# tips on retrieving data from a dead hard drive



## freecho (Jan 28, 2003)

I recently accidently dropped my 80g western digital hard drive that uses IDE cable. Now it makes a rattling noise. The system (ME or 2000) no longer sees the hard drive. 

-I tried a program called getdataback for FAT and it didn't even know there this hard drive was connected. 
-I tried the fdisk command just to see if it will display the hard drive and it did not.
-I got a new IDE cable and still have the problem
-I tried the utilities that normally come with new hard drive, to see if it sees the hard drive and no luck.

I need to retrieve a few files and need some advice on how to do it. Thanks in advance for replies.

PS:I know i should have backed up important files and I know I should not be dropping hard drives. To reply with these comments really will not help now.


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

You have more than likely damaged the media beyond hope of recovering any data. If is extremely critical an valuable, you can turn the drive over to a recovery company that specializes in that type of thing. The service they offer is very expensive however.

I don't think you have any other options.

Sorry.


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## freecho (Jan 28, 2003)

that sucks. 
let's say it can be recovered thru software. What aoftware does everyone suggest to use?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You have physically damaged the drive, which is a lot different than having a component failure. *zepher* has told you true, it's not a problem that can be solved with software.


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## cshajkur (Sep 1, 2001)

Here are two sources you can use to recover lost files after a system crash. I've used both successfully with good results. If I can do it, anyone can. Both can be found at links:

1. Download "Drive Rescue" Here: http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/driverescue19d.html

2. Download "RecoverMYFiles" Here: http://www.recovermyfiles.com/Download_RMF.html

3. Download "PC InspectorFileRecovery" Here: http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm

* If you have any trouble with the links I've provided Holla back!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Are those programs also useful if you drop the disk drive?


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

It's a physical damage but I found a software maybe it can help you!

try this first

DiskCheckup 1.0
http://www.passmark.com/download/index.htm
http://www.passmark.com/ftp/diskcheckup.zip

or check this

"Roadkil's Unstopable Copier"
------------------------------------
Recovers file from a physcially or logically damaged disk.

from 
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~roadkil/

here's the link to the file http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~roadkil/unstopcp.zip

try it! tell if it works ok!

don't attempt to open your HDD! one more TIP! do not store your HDD "upside down"!


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## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

I don't think you are going to get anything from the drive but you can try freezing it overnight to shrink the parts, honestly they say it might work. 
I doubt it, but what the hey. Kim Kommando says it might work. I read that just the other day and laughed about it until I thought about contracting metal shrinking. Might give the damaged disk enough room to spin, but again. I doubt it.


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## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

P.S. I know that sounds like BS but what have you got to lose. The column was for real, and I forget the preliminarys. I would never post a downright falsehood.
The column dealt with dying hard drives and freezing was suggested. Now I know you dropped yours, but when metal gets cold it contracts. It might 1 in 1000 chance maybe get the drive to spin fast enough to recover the "few" files you need before it heats back up. Hell, try it.


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

here's another one for you!

PC INSPECTOR File Recovery 3.x
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/download.htm


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## cshajkur (Sep 1, 2001)

If the police wanted information off your damaged hardware they wouldn't be making excuses they would get it. If you interested in the discussion for merit sake then alright but if you're interested in fixing the problem, you have nothing to loose. Try them all, even when you fail you can still learn. Go for it! Here is another link that might be of interest : http://www.geocities.com/sk8colio/passcrack.html or http://www.discover-the-world.co.uk/ae/icehotel/
right click on page .


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## freecho (Jan 28, 2003)

wow....where do i start first. I'm gonna try the softwares even though you guys say it prob will not work. I really don't have much more to lose. I guess i'll start in order. I just DL the 3 apps from links given by "cshajkur". I'll let y'all know. you guys are all awesome. thanks


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## jwark (Jan 7, 2004)

ok, you're saying that fdisk won't even see the drive. I'm assuming bios does not see the drive. No software is going to help you in that case because you have broken the controller and it can't even communicate with anything anymore. Your only option is to send it to a data recovery specialist who can take the drive into a clean room and remove the disk and recover the data.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

The best do-it-yourself chance is freezing it, which will probably not work. DriveSavers quoted me recovery on an 80-Gig drive several months back and the best I remember it was several thousand dollars. Pricing is based on the size of the drive and not on how much data is on it.

Now, go to the chalk board and write one thousand times, "I will never again go without backing up my data regularly.".


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## jwark (Jan 7, 2004)

well, you can order a drive casing and steam up your bathroom really good and wear a thermonuclear suit and attempt to do it yourself. You will probably screw it up though.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

I have done this kind of swap once on a bet. We had two drives that were exactly alike. They were old Seagate drives about 250 Megs each. I took the platters from one drive, installed them in another drive and read the disks. Then we put the other disks into the other drive and read them. So, we swapped platters and they both worked.

It has never worked out that I had a hard disk of the exact kind when I really needed it, though.

So, if you can find another hard disk exactly like your own, you might give it a whirl. It might work and it would be cheaper than DriveSavers. All you have to lose is about a hundred dollars or less, and maybe a little confidence.


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

If you go the freezer route, put the HDD in a ziplock bag to prevent condensation. With all your other problems, you don't need moisture too.

