Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

[Riz]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

You would ideally set up a dual boot with a separate Linux partition.

However, if you are not comfortable doing that, or just want to do a test you can use this.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/windows-installer

That allows you to install linux to your windows partition, and select Linux rather than Windows on boot.

Because it is installing linux to a virtual filesystem within your windows install, linux will run a bit slower than it would on a dedicated partition, suspend/resume probably won't work with linux, and the linux filesystem won't be as robust as it is sitting on the windows one.

But as said, you don't have to partition your disc, and it can be uninstalled from windows just like another program,

[Riz]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Or you could just run linux within a virtual PC with:

Oracle VM VirtualBox

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Hi PlanB,
I keep an Ubuntu CD handy for emergencies (a lightweight Linux based removable op system). You can download an ico and burn your own for free.

As Rizzle says you then stick in the CD, it doesnt intall, jut runs from the CD seperately from Windows, but you can still see and access your files and get them onto an external drive. Only works for Window issues though AFAIK.

The .iaf files are usually accessed from within your new email client..via "import" then navigate to where you saved it and select. Have you tried that way?

Shep x

[Treepiary]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

had a 10,000 rpm raptor drive give up on me. lost everything because i was stupid not to back up stuff.

HDD started out as a clicking sound, used to freeze up and require a hard reset to work again. it is not recomended but popping it in the freezer for a couple hours then plugging in while cold can sometimes give you a chance to recover stuff quick, you have around 10 mins.

another way is making a semi clean room, and removing the platter from the defunc drive into another hdd case. this is what some pro's do, but there is a chance the drive has gone to far for a full recovery

[SXGuy]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

had a 10,000 rpm raptor drive give up on me. lost everything because i was stupid not to back up stuff.

HDD started out as a clicking sound, used to freeze up and require a hard reset to work again. it is not recomended but popping it in the freezer for a couple hours then plugging in while cold can sometimes give you a chance to recover stuff quick, you have around 10 mins.

another way is making a semi clean room, and removing the platter from the defunc drive into another hdd case. this is what some pro's do, but there is a chance the drive has gone to far for a full recovery

When you hear the clicking sound, its only a matter of time! always start to backup your stuff when you hear the clicking!

I have heard of removing the platter, but i also heard it can only be placed inside a new HDD thats the same manufactuer, same spec etc. Dont think thats as easy as people make out.

[kilasuit]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

It had been shutting down at random times for a week but always came back to life when switched back on.

Can the fault still be diagnosed even though it's stopped working?

Sounds like it more a power and overheating issue. Have had Same problem with a Fujitsu Siemens. Just needs a clean out of dust and new fan off of ebay. though with a laptop it aint a simple take the side of and get the hoover in to suck the dust away then replace the fan. I would also recommend replacing the heat spreader paste in between the CPU and the heatsink but again its not a simple task.

That is if you wanted to keep the laptop.

If not get the hard dive out and hook it up via an external caddy to another computer and run Recuva if you are unable to just copy and paste files across as this tends to recover them.


doing a health test could be a good idea too see whether its worth keeping the drive as a backup drive.


Hopefully thats not too much to follow

[Riz]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Riz can you have a windows and Linux os run on the same partition or would you not do that?

Just wondered cos I may try it but would want to run from a partition - ideally c then select boot order at start-up but wonder how it works etc? Cheers

If you can explain what what you want to do with a Linux install, then we may be able to say what would be the best or easiest method.

And perhaps what linux distribution might be easiest for you to get along with and do what you want.

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

It's been a while since I worked in this sphere but I have software that can recover most files from a hard drive. Obviously it depends on the fault; if the platter is damaged then you have to hope your data is not in the damaged part. If you didn't get this sorted and need help then let me know.

Niddy - it is quite simple to run Linux and Windows on the same partition but ideally you should use separate drives when possible. EDIT: I see that Rizzle already mentioned which distribution you want to use as this can make it easy or hard.

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

I forgot to mention the IAF data you were after. These are just internet account files i.e. server details, pop3/smtp, passwords etc. If it is only those that you need then it should be easy enough to simply ignore them and setup the internet accounts again.

