posted on September 30, 2003 09:09:22 AM
<rant>
My stooopid computer died last night. Hard disk crashed dead. Boot sector is corrupted aparently.
"What about backups?" you say? Well thats the lovely black rose pettle on this tale. I periodically make backups on CD-R. Last week I decided it was time to consolodate and sort these backups to get rid of redundant data. So, I copied all the CD backups from the last 7 years onto my computer with the intention of sorting out what I want to keep and burning it to new CDs. So EVERYTHING was on this system. Yes yes yes, I know you have a 'you shoulda' statement, but I dont care to hear it right now.
I installed the deadbeat hard disk in my second winxp system and nothing is accessable on the old dog. I am currently running a 23 hour data recovery scan to attempt to recover what I can. Getdataback v2.0 says the disk is more than 50% corrupted. Not sure what that means, but it doesn't sound good.
I can't remember the last time I have felt this unsettled. Probly the day I got married (har). Or the day I quit Amway (*shrug*).
BLEH
</rant>
Good day,
-Rob
ps... if you read this whole thing, you need a life as bad as me.
posted on September 30, 2003 02:22:27 PM
Also they are a way for emphasizing the need for two drives on a computer as a simple backup system. Drives are fairly inexpensive these days.
There was a series of Hewlett-Packard TV commercials years ago that all the theme 'What if ?' as in what if my HD took a dump on me?
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on September 30, 2003 02:37:22 PM
I'm so sorry to hear about your disaster! You might need to take it to a live person that specializes in data recovery, because it could be that they have ways of doing things that a program like you're using can't do. I have no idea how expensive that might be, but I'm sure it would be worth it to get back your data.
I suppose there's no possibility that you did a "copy and paste" instead of "cut and paste" with the data that was on the CD's, huh? Have you put ALL the CD's in your other computer to see if there's anything left on them? (It's "any port in a storm" time!)
posted on September 30, 2003 02:44:04 PM
Data recovery specialists are mucho expensive and are more for business computers than personal ones. You could call a few and get an idea for their price schedules though.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on September 30, 2003 02:55:17 PM
My hard drive totally crashed a few months ago, I took it up to Best Buy to see if they could do that hard drive recovery thing. I was told that it would cost approx $1600+ and would take around 6 weeks. I said "nevermind!"
posted on September 30, 2003 06:38:26 PM
You might want to try looking at V-Com.com. They do data recovery and sell a software package with a light version of recovery commander(that you may be able to recover some of your important files.) I think their newest is 55.00 or something like that. I really like their software.
Edited to add: What you'd want to look at is System Suite 5, with recovery and boot repair.
[ edited by neroter12 on Sep 30, 2003 06:44 PM ]
posted on September 30, 2003 07:00:37 PM
One more thing to try after you've tried all your other backup/recovery ideas.
With the hard drive back in the old machine and recognized as a drive by
setup at least. Boot up on a startup floppy then type fdisk/mbr at the A: prompt.
This might rebuild the master boot record and let the drive run again. If it works
I'd still replace the drive but you could use it as a secondary drive if it seems
okay after you get all your stuff off it and reformat. I wouldn't trust it too much
though.
posted on September 30, 2003 07:06:44 PM
If you are showing 50% of the drive corrupted,you either have a mean virus or a mechanical failure in the drive hardware itself, most likely in the stylus assembly. As a very last resort, you can pop the lid on the drive to expose the insides and gently try to prod the arm into moving. If it just sets motionless, or jerks rapidly, it will indicate the r/w hardware is faulty and the disk is probably o.k. The final stop on the economy train is to remove the disk platter(s) and install it/them in a known good hard drive of the exact same make, after you have removed the disks from that one , of course. After doing a new autodetect in bios, you should be able to access the data. Copy it off onto a slave as fast as possible, because there is no way to guess how long the chewing gum and duct tape on this proceedure will hold. This is very similar to one of the methods commercial data recovery techs use. I have actually done this myself back in the MFM and ESDI days and with a little luck and a steady hand (bourbon helps) it works.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on September 30, 2003 07:45:27 PM
Wow, Sparkz, you do like to tear into things! That's exactly right, too.
The data recovery guys do that all the time with a special machine even
and I've done a little of that myself. Instead of rebuilding a software load
I'll try to get it running then copy it to a new drive.
You might need to take it to a live person that specializes in data recovery, because it could be that they have ways of doing things that a program like you're using can't do. I have no idea how expensive that might be, but I'm sure it would be worth it to get back your data.