OT Hard drive failure

[Ian B Walker]

I have a feeling I am not going to like the answers to my question. Yesterday while sorting out files and folders I noticed that I could not access one of my hard drives. My computer (the brick) has intimated that it no longer excists. I have tried the drive on other cables to no avail. So I am quite sure that it is dead. Is there any way, without going to vast expence, of getting into the drive and extracting the files (all my MB files are on it ) Thanks in advance

Ian

 

[lotusmark2]

Hi Ian,
Is it seeing the drive in your Bios at start up?

 

[Ian B Walker]

Hi Ian,
Is it seeing the drive in your Bios at start up?

No it isnt.

 

[lotusmark2]

No it isnt.

AR*E!
ermm I think you may be a bit knackered mate, I will have a mull and see if I can think of anything.

 

[lotusmark2]

just a quick thought, is the drive spinning up at all or no activity at all (is the power lead ok)

 

[Ian B Walker]

Thanks Mark, this has to be Pammys revenge (got to blame someone )

 

[GrahamC230K]

If it doesn't spin up, give it a light tap.

 

[sym]

If it doesn't spin up, give it a light tap.

or do what I'm currently having to do with my laptop at the moment until my new HD arrives, and start it up in a vertical position standing on its end ! My IT department at work think its hilarious ! (don't ask me how I worked out that this was the only way to get it to boot !)

S.

 

[RichardM]

Easyrecovery can be used in cases where you can't even see the drive in the bios. Might be worth a go if all else fails. Drop me a PM if you need a copy.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Thanks guys. Sym, I have tried that, no Joy. Mark I have tried disconecting two of my other drives and substituting them from this one. So I know I have power. The light on the drive in question lights up and flashes, there is a slight vibration from the drive but I am not sure if it is spin oriented.

 

[lotusmark2]

I think Easyrecovery is going to be the next step for you. If it is a data error then this should work but if it is a physical drive error then you are pretty much scuppered. I have stripped drives before when this has happened and with some success (but its a very slim chance) so if all esle fails throw it in my direction and I'll have a look at it.
Mark

 

[Ian B Walker]

Thanks Mark, will explore easyrecovery first then is it doesnt work drop it in to you as I think I drive past, or near where you work.

 

[lotusmark2]

No problem, gets small, medium and large hammer ready so all correct tools are to hand.


Need to ensure that the silver mob get some pay back aswell

 

[Ian B Walker]

Need to ensure that the silver mob get some pay back aswell

Now that is stretching it a little far. Mr "K" Cur are you reading this? The si.... sil... shiney grey people are trying to buy loyalty. Typical

 

[Will]

Have you tried just connecting the power lead on its own to see if it spins up?!?
Worth ruling out first.

 

[pammy]

Thanks Mark, this has to be Pammys revenge (got to blame someone )

he he SILVER gang strike back

Hope you get it sorted

 

[samuelellis]

tbh, you could be scuppered bad style BUT you may have a light at the end of the tunnel

if it is the controller board that has gone you could try gettign another hard dirve off ebay exactly the same, switching curcuit board and trying that to get all yoru data off or if the data is really really importiant to you it may be worthwhile sending it off to a dead drive specialist

but i would say if you cna get ti working never use ti for anythign importinat as hard drives are so cheap nowadays it aint really worth the risk

 

[Kinky]

Mr Walker,

By the sounds of it ...... I think you might have the 'Silver' virus ....

That's why I reckon they're being so nice to you - to cover it up. I'd better back up my own data tonight (using Rapid Restore).

I reckon you could go down the old tradional route ....

Can you boot up from a CD or floppy and access it that way? Or could you stick it into another PC as a 2nd drive and see if you can access it that way (by-pass the boot-up sector).

K

 

[sportyreptile]

this one saved a hard drive for me once.The gungho method.

Disconnect the data cable just leaving the power cable in, stand the drive upright on a hard surface on the opposite end to the connectors, power up the pc, when the drive gives it initial "chirp", topple it over onto the hard surface. If the bearing is sticking this may give it enough of a jolt into life. This is obviously a last resort and I in no way recommend "dropping" hard drives while they are powered up (or not), but if it's already broken you can't break it any more.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Mr Walker,

By the sounds of it ...... I think you might have the 'Silver' virus ....

K

Agghhhh impossible. I had my injections last week. But seriously peeps. Many thanks for all your advice. i will do the easy recovery later this morning (3am now) failing that I will drop it and try that then if that doesnt work, Hi Mark