remove all software. Your bios will no longer see the disk.

To see it again you'll need to go into disk manager in Windows (easiest way) and it will see it. Right click on the HDD and choose activate and then format and the drive is usable again.

Just because the bios doesn't see it doesn't mean the data isn't there.

Edited May 10, 2014 by NeverSure

[JesseFrank]

He reports that the bios can't see it. What the bios sees is software. The bios won't see a HDD that can't read.

If you don't believe that, take an old but good HDD, attach it to a desktop and blow all of the software off it. The bios won't see it until it is activated with software.

At the command prompt open diskpart and use the diskpart /list disk switch to see all of the drives. Use the diskpart /select switch to select your old experiment disk. Now it will show the old disk as selected so use the diskpart /clean all switch to remove all software. Your bios will no longer see the disk.

To see it again you'll need to go into disk manager in Windows (easiest way) and it will see it. Right click on the HDD and choose activate and then format and the drive is usable again.

Just because the bios doesn't see it doesn't mean the data isn't there.

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

Edited May 10, 2014 by JesseFrank

[NeverSure]

He reports that the bios can't see it. What the bios sees is software. The bios won't see a HDD that can't read.

If you don't believe that, take an old but good HDD, attach it to a desktop and blow all of the software off it. The bios won't see it until it is activated with software.

At the command prompt open diskpart and use the diskpart /list disk switch to see all of the drives. Use the diskpart /select switch to select your old experiment disk. Now it will show the old disk as selected so use the diskpart /clean all switch to remove all software. Your bios will no longer see the disk.

To see it again you'll need to go into disk manager in Windows (easiest way) and it will see it. Right click on the HDD and choose activate and then format and the drive is usable again.

Just because the bios doesn't see it doesn't mean the data isn't there.

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

It's the other way around. Windows disk manager can see a blank and unactivated disk when the bios can't. It's windows that activates and formats it.

Edited May 10, 2014 by NeverSure

[JesseFrank]

He reports that the bios can't see it. What the bios sees is software. The bios won't see a HDD that can't read.

If you don't believe that, take an old but good HDD, attach it to a desktop and blow all of the software off it. The bios won't see it until it is activated with software.

At the command prompt open diskpart and use the diskpart /list disk switch to see all of the drives. Use the diskpart /select switch to select your old experiment disk. Now it will show the old disk as selected so use the diskpart /clean all switch to remove all software. Your bios will no longer see the disk.

To see it again you'll need to go into disk manager in Windows (easiest way) and it will see it. Right click on the HDD and choose activate and then format and the drive is usable again.

Just because the bios doesn't see it doesn't mean the data isn't there.

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

It's the other way around. Windows disk manager can see a blank and unactivated disk when the bios can't. It's windows that activates and formats it.

[NeverSure]

He reports that the bios can't see it. What the bios sees is software. The bios won't see a HDD that can't read.

If you don't believe that, take an old but good HDD, attach it to a desktop and blow all of the software off it. The bios won't see it until it is activated with software.

At the command prompt open diskpart and use the diskpart /list disk switch to see all of the drives. Use the diskpart /select switch to select your old experiment disk. Now it will show the old disk as selected so use the diskpart /clean all switch to remove all software. Your bios will no longer see the disk.

To see it again you'll need to go into disk manager in Windows (easiest way) and it will see it. Right click on the HDD and choose activate and then format and the drive is usable again.

Just because the bios doesn't see it doesn't mean the data isn't there.

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

It's the other way around. Windows disk manager can see a blank and unactivated disk when the bios can't. It's windows that activates and formats it.

Why don't you just knock it off? You're out of arguments so you resort to a dumb graphic.

ALL hard drives are software. Period. Until software is installed, they are just hardware called hard disks.

The bios can't see the hardware called a hard disk. It can see only a hard drive which is created on a hard disk with software. It sees the software.

The bios is incapable of installing the software on a hard disk to create a hard drive and it can see only a drive. Windows disk manager can install the software by activating and formatting and creating the drive on the disk.

Windows can create up to 24 hard drives on one hard disk, but the bios will see only the activation and one disk.

[JesseFrank]

Why don't you just knock it off? You're out of arguments so you resort to a dumb graphic.

ALL hard drives are software. Period. Until software is installed, they are just hardware called hard disks.

The bios can't see the hardware called a hard disk. It can see only a hard drive which is created on a hard disk with software. It sees the software.

The bios is incapable of installing the software on a hard disk to create a hard drive and it can see only a drive. Windows disk manager can install the software by activating and formatting and creating the drive on the disk.

Windows can create up to 24 hard drives on one hard disk, but the bios will see only the activation and one disk.

Here we go again.

Hasn't half the board of this forum proofed you wrong about this in another thread a few months ago ?

Byyyeee !!

[Gumballl]

Thanks for all replies,I tried to reply in the am.but could not.People I'm a non techo so bear with the explanation as best I can give you.About a 2 weeks ago there was grinding/buzzing/whirring whatever noise when I turned the 7yr old rig on.Next came no desktop and after a bit of toying around the start up diagnosis told me the "C" drive could not be detected.I'm struggling trying to remember exactly,currently a bit bamboozled changing over from XP to 8.1 Thanks for your time and trouble.

I presume you have a working computer.

Do not attempt to boot the HDD that you suspect is broken, or possibly contains corrupted data. Instead, connect it to your computer (as a secondary drive), or if you have a laptop, then just use an external HDD enclosure box. The latter typically costs around $10 (or about 300-400 baht). Avoid writing to the bad HDD.

Using your computer, you should be able to mount the bad HDD an peruse its contents. If you cannot, then it is probably a lost cause.

Note: My experience with rescuing old HDDs is via the use of Linux; if you are using Windows, YMMV.

[NeverSure]

Here we go again.

Hasn't half the board of this forum proofed you wrong about this in another thread a few months ago ?

Byyyeee !!

No, no one ever proved me wrong and there is nothing incorrect in what I just wrote.

There just seem to be some people that don't want to understand that activation, formatting, partitioning, and creating drives is all software that's put on a blank hard disk.

They don't know the difference between blank hardware (hard disk) and software that's put on it to make it usable as listed above.

It's apparent that if the manufacturer didn't activate and format hard disks (install software) before they shipped them, that you would RMA them as defective.

Bye!!!!!

[JesseFrank]

Here we go again.

Hasn't half the board of this forum proofed you wrong about this in another thread a few months ago ?

Byyyeee !!

No, no one ever proved me wrong and there is nothing incorrect in what I just wrote.

There just seem to be some people that don't want to understand that activation, formatting, partitioning, and creating drives is all software that's put on a blank hard disk.

They don't know the difference between blank hardware (hard disk) and software that's put on it to make it usable as listed above.

It's apparent that if the manufacturer didn't activate and format hard disks (install software) before they shipped them, that you would RMA them as defective.

Bye!!!!!

Ok, apologies for my misunderstanding.

Everybody is wrong, and you're the only one that's right .

[rhythmworx]

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

It's the other way around. Windows disk manager can see a blank and unactivated disk when the bios can't. It's windows that activates and formats it.

---------------------------

Sorry but that is incorrect.

If the BIOS could not detect the drive before software was put on it you wouldn't be able to install software on it or use RAID as it is not physically there according to the BIOS chip on the motherboard.

[kimincm]

Thanks again for the input.Cables,did that first,download software to assist,a bit hard when a desktop wont appear.I think I'll take it to town and give to some geek and ask what is retrievable,sift through what I want,it wont be much and have them put it on a Flashdrive/s and put it into the new unit.Once again thanks,Regards,Kim.

[Sayonarax]

Thanks again for the input.Cables,did that first,download software to assist,a bit hard when a desktop wont appear.I think I'll take it to town and give to some geek and ask what is retrievable,sift through what I want,it wont be much and have them put it on a Flashdrive/s and put it into the new unit.Once again thanks,Regards,Kim.

Download Hi-Rens bootable CD. Boot to the linux or windows desktop. You will be able to use these basic shell OS to recover data from your HDD.

or

Buy a 2nd hand replacement or a new HDD and start fresh, then try to recover data from your old drive.

Next time get up back up program that Automatically backs up important stuff.

[NeverSure]

I think the bios sees the HDD all the time, but Windows doesn't see it before it's activated.

If the bios wouldn't see the HDD it wouldn't be possible to activate it.

It's the other way around. Windows disk manager can see a blank and unactivated disk when the bios can't. It's windows that activates and formats it.

---------------------------

Sorry but that is incorrect.

If the BIOS could not detect the drive before software was put on it you wouldn't be able to install software on it or use RAID as it is not physically there according to the BIOS chip on the motherboard.

Sorry, you are mistaken.

I just explained how to blow all of the software off a disk using diskpart at a command prompt, and challenged anyone to do it and see that the bios wouldn't then see it.

I also challenged anyone to do that, and then boot into windows anyway and go to disk manager where it would be seen as an unactivated disk.

I further challenged anyone to then right-click on the disk and choose activate, and then do the same and choose create partition (yes you have to partition a disk even if you want just one partition. You can format only a partition.) and next format the partition, creating a drive (letter.)

After which you can change the drive letter to another available letter.

After which you can reboot into the bios and see the activated disk which you couldn't see after you blew all the software off with diskpart.

And you'll see that Windows can do what the bios can't do which is see a blank and unactivated disk and put the software on it until it is a usable drive.

Raid uses different software which is firmware in the raid hardware but it won't work until the disks are activated and formatted.

Why don't the naysayers just try what I said starting with diskpart and <deleted> learn something?

[NeverSure]

I have never bought a new hard disk that wasn't already activated, partitioned, and formatted and ready to use. That means the manufacturer put the activation, partition and formatting software on it for me.

What I suspect is that there are some on here who've never handled a truly blank, unactivated hard disk.

[rhythmworx]

I have never bought a new hard disk that wasn't already activated, partitioned, and formatted and ready to use. That means the manufacturer put the activation, partition and formatting software on it for me.

What I suspect is that there are some on here who've never handled a truly blank, unactivated hard disk.

I didn't read all your posts from beginning to end, don't think I have ever used diskpart from cmd prompt.

The thing is though I have done low-level formats using bootable DOS software so the drive disregards the bad sectors and doesn't include them in the map (possible wrong terminology). They were totally blank and not marked as active within windows but the bios could still see them.

If what you say is true, and I will take your word for it. I am guessing the low level format program activates the disk?

I always thought the information was stored on some kind of chip.

So I have learned something, might even test it out in a week or 2 when I buy a new drive.

[NeverSure]

I have never bought a new hard disk that wasn't already activated, partitioned, and formatted and ready to use. That means the manufacturer put the activation, partition and formatting software on it for me.

What I suspect is that there are some on here who've never handled a truly blank, unactivated hard disk.

I didn't read all your posts from beginning to end, don't think I have ever used diskpart from cmd prompt.

The thing is though I have done low-level formats using bootable DOS software so the drive disregards the bad sectors and doesn't include them in the map (possible wrong terminology). They were totally blank and not marked as active within windows but the bios could still see them.

If what you say is true, and I will take your word for it. I am guessing the low level format program activates the disk?

I always thought the information was stored on some kind of chip.

So I have learned something, might even test it out in a week or 2 when I buy a new drive.

Not that it matters for this discussion, but a low level format is still a format which is software. The disk is not fully erased. It does remove the Master Boot Record and the file table.

But it's not really possible to perform a low level format on a modern HDD. Windows may act like it's doing it, but it either fails and doesn't tell you, or it completes but it has still initiated the drive and formatted it. It's still a format which is software. Now the disk can be seen by the bios.

True low level formats are now done at the factory with the disks removed. The low level format establishes the sectors, etc. on the disk which is all software. A low level format on a modern HD could also be called establishing sectors and activating and formatting. Your bios could see that disk.

The only way I know of to completely erase everything from a disk is to use the diskpart tool and after listing and selecting your disk. If diskpart listed your disk as disk 3 and you selected it, you would use the command and switches Diskpart /clean /all.

Now your bios can't see it but Disk Manager can. Disk manager can activate it, partition it, format the partition, and give you a usable drive that the bios can see.

Again, I don't think we usually ever see a disk that isn't activated whether by the factory or by a low level format.

The last time I needed to use diskpart was when I took a HD out of a new laptop which had 3 different file systems. One of them was that new ReFS, another partition was NTFS and the recovery image hidden partition was FAT. None of the common tools to delete partitions or anything else I could think of would get rid of them so that I could start clean in another computer. So I blew it all away with diskpart and started over.