HELP - External Hard Drive Has Gone Kaput! - Page 2

**ConstantOgler** · February 26th, 2013, 01:57 AM

FWIW:Several months ago I had success w/ GetDataBack from runtime.org. Not free, abt $80 [50+Q?]. but way cheaper than shops [who price to the terrified business user]. Big plus, you use it as a free trial to get an idea how much you can recover before you pay and apply it. You must have separate drive space available where you put the recovered files. Extremely important you are not writing anything TO the corrupted drive, which can only increase the damage.
I can't be sure of your problem, but when you say only 3GB space empty, it sounds like my mistake: getting too close to capacity limit. Instead of telling you "Stop Writing", Mr. Gates' product proceeds to corrupt the drive, which it then is unable to read.

As spitalhouse says, be prepared for slow, time-consuming process.
"Free" products, which you can spend hours investigating and trying are worthless IMO.

**DTravel** · February 26th, 2013, 03:47 AM

The first thing you need to do is determine if the failure is hardware or software. If its hardware, ... good luck and get ready to spend money. If its software, well, then maybe one of the various programs people here will suggest will help. There's also a chance that they will make it worse.

I had an external HD fail about six months ago. In my case it was a hardware failure and I ended up spending more than $1,000 US to have a data recovery company save what they could. They probably saved about 35% of my almost 1.5 million files. If I had tried to "fix" or recover it myself I would have lost everything.

**Darth Joules** · February 26th, 2013, 10:33 AM

I think he means one of these, an external hard drive caddy:

Mighty Blue · February 26th, 2013, 06:25 PM

Many thanks for all of the replies, it's much appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spitalhouse

Try this free file recovery tool.

http://www.piriform.com/recuva

I've used several similar tools in the past and this one worked when the others didn't. One word of advice, however, is to start running it before you go to bed, because - depending on the size of your drive and the amount of data that needs recovering - the process can take several hours to complete.

Regards.

I downloaded recuva on the advice of BT - I used it once and it found quite a lot, but think a lot of it was buggered up anyway - ie. found a jpg but when I clicked on it, no picture, doh!

I didn't have time to check all the files as there were loads, so thought I'd try again when I had time (& bought a new back up drive to transfer all the data to). Anyway, I've recently connected the hard drive to my laptop and the drive icon doesn't load - just the dreaded eggtimer/circle of doom!

MB

**Sharkhunter** · February 26th, 2013, 07:17 PM

Thanks for the tip about the HDD dock wildtig2013, I hadn't seen those gizmos before. If you can get into an HD without it having to run (i.e. just using CMD and the DOS-style interface) I'd reckon you'd be able to save the majority if not all of your files in most instances (I think).

About releasing a hard-drive full of pornography to a third party recovery agency, I'd think twice, even though it is all completely legal material. All you need is some nosy, thoroughgoing git who might also be a member of the God squad finding those naughty vids of people having sex or, worse still, pretty girls pissing on each other.

**billybunter** · February 26th, 2013, 07:37 PM

I took my first ever external apart (seagate) and cleaned it put it back together. But it died again.

Mighty Blue · February 26th, 2013, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xxphd

I guess you mean a Hard Disk Docking Station aka HDD Dock
Did it solve your problem?

So, let me get this straight - I take out the actual buggered hard drive from the casing, put it into one of these and hey presto, I get all my files back?!

How the flip does that work? Don't get me wrong, be great if it works but sounds too good to be true!

My external drive is a Maxtor USB 2.0 640GB, about 4 years old....any recommendations as to what type of HDD Dock to get? What am I looking for, one that takes SATA...er, or the other type?!

MB

**Xxphd** · February 26th, 2013, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mighty Blue

So, let me get this straight - I take out the actual buggered hard drive from the casing, put it into one of these and hey presto, I get all my files back?!

Only when the problem is in the electronics of your old casing or PC. In case of a physical HDD crash it probably won't help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mighty Blue

My external drive is a Maxtor USB 2.0 640GB, about 4 years old....any recommendations as to what type of HDD Dock to get? What am I looking for, one that takes SATA...er, or the other type?!