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Here is a little freebie that allows you to backup you Outlook Express files OE Backup

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Maujim,

I have a dead HD but it's not that important as I've lived with it for a year, it's a LaCie external FireWire drive from 2002 which when you open it reveals a bog standard internal HD in an enclosure. I suspect it died of mechanical failure as it started making clunking noises and now if you switch it on it just clunks away! Went to a local shop one day and a guy there told me it sounded like the voice coil was broken and that it would be possible to take the plates and put them somewhere else to get the data out.

As it wasn't urgent I left it and when I went back a few weeks ago with the drive that guy had left and there were just silly kiddies who told me there wasn't much to do but if I wanted to leave it with them they'd charge me £50 just to take a look with no guarantees. You may guess what my answer was...

Do you think something can be done with it?

It could be possible but without physically examining it I would not be able to be accurate with my assessment. The clunk you hear is not always the infamous "clunk of death" and it can be something as simple as a read error caused by a bad sector. The head floats above the platter looking for the required sector but when it cannot find it then the head jumps back and forth seeking it. This is a simplistic explanation but it describes what can happen.

To recover data you would run the disk outside of the normal OS and simply extract the data. Some will be usable whilst some will not although the software I use has yet to let me down. Scandisk supplied with Windows is a pain in the arse and can cause data problems. I know that sounds crazy but you see it simply finds what it perceives as a bad sector and replaces it with another elsewhere on the drive. That means the drive seems okay when you use it or check it with Scandisk but it is then just a car crash waiting to happen. Most high end data recovery systems will ignore the sector setup on a drive and as I mentioned, run the drive outside the OS. This means it can recover data using its own read method and rebuild the data and index without being fooled by Scandisk's crazy way of moving sectors!!

So that's a long winded way of saying YES, you can probably recover 99.99% of data on the drive using the correct software - which as you can imagine is not cheap...but I have a copy and plenty of time on my hands

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Maujim,


As it wasn't urgent I left it and when I went back a few weeks ago with the drive that guy had left and there were just silly kiddies who told me there wasn't much to do but if I wanted to leave it with them they'd charge me £50 just to take a look with no guarantees. You may guess what my answer was...

Did your answer consist of two words, the first involved sex and the second travel??

[PlanB]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Well I've read everything you guys have said and I'm feeling a bit more jolly about solving my problem. First we need to diagnose exactly why my laptop shut up shop on that ill-fated day. It's a bit like going to the vet and saying "here's my dog which can't move or bark" and then expecting the vet to figure out how to fix it without a clue from the silent pet.

I was bothered by the house-visit from the geek who said my hard drive was *knackered* But from what you clever lot have said there is obviously more than one way to knacker a hard drive

Flower Power is a * and has put me in touch with a local laptop-mender so I'm going to do that when I'm up and about (poorly at the mo). Thanks FP

The difficulty I have in taking it to somewhere off the premises is that my hard drive contains sensitive material, not porn obviously but bank stuff and some romantic emails which I don't want anyone else reading.

[mauijim]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

Well I've read everything you guys have said and I'm feeling a bit more jolly about solving my problem. First we need to diagnose exactly why my laptop shut up shop on that ill-fated day. It's a bit like going to the vet and saying "here's my dog which can't move or bark" and then expecting the vet to figure out how to fix it without a clue from the silent pet.

I was bothered by the house-visit from the geek who said my hard drive was *knackered* But from what you clever lot have said there is obviously more than one way to knacker a hard drive

Flower Power is a * and has put me in touch with a local laptop-mender so I'm going to do that when I'm up and about (poorly at the mo). Thanks FP

The difficulty I have in taking it to somewhere off the premises is that my hard drive contains sensitive material, not porn obviously but bank stuff and some romantic emails which I don't want anyone else reading.

It is generally a case of removing(extracting) the data from the old drive and immediately transferring it to a replacement drive or other media. That is why I mentioned data outside of the normal OS - the original owner/user then reads the data and determines if the recovery has been successful. There should be no need to read the content although on some occasions it can be required.

I read the part about the semi-clean room but I would issue a warning. The method may work but you would have a very short time to fire up the drive and extract the data before the "unclean" atmosphere causes issues.

[PlanB]

Re: Can I recover files from a defunct hard drive or should I just kill myself now?

I quite liked the idea Treepiary suggested of popping it into the freezer next to my Russian vodka and Christmas turkey leftovers. If that doesn't do the trick I can drown my sorrows in the vodka