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How to recover data from Hard Disk

1K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  mattyc 
#1 ·
I had a 400 MB HDD partitioned in 3 parts. Since the last 3 years the HDD was working fine. One day, the computer simply froze at windows XP boot screen. I restarted the machine quite a few times , but it use to freeze at the Windows loading screen of XP.

Then I removed the HDD and loaded win XP on another HDD 160 GB and made it the primary device. Now when I try to connect the earlier HDD as a secondary slave, the system just freezes and as soon as I disconnet the HDD from the cable, the system starts functioning.

I have a lot of data in the 400 MB HDD. Need to recover the data which is there in D and E partition.

Can anyone tell me the process with which I can recover the data from the old HDD ?
 
#2 ·
You could give Knoppix a try. I have found it pretty useful in these situations. It is a Linux OS that is entirely on the CD/DVD. It can help you get your files. If not i can recommend a good Data Recovery Facility that is very well priced and turnaround time is phenominal.
 
#3 ·
Do you have the master/slave jumpers set correctly on the drives?

The old drive was the master, but now it needs to be the slave, and the new 160 gb drive needs to be the master.
If both drives are on the same IDE channel you need to put the new one at the end of the cable, and the old one on the middle of the cable.
 
#4 ·
leo572 said:
I had a 400 MB HDD partitioned in 3 parts. Since the last 3 years the HDD was working fine. One day, the computer simply froze at windows XP boot screen. I restarted the machine quite a few times , but it use to freeze at the Windows loading screen of XP.

Then I removed the HDD and loaded win XP on another HDD 160 GB and made it the primary device. Now when I try to connect the earlier HDD as a secondary slave, the system just freezes and as soon as I disconnet the HDD from the cable, the system starts functioning.

I have a lot of data in the 400 MB HDD. Need to recover the data which is there in D and E partition.

Can anyone tell me the process with which I can recover the data from the old HDD ?
Are you setting the jumpers correctly and did you check BIOS setup to see if the old drive is being recognized and is set to autodetect drives?
 
#5 ·
I have set the jumpers properly and made the 400 MB HDD as slave. The BIOS detects the HDD. However, windows will not load at all till the time the HDD is connected toi the cable. As soon as I remove the HDD from the cable, windows boots and works normally.

I want to avoid giving the HDD to an outsider for extracting the data as it has some confidential data . Is there anyway , I can get the data at home itself ?
 
#6 ·
It sounds like that drive has a major problem, possibly electronic, that will prevent you from accessing it with a normal machine. Does it even sound like it is spinning when connected?

If you are unable to connect it to a machine for recovery, professional recovery is one of the only options, unless you have an identical drive and are handy with tools:

http://www.overclockers.com/tips1035/
http://free-backup.info/do-it-yourself-diagnostic-tips-for-hard-drive-recovery.html
http://repair4harddisk.org/disassembly_hard_drive.html
 
#8 ·
http://forums.techguy.org/search.php?searchid=384886&query=file recovery

Read thru those threads. I'm too lazy to look up the links right now, but I have used
PCI File Recovery - Attempts to show all folders and files on a hard drive/partition
PCI Smart Recovery - Attempts to find pictures and a few other file types on a hard drive/partition
PhotoRec attempts to recover about 80 different file types. Does the best with images.

Others have recommend other software.

However if your computer won't boot up with this dead hdd attached, you won't be able to attempt data recovery from it.

Is windows trying to do a ChkDisk on this dead drive when you attempt to boot up? Exactly what is the screen showing when it won't boot up?

You might be able to use http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page this System Rescue CD to boot up with the dead hard drive attached and attempt to access the drive.
 
#9 ·
I have got a new HDD attached and loaded win XP on to it and I am working with the new HDD. The problem is when I attach the old dead HDD, the system just freezes at that stage. There HDD light on the CPU will glow bright red, and the monitor screen will freeze. I am not allowed to do anything. As soon as I remove the HDD , system starts functioning normally.

Yesterday, I used the Knoppix Live CD (linux based operating system ) to access the dead HDD. Knoppix was able to access the HDD and show the folder , but the knoppix interface is in german language, I could not understand the error messages it was displaying. Will try to download an english version and check again.

Meanwhile will also check with the softwares you have mentioned. How does the professional data recovery person get the data ? Which software do they use ?
 
#10 ·
Well give the system rescue cd I linked to a chance. Its written in English.

A pro data recovery service will take the platters out of the hard drive, and put them into a very expensive machine to read them. Its expensive, very expensive, and usually not worth it unless the data is worth several thousand dollars.
 
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