IF the freezer idea buys you anything, once it dies, re-freeze and try again.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Try http://grc.com/spinrite.htm

Seems to be freeware now.

http://grc.com/freepopular.htm


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## cshajkur (Sep 1, 2001)

While generally held true you can't beat a dead horse, they invented Viagra. likewise with hard drives but even if the hard drive is dead, the information is still there. Sometimes with luck it can be retrieved. Without problems you can't developer solutions, but if you really need another hard drive go here: http://www.pricewatch.com


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

> _Originally posted by hewee:_
> *Try http://grc.com/spinrite.htm
> 
> Seems to be freeware now.
> ...


What makes you think it's freeware? They still have the purchase option and prices...


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

For what it's worth, if you go to WD's website you can check to see if it's still under warranty. Most of them used to have 3 year warranties. No help for the data, but may soothe the pain if you can get a new one for free


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Because it say's FREEWARE.

But I see it says under it...
"Our Growing Collection of High-Quality, Super-Small and
Super-Fast, Freely Downloadable Programs & Resources"

I seem to remember they said it was free a year or so ago but maybe that was a older version that is not there now.


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

> 1:*This "What SpinRite does" technical note* describes SpinRite's many unique technologies
> 2: *SpinRite's owners guide *
> 3:*Important operational notes *


The software is not freeware the manuals are


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Sorry on the post.


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## cshajkur (Sep 1, 2001)

Thought you'd enjoy this:


Take heart, anyone among you who believes you are technologically
challenged, you "ain't seen nuthin' yet." Here are some excerpts 
from a Wall Street Journal.

Compaq is considering changing the command "Press Any Key" to 
"Press Return Key" because of the flood of calls asking where the "Any" 
key is.

Another AST customer was asked to send a copy of her defective
diskettes. A few days later a letter arrived from the customer along 
with
photocopies of the floppies.

A Dell technician advised his customer to put his troubled floppy 
back in the drive and close the door. The customer asked the tech to 
hold 
on and was heard putting the phone down, getting up and crossing the 
room to close the door to his room.

Another Dell customer called to say he couldn't get his computer to 
fax anything. After 40 minutes of troubleshooting, the technician 
discovered the man was trying to fax a piece of paper by holding it in 
front 
of the monitor screen and hitting the "send" key.

Yet another Dell customer called to complain that his keyboard no 
longer worked. He had cleaned it by filling up his tub with soap and 
water 
and soaking the keyboard for a day, then removing all the keys and 
washing them individually.

A confused caller to IBM was having trouble printing documents. He 
told the technician that the computer had said it "couldn't find 
printer" The user had also tried turning the computer screen to face 
the printer but the computer still couldn't "see" the printer".

An exasperated caller to Dell Computer Tech Support couldn't get 
her new Dell Computer to turn on. After ensuring the computer was 
plugged in, the technician asked her what happened when she pushed the power 
button. Her response, "I pushed and pushed on the foot pedal and 
nothing happened." The "foot pedal" turned out to be the computer's mouse!

Another IBM customer had troubles installing software and rang for
support. "I put in the first disk, and that was OK. It said to put 
in the second disk, and I had some problems with that. But when it said 
to put in the third disk, I couldn't even fit it in...." The user 
hadn't realized 
that "Insert Disk 2" meant to remove Disk 1 first.

In a similar incident, a customer had followed the instructions for
installing software. The instructions said to remove the disk from 
its cover and insert into the drive. The user had physically removed 
the casing of the floppy disk and wondered why there were problems.

A woman called the Canon help desk with a problem with her printer. 
The tech asked her if she was running it under "Windows." The woman
responded, "No, my desk is next to the door. But that is a good point. 
The
man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window and his printer
is working fine."


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## freecho (Jan 28, 2003)

Some of those excerpts seems too far fetched. Somehow I think Wall Street may have made up a few of those. But it did make me laugh. Thanks for all your responses. 
-I tried the 1st three apps and no luck. I'm not sure if I want to pursue all the other software b/c I feel they're almost the same. Maybe I'll try one or two more apps. 
-I did try the freezer thing and still no luck. I'm gonna try it again but I'll leave it in the freezer a bit longer. 
-I thought about the condensation thing, so I wrapped it in a paper towel and then placed it in a ziplock bag.
-The switching to a different casing is out, bc I would hate to ruin a good hard drive, but I may take it apart just because I never did it before. I'm very close to calling it quits and junkig it anyway
-Checking for warranty is a good idea. Only problem is I have no clue when I bought it, Where I bought it and no receipt. I also did not register it. Does anyone actually take the time to register a hard drive.
-Does anyone know how I can erase all the data on it just in case someone finds it and is able to retrieve data from it. I'm kinda paranoid like that. Would a strong magnet do it?


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

The hard disk manufacturer usually has a database of about when the drive would have made it to market. In the absence of a receipt, that may save you on the warranty.

http://support.wdc.com/warranty/index.asp


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

And yes, I register all my hard drives


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You can contact the manufacturer and give them the serial number, they'll tell you if the drive is under warranty. Most makers have an automated system on their website that you can enter the number to get the warranty status.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

http://websupport.wdc.com/warranty/serialinput.asp?custtype=end&requesttype=warranty&lang=en


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## freecho (Jan 28, 2003)

thanks guys. I'll give it a shot. I kinda gave up on the hard drive. I have a new problem with my new hard drive but i'll start a new post for that. again thanks guys.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Office Max, instore special 80 gig WD drive $20 after rebates 

Did you ever figure out if it was still under warranty???


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