Data Recovery?

D

Dwarfer

Guest
Hello, I have moved all my important stuff over to a hard disk that is now faulty, this was about a month ago and I havent used much disk space since so the data should still be there, right?

Is there any free or near-free software out there that I can get to try a recovery.

thanks
 
Your best bet is to Use a LiveCD to try and recover any data you want, when i accedently formatted a drive without taking a complete backup we used the Backtrack Distro beacuse we had it handy (it contains forensic tools, amoungst other usefull things).

Linux, If you havnt allready heard about it, is a free (as in speech and beer), secure and reliable operating system. A 'LiveCD' refers to a version of linux which can run off a CD or Flash Drive (it does not need to be installed to a Hard Disc) a LiveCD might be slower than a HDD install but it is very usefull for situations like this!

Wikipedia Article's on Linux , SLAX
Backtrack Home page

[SLAX is based on Slackware Linux, and is the basis of the Backtrack Live CD... wikipedia article contains a mention of backtrack].

Good Luck!

PS If you choose to download Backtrack, 1. be carefull with it, it is quite 'powerfull' 2. Download it using Bittorent if possible [thanks]
 
roy92 said:
is it still possible to read from the hd that connected to your computer?
Click to expand...

absulootly not! the faulty hdd wont even spinup let alone read anything

Impotence said:
Your best bet is to Use a LiveCD to try and recover any data you want, when i accedently formatted a drive without taking a complete backup we used the Backtrack Distro beacuse we had it handy (it contains forensic tools, amoungst other usefull things).

PS If you choose to download Backtrack, 1. be carefull with it, it is quite 'powerfull' 2. Download it using Bittorent if possible [thanks]
Click to expand...

Thanks Impotence, so I just download Backtrack, and after installation (or wot ever the operation is) you may be able to recover data?
 
if it doesn't read a thing, let alone spin, i highly doubt you would be able to get information from the drive because it has to spin to read.
 
roy92 said:
if it doesn't read a thing, let alone spin, i highly doubt you would be able to get information from the drive because it has to spin to read.
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no dude, this is the hdd that currently has the data on it (its not deleted), i cant read this data coz the hdd wont spin, this data was copied over to it from my original hdd so im goin back to my original hdd that had this data on in the first place (which is now deleted as I had copied it over).

so now im wanting to recover this deleted data from the original (which is working correctly)
 
I tried stellar phoenix once. Didnt help me but it might be worth a try. I think it can even recover data from formatted logical partitions.

Try and get a demo or summit.
 
You could try some of this lot on the dead HDD: LINK : beware though, its not guaranteed to work (or not to make things any worse).

For the Living Hard disc, STOP USING IT NOW!!!! there might have been a month of useage since you deleted the files but there is no reason to make it worse!
 
if the file on the dead hd was from your working hd, you should be able to recover it even though it's deleted. that program mentioned should be able to find it. try to install the software in a hd other than your windows partition.
 
The best way to recover thoose files is to remove the hdd from your computer and install it in another, as a slave drive so it is not booted from.

allthough as i mentioned, if you use a liveCD you will not have to do this! (NEVER attempt to recover files from the drive that the recovery is saved too, you might overwrite the data your trying to save!)
 
If the drive won't spin up, there's no software that can help you retrieve that stuff, but some programs can recover it, like roy mentioned.

Another program I've had some success with is [google]PC Inspector File Recovery[/google].

You won't be able to get it off the dead drive unless you have some data recovery specialist do it...and that's a rather pricey service from what I hear.
 
Have you had any luck? The Freezer trick (link in my last post) apparently works quite well.... just make sure you dont leave it in there too long or it'l get frosty (and then the frost will melt.... water + electric = lets not go there.... :P )
 
Impotence said:
Have you had any luck? The Freezer trick (link in my last post) apparently works quite well.... just make sure you dont leave it in there too long or it'l get frosty (and then the frost will melt.... water + electric = lets not go there.... :P )
Click to expand...

freezer :O seriously? omg worth a try!!
 
Impotence said:
Read through the tips on that link (CLICK HERE) it has the freezer one on it... make sure you seal the bag you put the hdd in!
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:hi2: ok ill try that and let u kno! ill also try droppin it :eek: :eek: :eek:

ive bought (cough cough) that backtrack thing so gona try that too let u kno
 
chuckles @ newpaws, you cant pirate Backtrack beacuse its free! (im guessing you've never come accross Open source software before.... or linux :P)

Try the things with the hdd one at a time.... and try the ones which have the LEAST risk of doing any more damage first!
 
Ive got an ebook on another computer called 200 ways top recover a hdd, or summit!
Ill get it on this computer and email to you if you want?

Ive never read it so dont know if its any good. Might be worth looking at though.
 
zeus said:
Ive got an ebook on another computer called 200 ways top recover a hdd, or summit!
Ill get it on this computer and email to you if you want?

Ive never read it so dont know if its any good. Might be worth looking at though.
Click to expand...

reet i stuck the hdd in the freezer for about 30 mins (i sense im gona get shouted at here), ran upstairs and stuck it in me laptop wiv me face all :eek:ing.. pressed the on button and................ nothing happend :swear:

so i gues ill try dropping it eh, best wait for it to warm up back to room temp first :eek:

ps dont shout at me too loud
 
its possible its an electrical fault... which would make more sensce as to why the laptop wont start.

Im thinking you would be better off trying to recover the files from the living hdd.

what is the "important stuff" that was on the drive?

if it was music, ripped dvds etc then you could just download them (saves you the effort of having to find all thoose discs again)....
 
Impotence said:
its possible its an electrical fault... which would make more sensce as to why the laptop wont start.

Im thinking you would be better off trying to recover the files from the living hdd.

what is the "important stuff" that was on the drive?

if it was music, ripped dvds etc then you could just download them (saves you the effort of having to find all thoose discs again)....
Click to expand...

yep its all my mp3s i converted from all my cds and videos i converted too AHEM AAHEEEEMMMM COOOUGHHHHHHHH COOOOUUUUGGGHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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