Hard drive is cactus

Enable JavaScript to get the best experience.

Search Subscribed Topics Active Topics

Created by

Corkers > 9 months ago, 20 Oct 2014

Corkers

NSW

154 posts

20 Oct 2014 10:37pm

Anyone got any knowledge on recovering data from a busted desk top external hard drive... My little fella tried to bounce it like a ball off the hard wood floor!! PC no longer recognises it, and it makes a clicking noise for a short time when powering up. Have taken it to a computer shop who had no luck ( they were only capable of going to a certain level of recovery, they could send it elsewhere but it would be very expensive even if no data was recovered!

Anyone had success with similar harddrive symptoms or should I kiss it goodbye??

It's got all our family photos on it

PS lots of windsurfing pics to

FormulaNova

15090 posts

20 Oct 2014 8:08pm

Select to expand quote

Corkers said..
Anyone got any knowledge on recovering data from a busted desk top external hard drive... My little fella tried to bounce it like a ball off the hard wood floor!! PC no longer recognises it, and it makes a clicking noise for a short time when powering up. Have taken it to a computer shop who had no luck ( they were only capable of going to a certain level of recovery, they could send it elsewhere but it would be very expensive even if no data was Anyone got any knowledge on recovering data from a busted desk top external hard drive... My little fella tried to bounce it like a ball off the hard wood floor!! PC no longer recognises it, and it makes a clicking noise for a short time when powering up. Have taken it to a computer shop who had no luck ( they were only capable of going to a certain level of recovery, they could send it elsewhere but it would be very expensive even if no data was recovered).\
\
Anyone had success with similar harddrive symptoms or should I kiss it goodbye??\
\
It's got all our family photos on it

}

Anyone had success with similar harddrive symptoms or should I kiss it goodbye??

It's got all our family photos on it

PS lots of windsurfing pics to

You only seem to get these questions after the drive is dead. It sounds like you have tried what you can. If the local PC shop can't restore it, then there is no choice other than sending it to one of the places that know what they are doing. These types of places can handle the drives properly and even swap bits from another drive if it helps, but as you found they are expensive.

You are probably out of luck. No one ever seems to do this, but before you have a problem like this you should have multiple backups of stuff that is important to you. You can get software that does it for you. I even told my brother to buy an external drive to backup his PC, but he ignored it, and when the PC drive eventually went bust, he also lost a lot of family photos.

Mobydisc

NSW

9029 posts

20 Oct 2014 11:11pm

Sounds like you will have to pay if you want to get the files off it. Clicks means there is a physical problem and so if data is to be retrieved then the drive will have to be taken apart. This all means serious money, usually beyond the finances of the average home user.

Corkers

NSW

154 posts

20 Oct 2014 11:27pm

Bugger!!

GPA

2529 posts

20 Oct 2014 8:46pm

Unfortunately, the clicking is almost certainly the heads hitting the disk platters - which usually means they will be scored and *some* data not recoverable.

If you have lost many family memories then you need to spend the cash to get a Disk Doctor involved.

FlickySpinny

657 posts

20 Oct 2014 8:55pm

As above.

Personally I'd spend the money if there was any way you could afford it.

From word-of-mouth tales these specialist places seem to be quite good and be able to recover decent amounts of data.

But yeah, not cheap.

If you're strapped for cash I'd put it away somewhere carefully for a few years because you might have the cash to do it later.

****
To anyone reading this and wants to avoid this fate... I'd have to recommend multiple automatic back ups. I have two separate onsite systems that constantly back up mine, and a third removable one that gets taken about once a month and taken off site. And I needed my backups on Friday when the disk on my main laptop keeled over and died.

Cambodge

VIC

851 posts

21 Oct 2014 12:14am

For photos, just regularly upload them all to a web service like Flickr. Instant backup and enables easy private sharing with distant family. (Plus the occasional backup to a portable hard drive, of course).

touch107fm

78 posts

20 Oct 2014 9:17pm

I know a good place in Thailand which offered a full recovery for about 300 dollars.

Depends on how much you want the material back.

First thing I did was find the exact model drive if I needed to replace parts.

