[fuzexi]

Hi,

I have a 300GB Maxtor external HD, which has just died on me. I was using it, fine, and then suddenly, I get the message "Files or folders are corrupt or unreadable" and now I can't get into the drive. It has all my work for the last 2 years on it, and a lot of it has backups in other places, a lot of it doesn't.
I have so far done the following:
put it in the fridge, put it in the freezer - all to no avail.
I have tried opening it by installing Linux Mint, but that doesn't see it. (Windows sees it but cannot open it)
I have got a friend down with some data recovery software called Winter(something) - can't remember the whole name, but that says the drive cannot be mounted.
I am going to try Spinrite, because my brother has a copy, but beginning to lose hope.
I was thinking of breaking open the box, and connecting the drive direct to a PC, but it seems that if the USB was the problem, Windows wouldn't see anything at all (and it does see it - just can't open it)

So, if you have a suggestion / recommendation, I would be glad to hear it....

Best,

Peter

[greco8523]

Hi Fuzexi

This should help with some suggestions for software and guide you through the recovery:

http://www.datarecoveryadvice.org/

If the files are corrupt then it seems more like a logical problem. Did you run a chkdsk on the drive? If the drive hangs then be careful your drive could be developing bad sectors.

[Triple6]

Some data recovery programs may have a better chance of accessing the drive if its out of the USB box and connected internally int he PC.

You can also try the free PC Inspector program for data recovery: http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file...htm?language=1

[fuzexi]

Thanks for your reply!
I made the mistake of running SpinRite on it, (ran it for 3 weeks and then just gave up as it wasn't getting anywhere). From what I gather from the website you suggested, I have done some excessive scanning lately... don't know if my data is gone. I have ripped the HD out of its plastic sarcophagus and I am going to try plugging it "directly" (whatever that means) into a PC.
I really hope my data doesn't go wrong, even more than I really hope nobody comes up to me and says, "you should backup your data"...