Hard drive failure

**grouch0jr** · 10-20-2009, 06:07 PM

alright guys, a few months ago my HD crashed, no biggy, i just bought another one and went along with my business. today i just reconnected my old HD (as a secondary) to see if it would be possible to pull some old files off of it. The drive is available under 'my computer', but when i try to access it, it tells me its not formatted, and asks if i would like to format it. if i format it, i'll lose all the data on it, right?

am i doing something wrong here, i mean, i know the data is as good as gone, but if any of you have any suggestions im all ears.

**KahanaReef** · 10-20-2009, 06:13 PM

I have one that does that too. But, I haven't tossed it yet. I'll probably just keep trying here and there before I finally say screw it.

**CJREX** · 10-20-2009, 07:25 PM

FAT table is likely messed up.

Think of the FAT table as kind of like a Library with no cards or book reference. All the data is still in the library but you don't know which shelf it is on.

That's why your windows machine says "Let me make a new FAT table for you"

Best chance to recover some files from it is to put it in an external enclosure and boot your computer using a Puppy Linux (or Knoppix) Live CD. Both can be downloaded free. Burn the ISO to a disk and boot your computer with the disc in the drive. It will boot into a Linux that will run totally in RAM and you might be able to pull some of your files off the bad drive.

As a last resort, I have taken the cover of a HDD and manually spun the platter to get it going. If it's going in the trash anyway, what can it hurt?

Plus that way you can make sure no one else recovers your data.

And you get to snag the uber cool neodymium magnets inside!

**NE-Firebird** · 10-20-2009, 07:44 PM

You need a drive recovery program. Even then, depending on the problem with the drive, you may or may not be able to get any files off the drive.

Very simply, think of your drive layout like the libraries in a big city. At the top, is a list of the libraries in the city. Let's call that the FAT/MBR ( File access table/master boot record). Then, each library (or folder) would have it's own listing.

In the case of your drive, the FAT/MBR may be bad/corrupt. Or, the drive itself may be completely gone.

So, a drive recovery program *may* be able to find the folders and the files in the folders. It all depends on what's bad with the drive, and how much of the data is corrupt.

*Chances* are good that you can get some/most of the files off the drive. But, we are talking about chances.

You can try some of the free recovery programs.
Go to http://www.download.com/
Search for: disk recovery
Sort by: popularity

http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0...popularity+asc

For the future, FWIW: Drive failures are about as common as car battery failures. That's something to always keep in mind. For critical data, back it up on flash, or use a web storage service.

IMHO, you can't beat AWS - http://aws.amazon.com/s3/! I use jungle disk, http://www.jungledisk.com/ , for my interface. But, there are many free interfaces - including free add-ons for Firefox.

IMHO, the well known data backup companies like MOZY suck the big one!

Good luck!

**KahanaReef** · 10-20-2009, 07:52 PM

Good info there.

As for mine, it was backed up. It's pretty old. I was just hoping I could salvage the drive to use as another external. But, it's only 120GB and I should probably just smash it and throw it out.

For some reason though, I tend to keep things like that around for awhile

**Smittro** · 10-20-2009, 07:53 PM

Windows uses the NTFS file system, not the FAT.. The HD partition is probably damaged if so the data is already a lost cause........

**NE-Firebird** · 10-20-2009, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Windows uses the NTFS file system, not the FAT.. The HD partition is probably damaged if so the data is already a lost cause........

Windows can use either.

I keep my main disk FAT since it's easier to recover and to backup.
I keep my programs, data, and backup all on different disks. Heck, disks are cheap!

I also have an external drive for backup, flash drive for daily backup, I backup to AWS monthly, and backup my disks every 1-2 months (I have hot swap trays in 5-1/4" bays).

I'm a consultant, and I do work from home.
Saying, "Sorry, I lost months work of work that you paid for because I don't do even a simple backup" is great way to get fired and never work as a consultant again.

Oh yea, I also recently added a Linksys NAS drive. But, since I do work mainly from one PC, it's much faster and easier to backup to my external drive via eSATA. However, some people/companies like to hear that I have NAS backup. Whatever!

As long as I get the contracts and the people that pay me are happy, then I'm happy.

IMHO, I think all of the NAS drives/systems under $300 are semi-****. *I* would not depend on them as my sole source of backup. And, I'd never ever trust them as my main/only source of data. Most of them run the drives way too hot. Many have **** software. Many have horrible recovery software. And so on.

So, IMHO, don't go buy a NAS drive with fault tolerant abilities and think that you're all set. IMHO, you're far far far better off with a server drive in your PC and with a drive fan.

**Smittro** · 10-20-2009, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by NE-Firebird

Windows can use either.

I keep my main disk FAT since it's easier to recover and to backup.
I keep my programs, data, and backup all on different disks. Heck, disks are cheap!

However.... In most cases if the OS is not explicitly used in the FAT format, an NTFS OS will sometimes disregard OR mark that section of the HD as damaged.. He should next time create a GHOST image of his HD and burn it to a dvd.

FAT16 and FAT32 formats are not commonly used anymore. However the recovery partition is however sometimes in FAT32..

**KahanaReef** · 10-20-2009, 08:01 PM

It wouldn't even show up the last time I tried. I tried on 3 different computers too. I took it out of an old XP system I rebuilt a few months back. I think I originally put that one together in about 2003 or so. Heh... I've got a few hard drives laying around.

This one is NFTS not fat 32.

**KahanaReef** · 10-20-2009, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by NE-Firebird

Windows can use either.

I keep my main disk FAT since it's easier to recover and to backup.
I keep my programs, data, and backup all on different disks. Heck, disks are cheap!

Me too.

**CJREX** · 10-20-2009, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Windows uses the NTFS file system, not the FAT..

I wasn't referring to the filesystem of the drive.

FAT table or File Allocation Table is a commonly used term for the portion of the drive that describes the disk layout and file arrangement, even though in NTFS it is officially called the MFT.

Either way, be sure to make the drive unusable after getting the data off it. Someone else may be quite adept at recovering all your data from the HDD in the trash can.

**Smittro** · 10-20-2009, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by CJREX

I wasn't referring to the filesystem of the drive.

FAT table or File Allocation Table is a commonly used term for the portion of the drive that describes the disk layout and file arrangement, even though in NTFS it is officially called the MFT.

Either way, be sure to make the drive unusable after getting the data off it. Someone else may be quite adept at recovering all your data from the HDD in the trash can.

I know..

**1MileCrash** · 10-21-2009, 11:20 AM

i used Gillware Data Recovery when my hard drive crashed. everyone told me that my drive was fried and the data wan't recoverable...Gillware got EVERYTHING off of it. it did cost me though...$580...but considering that i had family vacation pics, school documents, business documents, etc on there it was worth it.