I guess it's a SATA drive.

**Xxphd** · February 26th, 2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkhunter

Oops, I have a WD. Better hope it doesn't bomb any time soon...

WD's are actually pretty reliable. The weak part with every external HDD is the electronics in the casing. Should that fail, and the HD isn't addressable, take the HD out of the casing and put it in a docking station for diagnosis.

Mighty Blue · March 1st, 2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xxphd

Only when the problem is in the electronics of your old casing or PC. In case of a physical HDD crash it probably won't help.

I guess it's a SATA drive.

Many thanks Xxphd. If you read my original post #1, it certainly isn't a problem with just the casing or my laptop (as all my other external hard drives work fine through it), which is a shame. I wanted to try one of those HDD Docks first but probably won't work, doh!

MB

February 26th, 2013, 01:57 AM	#11
ConstantOgler Vintage Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Outskirts of Goosebump City, near the BusbyBerkeleyBakery Posts: 777 Thanks: 4,712 Thanked 8,847 Times in 754 Posts	FWIW:Several months ago I had success w/ GetDataBack from runtime.org. Not free, abt $80 [50+Q?]. but way cheaper than shops [who price to the terrified business user]. Big plus, you use it as a free trial to get an idea how much you can recover before you pay and apply it. You must have separate drive space available where you put the recovered files. Extremely important you are not writing anything TO the corrupted drive, which can only increase the damage. I can't be sure of your problem, but when you say only 3GB space empty, it sounds like my mistake: getting too close to capacity limit. Instead of telling you "Stop Writing", Mr. Gates' product proceeds to corrupt the drive, which it then is unable to read. As spitalhouse says, be prepared for slow, time-consuming process. "Free" products, which you can spend hours investigating and trying are worthless IMO. Last edited by ConstantOgler; February 26th, 2013 at 07:58 AM.. Reason: TYPO

February 26th, 2013, 03:47 AM	#12
DTravel Lean Mean Screencap Machine Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Better you don't know. Posts: 23,834 Thanks: 10,483 Thanked 207,435 Times in 23,743 Posts	The first thing you need to do is determine if the failure is hardware or software. If its hardware, ... good luck and get ready to spend money. If its software, well, then maybe one of the various programs people here will suggest will help. There's also a chance that they will make it worse. I had an external HD fail about six months ago. In my case it was a hardware failure and I ended up spending more than $1,000 US to have a data recovery company save what they could. They probably saved about 35% of my almost 1.5 million files. If I had tried to "fix" or recover it myself I would have lost everything. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I rage and weep for my country. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I can reup screencaps, other material might have been lost.

February 26th, 2013, 07:17 PM	#15
Sharkhunter Gusset Man & Jizzmaster Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Wanking, but not the city in China Posts: 2,037 Thanks: 5,197 Thanked 34,660 Times in 2,021 Posts	Thanks for the tip about the HDD dock wildtig2013, I hadn't seen those gizmos before. If you can get into an HD without it having to run (i.e. just using CMD and the DOS-style interface) I'd reckon you'd be able to save the majority if not all of your files in most instances (I think). About releasing a hard-drive full of pornography to a third party recovery agency, I'd think twice, even though it is all completely legal material. All you need is some nosy, thoroughgoing git who might also be a member of the God squad finding those naughty vids of people having sex or, worse still, pretty girls pissing on each other. __________________ "Birth Control Tip #2431: Shoot your load in a girl's mouth or on her face instead of inside her sweet bits. Result: no expensive burden, stretch marks or saggy tits". To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

February 26th, 2013, 07:37 PM	#16
billybunter R.I.P. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gone But Not Forgotten Posts: 14,404 Thanks: 51,687 Thanked 252,375 Times in 14,171 Posts	I took my first ever external apart (seagate) and cleaned it put it back together. But it died again. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

February 26th, 2013, 10:33 AM	#13
Darth Joules Veteran Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,531 Thanks: 11,945 Thanked 79,777 Times in 3,160 Posts	I think he means one of these, an external hard drive caddy: