2.5'' HDD problem

[Cinco]

I am saving the photos onto a 2.5 notebook hard drive.

However, the folder which contains all the files are unable to open. when I clicked the folder, it was empty. However I checked the whole hard drive. It shows 8 GB space has been used (29.8 G free, Total 38.9 GB).

I was wondering if the photos are still on the hard drive.

If the files are in the hard drive, this is the question how I can retrieve the files from the hard drive?

What can I do? Is there any software or person I can go to in the UK to solve such problem?

BTW the hard drive is fine. I was trying to transfer the file from my memory card to the hard drive through the computer. For the rest of the holiday, do you think I can still use the hard drive to save the pictures? Please advise.

The hard drive contains all of the best pictures of the natural scene in this trip.

Thank you very much for all your attention and help.

[TheAnimus]

what do you see when you try to open the folder? an error message? does it just time out?

what format is the drive, what OS are you running?

As far as cheap options of data recovery go, the fact its 2.5" HDD should make no difference at all (yey!). If they are worth money to you, people like vogon will get it back but this is an expensive job, so you might want to save it as a last resort!

[finlay666]

what do you see when you try to open the folder? an error message? does it just time out?

what format is the drive, what OS are you running?

As far as cheap options of data recovery go, the fact its 2.5" HDD should make no difference at all (yey!). If they are worth money to you, people like vogon will get it back but this is an expensive job, so you might want to save it as a last resort!

cheaper option may be to buy a HDD caddy for it and plug it into a proper PC and use a data recovery program on it

[Cinco]

The 2.5´HDD is attached with the card reader. Thus I only inserted the memory card reader and then the files transfer to the HDD.

However when I open the files at the Internet cafe, the folder is empty. I can not open the folder and access the files.

Like you suggest, where can I buy the caddy and what software I can use to retrieve the files.

I am now in south america, everything seems so distant and helpless to me. If I have to go to someone, where should I go? I mean when I am back to the UK.

Thank you for all your advice and help. Very much appreciated.

[arthurleung]

Try something like R-studio NTFS and it should see the files. You can "recover" the files by copying it to your other harddrives.

Another way is to try chkdsk the USB harddrive. But I would recommend using recovery software first, then try the chkdsk later. Windows may assume those are free space after chkdsk which may make make recovery harder.

[TheAnimus]

Try something like R-studio NTFS and it should see the files. You can "recover" the files by copying it to your other harddrives.

Another way is to try chkdsk the USB harddrive. But I would recommend using recovery software first, then try the chkdsk later. Windows may assume those are free space after chkdsk which may make make recovery harder.

Its unlikely that it would be in NTFS, most likely FAT32

It could be the caddy adaptor, it could be the drive. USB caddys are about £10 on ebay, and rather useful accessory, i'd be tempted to get one just too rule it out.

chkdsk is the first and most obvious thing to do. Failing that try some file recovery software, i've not used any for years now so can't tell you whats good or not.