Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Hard Disk Recovery

  1. #1
    Senior Member Kezzer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    4,863
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts

    Hard Disk Recovery

    Yeh slight problem. My friend came over for some help with her work. I accidently tripped on the cable to her external hard disk which happens to contain ALL of her data including her dissertation work. Yes, the disk doesn't appear to be working, it attempts to try and do something, but then gives up. It's a Freecom drive.

    I don't suppose anyone knows some method of retrieving the data or perhaps a data recovery service that you can send the hard disk over to?

    I'm on the seat of my pants.

  2. #2
    DILLIGAF GoNz0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Derby
    Posts
    10,872
    Thanks
    632
    Thanked
    1,192 times in 945 posts
    • GoNz0's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage V Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 something X99 based
      • Memory:
      • 16gb GSkill
      • Storage:
      • 4 SSD's + WD Red
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GTX980 Strix WC
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Galaxy 1250 (9 years and counting)
      • Case:
      • Corsair 900D
      • Operating System:
      • win10 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 24"
      • Internet:
      • 220mb Cable
    strip it down and see if running it direct from an IDE cable in the PC fires it up again. you can buy a 2.5" hard drive to standard IDE connections off ebay

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    536
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    4 times in 4 posts
    There are expensive data recovery services available, so try sa GoNzO says and try connecting the bare drive to see if it can be read. There are some good data recovery tools on Hiren´s boot CD if you are able to connect to it.

    And also reccommend emailing work to yourself as a means of backup. Gmail is free and will cope with a thousand dissertations.
    Asus Z170 Pro Gaming. i5-6500. 16gig Ripjaw 2400. Samsung 950pro NMVe 250gig+ 1tb Intel 660p. GTX Titan. Corsair TX650M.



    939 3800 X2 | 2gig corsairXMS 3200C2
    1950XT | 500gig,320,200,160
    Plextor DVD burner | Yamaha CRW-F1 CD-drive
    Thermaltake Xaser 3 w 480W FSP | X-fi fatal1ty

    Things have moved on since I first joined...

  4. #4
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    45
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    You may be lucky and it's only the USB connection that's damaged. Do as the others have said and remove the drive from the case and either connect it to a spare IDE cable in your PC or use an IDE - USB connector. If this works and you can access the data, make sure you make a copy of all important files immediately to a CD or flash drive.

    If you'd rather not risk this yourself, then you can send the drive to a data recovery company - most are hughly expensive, but this one is reasonably priced with a good reputation:

    http://www.retrodata.co.uk/

    And tell your friend in future to always have at least two copies of important files. It always amazes me how many students don't bother backing up all their work.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    263
    Thanks
    7
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts
    Is it an 2.5" or 3.5" drive ?

    If the Freecom's still under warranty, you could call them up and say the drive just stopped working and there's improtant data on it.

    If it's a no go, then I would probably take the drive out of the casing and try it in a Desktop. If that works, then you know the IDE-USB bridge has been damaged in the enclosure.

  6. #6
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    London
    Posts
    22
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    First , avoid switching on the drive, the read/write arm might have snapped or the motor is out of place, therefore if you switch on the HDD this could easily scratch the surface of the platters/magnetic media. If the surface is scratched, then that is the end of it.
    Unfortunately the data recovery process on such a hard disk drive could easily entail the head replacement , thus a new drive is required plus the cost of manpower.
    As you are a student, give us a call, we will try to do our best in offering you an affordable price, we already have 15% discount for students, public services and charities. We may extend the reduction even further.
    Feel free to call 08000 439 549 on http://www.unirecovery.co.uk/laptop.php
    "I have put my genius into my life, whereas all I have put into my work is my talent-Oscar Wild - UniRecovery Data Recovery Specialists."

  7. #7
    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Looking down & checking on swearing
    Posts
    19,378
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked
    3,403 times in 2,693 posts
    Did the drive get physically shocked (ie, did tripping over the cable cause it to fall to the floor) in which case the previous advice is good and you should seer about professional recovery services. If tripping over 'just' pulled the cable out, then you may be safe trying to connect the ide drive directly to a computer as was mentioned in an earlier post. There is still the risk that the drive may be physically damaged though - that jerk (the physical effect on the drive that is - although the owner of the drive would probably think of something else) might have imparted a high g shock to the disk, causing physical damage.
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    Been helped or just 'Like' a post? Use the Thanks button!
    My broadband speed - 750 Meganibbles/minute

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Hard Disk Recovery

    Data recovery services is an expensive mechanism, it involves lots of money. You can first try data recovery software, there are lots of them available online. You can try Stellar Phoenix windows Data Recovery Software a file and partition recovery utility which recovers data even from inaccessible hard drive. I have some success with this utility.
    Download the demo and see if does shows you the preview of your lost data.
    If you are able to see the preview of your lost data then get the full version to save

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Slough
    Posts
    439
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked
    18 times in 17 posts
    • kungpo's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASUS P6T SE
      • CPU:
      • i7 920 @ 3.90 Ghz
      • Memory:
      • 6x 2GB Corsair DDR3 1600
      • Storage:
      • 2x WD AAKS 640GB RAID0
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 260 GTX
      • PSU:
      • Corsair 1000HX
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Professional x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2x LG L1952S
      • Internet:
      • 3MB ADSL

    Re: Hard Disk Recovery

    As above. get the drive out and connected to a PC directly. Listen to the disk as it spins up. Spins up OK, you may be lucky. If you hear clunk noises, the drive is likely physically damaged. if that is tyhe case, do NOT do any more with the disk - you will only make the disk worse.

    If you choose to send the disk off, hese guys are good:

    http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk/

    I have used them once in the past, and about to take another disk to them today.

    Costs vary between £200 to a max of about £450 + VAT.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. best disk cloning software?
    By DsW in forum Software
    Replies: 30
    Last Post: 02-07-2008, 09:01 PM
  2. Hard Disk Detection Problems
    By Wyoming in forum Software
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 30-01-2006, 06:41 PM
  3. Whats accessing my hard disk up?
    By spryszlak in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 24-01-2006, 01:45 PM
  4. Hard Disk Temps - Worried.
    By MD in forum Help! Quick Relief From Tech Headaches
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 14-03-2005, 11:35 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •