HDD Help
 

Not been my week/year :mad: .

I dropped my desktop computer while rearranging my office at home. I'm pretty sure that the HDD is toast. Is it possible to recover the data or some of it.

I'm not computer savvy in this area but some insight on the process so I don't get hosed at the computer shop.

TIA

Wilson

That depends on how the disk was damaged and if it was damaged. Have you tried opening up the case and making sure the cables are plugged in firmly? A good jolt can knock them off the pins, which would result in apparent hard drive loss.

Even if the drive is done, the data is still recoverable, but with a catch. Falling damage will have most likely damaged the delicate read/write heads, meaning that the disk can't be recovered by any conventional means and will need to be taken to a data recovery specialist, who will very like charge a hefty fee for the service. If the drive truly is wrecked, you need to decide just how badly you want that data.

Damn...thanks Martian for the insight.

If I recall earlier, I did double check the connections and the HDD motor still spun when I tried to boot up but got nothing on the screen. So I think the heads are gonen from what you have decribed. Unforutnately, I have about 500+ work and vacation pics on the HDD.

Me thinks that a new HDD is in order and save up the $$$ to recover the pics later.

Thanks again Martian.

Backups. Do 'em. Love 'em. Saved my ass several times.

Funny thing Oberon, I was going to do the back-up after moving rooms but the wife's underfoot dog tripped me up. Lady luck was on break in my case...LMAO.

Well it appears that the comp is toast as the new HDD doesn't help. Checked with an old video card, connections and nothing. Kiss the P3 good bye and time to step up to the P4. Been fighting the urge to upgrade for the past few years as what I use the computer for (word processing, invoicing, simple graphics work and a few games) doesn't justify it. Now I have a reason...LOL.

Thanks again all :).

Well, if that's the case, it very well may not be the HDD. There are lots of possibilities as to what it actually is, but it's worth keeping the old (and new) HDD to stick in your new computer as second and third drives. You might be able to keep the stuff on the old drive without sending it to a recovery place, after all.

if its really the computer thats dead and not just the hard drive maybe you can stick the old hard drive in the new computer to get your old stuff off it. just an idea

Another vote for saving the apparently dead drive...it might work in the new computer! I updated my thread <a href="http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=96222">"Hard Drive Hardware Failure"</a> to reflect this suggestion culled from the web: so long as the drive doesn't use fluid bearings and is still spinning up when powered on (but makes noises, etc.), try freezing the drive in a Ziplock bag in the freezer for 2 hours. You may be able to get uptime after pulling it from the freezer; I did!

ya back ups are grate but unforchenly they can have eorrs :(

Just like your spelling ;-)

LMAO...thanks for the pointers and help everyone :). Turns out that Mobo and CPU got toasted as well as a few bad sectors on the HDD. The data was easily copied to the new HDD of the P-4 system and when I have the time I'll tinker with rebuilding the ol' P-3 as the various cards and RAM is fine.

Everything is all backed up and saved just incase ;).

Again thanks for all your help and suggestions.

BTW...the wife is kinda pissed as now I can play HL2...LMFAO.