Conservative Political Forum

General Category => Repair and Maintenance Support => Topic started by: milos on November 12, 2017, 05:18:13 PM

Title: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: milos on November 12, 2017, 05:18:13 PM
I have lost my HDD, the computer didn't want to boot anymore, I brought it to a computer service, and they told me my HDD has bad sectors at 3%, and the system can't boot. It is a Seagate Certified Repaired HDD, which I got with a new computer three years ago. I was wondering, is there any way I could recover the data from my HDD by myself? I have tried to install Windows again, but when the installation begins, it can't recognize HDD. I have tried with Hiren's Boot CD on a USB flash, but it also can't recognize HDD. Is there any such program which could reach the data on my damaged HDD, so that I could copy them to another disk?
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: walkstall on November 12, 2017, 06:09:38 PM
Quote from: milos on November 12, 2017, 05:18:13 PM
I have lost my HDD, the computer didn't want to boot anymore, I brought it to a computer service, and they told me my HDD has bad sectors at 3%, and the system can't boot. It is a Seagate Certified Repaired HDD, which I got with a new computer three years ago. I was wondering, is there any way I could recover the data from my HDD by myself? I have tried to install Windows again, but when the installation begins, it can't recognize HDD. I have tried with Hiren's Boot CD on a USB flash, but it also can't recognize HDD. Is there any such program which could reach the data on my damaged HDD, so that I could copy them to another disk?

Is this a laptop or a tower?
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Solar on November 12, 2017, 07:25:23 PM
Quote from: milos on November 12, 2017, 05:18:13 PM
I have lost my HDD, the computer didn't want to boot anymore, I brought it to a computer service, and they told me my HDD has bad sectors at 3%, and the system can't boot. It is a Seagate Certified Repaired HDD, which I got with a new computer three years ago. I was wondering, is there any way I could recover the data from my HDD by myself? I have tried to install Windows again, but when the installation begins, it can't recognize HDD. I have tried with Hiren's Boot CD on a USB flash, but it also can't recognize HDD. Is there any such program which could reach the data on my damaged HDD, so that I could copy them to another disk?
Check with Best Buy, or online about data retrieval services. I know the Geek Squad can, but might be limited, but there are online services you can send out your Hard Drive along with the new drive you want it switched over to.
Good luck.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: milos on November 13, 2017, 01:26:14 AM
Quote from: walkstall on November 12, 2017, 06:09:38 PM
Is this a laptop or a tower?

A tower. I saw some applications didn't want to launch anymore, but I thought it was a software problem, probably because of some deleted registry entry, or some outdated driver. I should have backed up my Documents partition immediately. I have some backup from spring I think on an external disk, and now I must go back to the past. Next time I buy a computer, it will have a physical Documents partition. What is the point of storing documents on another partition of the same disk, if the disk fails.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: milos on November 13, 2017, 01:29:05 AM
Quote from: Solar on November 12, 2017, 07:25:23 PM
Check with Best Buy, or online about data retrieval services. I know the Geek Squad can, but might be limited, but there are online services you can send out your Hard Drive along with the new drive you want it switched over to.
Good luck.

Yes, I know there are data retrieval services, but they are way too expensive for me, and anyway the documents I lost weren't that important, it is just a pain to lose them.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Solar on November 13, 2017, 06:44:44 AM
Quote from: milos on November 13, 2017, 01:29:05 AM
Yes, I know there are data retrieval services, but they are way too expensive for me, and anyway the documents I lost weren't that important, it is just a pain to lose them.
Yeah, I have three old HD's sitting around. At the time it was important, but as time went by, I totally forgot what it was that was so important.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: TboneAgain on November 13, 2017, 10:00:15 AM
Quote from: milos on November 13, 2017, 01:26:14 AM
A tower. I saw some applications didn't want to launch anymore, but I thought it was a software problem, probably because of some deleted registry entry, or some outdated driver. I should have backed up my Documents partition immediately. I have some backup from spring I think on an external disk, and now I must go back to the past. Next time I buy a computer, it will have a physical Documents partition. What is the point of storing documents on another partition of the same disk, if the disk fails.

There's no such thing as a "physical partition." It's all software. If you want more secure storage for documents (or anything else) consider investing in a second hard drive. They're not that expensive, and it's easy to set up the second drive as your default storage location for, say, documents. Think of it as a mini-server.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: milos on November 13, 2017, 11:05:13 AM
Quote from: TboneAgain on November 13, 2017, 10:00:15 AM
There's no such thing as a "physical partition." It's all software. If you want more secure storage for documents (or anything else) consider investing in a second hard drive. They're not that expensive, and it's easy to set up the second drive as your default storage location for, say, documents. Think of it as a mini-server.

Yes, what I meant was a second hard drive, thanks.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: walkstall on November 13, 2017, 06:47:15 PM
Quote from: TboneAgain on November 13, 2017, 10:00:15 AM
There's no such thing as a "physical partition." It's all software. If you want more secure storage for documents (or anything else) consider investing in a second hard drive. They're not that expensive, and it's easy to set up the second drive as your default storage location for, say, documents. Think of it as a mini-server.


My HD would not fire up but it was some other problem.  My son took the HD out and put it in a small red box.  Now I use it for backing some thing up.   It has all my old info on it, that I no longer need.   But nice to fall back on if needed. 
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Rotwang on May 03, 2018, 09:19:00 PM
Quote from: milos on November 12, 2017, 05:18:13 PM
I have lost my HDD, the computer didn't want to boot anymore, I brought it to a computer service, and they told me my HDD has bad sectors at 3%, and the system can't boot. It is a Seagate Certified Repaired HDD, which I got with a new computer three years ago. I was wondering, is there any way I could recover the data from my HDD by myself? I have tried to install Windows again, but when the installation begins, it can't recognize HDD. I have tried with Hiren's Boot CD on a USB flash, but it also can't recognize HDD. Is there any such program which could reach the data on my damaged HDD, so that I could copy them to another disk?

Some claim if you freeze the HD solid, and immediately connect it directly to the MB, you can retreive data.

Neva worked for me.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Rotwang on May 04, 2018, 07:28:05 PM
Quote from: Rotwang on May 03, 2018, 09:19:00 PM
Some claim if you freeze the HD solid, and immediately connect it directly to the MB, you can retreive data.

Neva worked for me.

I may try again, with long HD Cables.

Leaving the HD itself in the freezer all the time.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Solar on May 04, 2018, 08:42:04 PM
Quote from: Rotwang on May 04, 2018, 07:28:05 PM
I may try again, with long HD Cables.

Leaving the HD itself in the freezer all the time.
The reason for that was a failed bearing, cold contracts the metal. If that's not the issue, and I know this may sound weird, but a tap on the side to free it up won't hurt to get it started, even smack the shit out of it if that doesn't work.
Title: Re: Recovering data from a damaged HDD?
Post by: Rotwang on May 31, 2018, 10:56:57 AM
Quote from: Solar on May 04, 2018, 08:42:04 PM
The reason for that was a failed bearing, cold contracts the metal. If that's not the issue, and I know this may sound weird, but a tap on the side to free it up won't hurt to get it started, even smack the shit out of it if that doesn't work.


No expert here, but my understanding is the Circuit Board can also fail.

I'll whack it if I do not hear it spinning. Otherwise, no.