I will say, if your tech minded have a look at these.

Plus oz recovery centers cost mega $$$$

Chris6791

3271 posts

20 Oct 2014 11:10pm

What sort of dollars are we actually talking here? Knowing how pricey it is might motivate me to refresh my backups.

pweedas

4642 posts

21 Oct 2014 12:17am

Real men don't do backups.

On a clear disc you can seek forever.

FormulaNova

15090 posts

21 Oct 2014 4:43am

Select to expand quote

Chris6791 said..
What sort of dollars are we actually talking here? Knowing how pricey it is might motivate me to refresh my backups.

Don't think of it that way. Sometimes they can't recover any data at all, so do your backups. Even windows has the ability to decent backups without buying extra software.

External hard drives are cheap, so they can be used as backups, but I wouldn't be using them for critical data if it is the only copy I have.

I don't know how common it is, but a few years ago I removed a hard disk from an external enclosure to use as an internal drive. When I used it, the PC found heaps and heaps of errors on the drive. On the external controller, it effectively hid those, but the PC saw them all. This leads me to believe that external hard drives can use second-rate drives where the error rate is too high to sell it as a first-quality drive.

felixdcat

3519 posts

21 Oct 2014 8:27am

Select to expand quote

Mobydisc said..
Sounds like you will have to pay if you want to get the files off it. Clicks means there is a physical problem and so if data is to be retrieved then the drive will have to be taken apart. This all means serious money, usually beyond the finances of the average home user.

Happened to me a few months ago, got quoted between $500-00 to $1000-00 to do the deed! Pull apart, get the disk out and perform a forensic recovery, had a lot of music on it but was not a good deal, just needed to re download the files

FlickySpinny

657 posts

21 Oct 2014 3:33pm

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

This leads me to believe that external hard drives can use second-rate drives where the error rate is too high to sell it as a first-quality drive.

I can believe that. I've had way more problems with external drives than I have with internal. An almost new MyBook was the most recent casualty.

jh2703

NSW

1225 posts

21 Oct 2014 8:36pm

I've lost a few external drives over the years and have had a few successes but more failures when it comes to data recovery. I've had success with removing the drive from within the case and then plugging that drive into a hot swap cradle you can buy cheaply off eBay, But this has not worked every time. I also had one that made that clicking noise you mention, You normally hear this when the drive is about to fail so it's time to back-up before it dies. It would work every now and then but would mostly not be recognized, I got it to work a few more time by hitting it real hard

I now use SSD for storage, A bit more expensive but less likely to fail....Or go to the cloud. As all have said it is expensive to recover lost data and for the average Jo it's not worth it. House hold insurance may cover it??? It covers my electronic gear for anything??? Maybe data recovery falls under that? Maybe worth asking the question if you really want the stuff back. Anyways for the few bucks the "hot swap" cradle costs it might be worth a try, Good luck with it...I know what it's like to lose a heap of photos.

harry potter

VIC

2777 posts

21 Oct 2014 9:57pm

Lets all be honest here .......
Family photos pffft......
It's massive porn collections you are all trying to retrieve.

FormulaNova

15090 posts

21 Oct 2014 7:45pm

Select to expand quote

harry potter said..
Lets all be honest here .......
Family photos pffft......
It's massive porn collections you are all trying to retrieve.

I think digital photos are sort of strange. You take so many that almost none are special. You never get a chance to look through them and no one else wants to look at them either.

"In the olden days" when you used to stick photos in an album, you kept only a handful of meaningful photos. I still look at photos from years ago and think they are awesome. If they were digital, I would probably not look at them.

So, print them out, and stick them in an album if they are that important to you!

saltiest1

NSW

2562 posts

22 Oct 2014 12:54am

i haven't heard of that brand before.
mines an apple.

seafever17

360 posts

22 Oct 2014 9:07am

Try plugging it into the wall not just a usb outlet on your computer, The added power can overcome some problems and make it spin up and then you can quickly swap it to your PC. Put it in the freezer for two hours and try it again. Strange....google it?

End of posts

Please Register, or first...

Topics Reply