HELP!!!! HDD crash

[SteveI]

I'm dying. I've been promising myself I'd back up critical files, including only copies of videos I've taken.

My HDD just crashed. When I boot from the XP CD to try to reinstall the OS, it is saying both partitions on my main HDD are unrecognized. Instead of "C:" and "D:" it reads "-:" on both. They are dynamic volumes, and I need to try to recover data desperately.

I used the repair console, but it is reading my data drive as C.
Is there any hope of getting this data back???? I really need to access my old D drive to get the critical data. There's about 10 gigs worth. Any help would be appreciated.

EDIT: FWIW, While the XP CD does not recognize the partition, I've managed to at least start the boot up from this drive. It give me a BSOD, but the system is reading at least part of the HDD to start up the boot process. I'm going to bed now.. It's gonna be a long weekend. When I get back, I'll cross my fingers and plug the HDD into another system and pray.

[The Spyder]

Only thing that you can do is to plug it into anothersystem- copy the stuff- reformat- copy the stuff back over and then take persmision of the files ( i dont know how!_)
Spyder

Originally posted by Spyder462
Only thing that you can do is to plug it into anothersystem- copy the stuff- reformat- copy the stuff

That was basically going to be my suggestion too. Other than that the only thing I can.... actually my other idea really isn't all that sane or logical so I'll keep it to myself for now.

[SteveI]

I'm stuck!
I took my back up machine, disconnected the CDrom, connected the 2 Hdds from my main box, but my old boot drive still doesn't work. In disk management, it says the drive is unreadable. It is dynamic... There's got to be a way. When I tried to boot before, I Windows tried to load, so it means there is some communication with this drive.. In safe mode I some drivers load. Is there any data recovery utilities in XP?

This is what it says under properties:

[mookydooky]

Sounds like you have a lost partition table in NTFS. Check out this link. They have a bunch of freeware downloads for data recovery. I don't know how many of them work with NTFS though.

http://www.winappslist.com/utilities..._utilities.htm

[SteveI]

Originally posted by mookydooky
Sounds like you have a lost partition table in NTFS. Check out this link. They have a bunch of freeware downloads for data recovery. I don't know how many of them work with NTFS though.

http://www.winappslist.com/utilities..._utilities.htm

Thanks, Mooky.
As it turns out, I've already tried that site. The one program that seems like it has a shot has a broken link so I can't download it. (I tried again, just in case.)

I've already tried 3. All have failed. But I am working with a fourth that is a beta. It's finding something.. but real slow. I think it will make me pay and register before it actually let's me at those files. I'll gladly pay if it is able to ID my files. I probably won't know until sometime tomorrow.

I also looked at HardDrive Mechanic. It costs $50, but I think it gives me the best shot. If this fails, I'm gonna shell out the money.

DID I MENTION THE HDD IS AN IBM 60GXP??!!!!! THIS IS THE FIRST HDD CRASH IN 13 YEARS. The last one that died on me was a 40meg from a packard bell!!

Once I get the data (or give up), I'll put the drive through the paces. If the drive is physically the problem, there's gonna be hell to pay! I even had a 8cm fan blowing on this thing!

I'm gonna have to let this sit until sunday night tho. I gotta do the family thing.

[cloasters]

Ouch! Sorry to read this, SteveI. When you've resolved the problem as completely as possible you can send the drive in with an RMA. Or you can join the HDD class-action suit against big blue.

I joined the lawsuit and spared myself the horse apples of doing an RMA. After it's determined that the lawyer's will get all of the money, it's hammer time! Sledgehammer time. Oh, yes.

[surlyjoe]

ya, I'd rather give it to the lawers too (4 drives worth), as long as they $%#^ em hard

Originally posted by cloasters
Ouch! Sorry to read this, SteveI. When you've resolved the problem as completely as possible you can send the drive in with an RMA. Or you can join the HDD class-action suit against big blue.

I joined the lawsuit and spared myself the horse apples of doing an RMA. After it's determined that the lawyer's will get all of the money, it's hammer time! Sledgehammer time. Oh, yes.

That just gave me an interesting mental image: get a IBM drive, sledge hammer it (only once), wrap it up and RMA it with a letter saying "The drive started to squeak and then just suddenly stopped working, and when I opened up the computer, this was what I found." Then do it again, and again, and again.

[Wa11y]

Originally posted by SteveI
Thanks, Mooky.
As it turns out, I've already tried that site. The one program that seems like it has a shot has a broken link so I can't download it. (I tried again, just in case.)

If you can get the file name (whatever.exe) try putting it into www.google.com and see what you can find.

[TranceBear]

I can e-mail you a data recovery program I use at work to do this same thing. It works 98% of the time. Let me know at TranceBear@attbi.com or CSheets@pcclub.com. I do not visit the internet as often as I like.

[SteveI]

Thanks, Trancebear.

I'll email you when I get home.

[SteveI]

TranceBear,
YGM!

[cloasters]

Trancebear is back. Yaay!

[SteveI]

Thanks for the support guys... Here's an update.
[rant]
Main rig still down, but I managed to get at least some of the data off of it. Haven't checked for corruption, and all names are truncated, so I have quite a bit of work left.

Also. I ran the HDD utility from IBM, and it's crapped out. Got TS and they are sending me an RMA. The worst is the @!#$@%#!@!%#@#$%$ IBM won't do a swap with me!! I even offered to pay for it and get credit when they get this POS back!!! I'm gonna have to overnight this sucker on Monday and wait 2-3 weeks for a #$(*&@#$% replacement!!! I'm tempted to order a new HDD since it will get here much faster. This IBM HDD is the first and last IBM I'll ever buy. I don't want my main rig down 3 more weeks. Amazing, in all these years I haven't had a single HDD failure, until I buy an IBM.

Dang, I've lost a lot of WUs folding! My backups just don't have the same folding power On top of that, my son's machine is still down, I'm still bargain hunting for a old mobo.

Since bad things usually come in threes, I'm keeping an eye on the rest of my machines. :nervous: I think I need another backup!!!
[/rant]

[mookydooky]

Move a HD from one of your slower machines to your main rig until your replacement HD comes back. That way, you'll at least fold faster for the time being. Might hold off Icrontic for another couple of seconds.

[SteveI]

Originally posted by mookydooky
Move a HD from one of your slower machines to your main rig until your replacement HD comes back. That way, you'll at least fold faster for the time being. Might hold off Icrontic for another couple of seconds.

I wish I could. They all have data on them, and my machine is the only AMD, so I would have to wipe out the partition and reinstall the OS. I've got too many parts lying around, and don't want to cause more problems for myself.... whoa , actually that sounds like a plan... The machine with the bad mobo has a 20gig WD, partitions = 4 & 15 gigs. The 4 has the os and programs, and the 15gig is purely storage. I can reformat the 4 on my machine and load the os on it... It'll be folding again tonight!!!

Thanks Mooky!!! That's 50 points a week I get back!!!!

[mookydooky]

You don't have to reformat. Do the repair install of the XP CD. That will keep all your settings and you don't have to bother reinstalling all your apps, which can be a major drag. When you get your replacement HD back, you can do the repair install again and you'll be back to normal.

[SteveI]

Originally posted by mookydooky
You don't have to reformat. Do the repair install of the XP CD. That will keep all your settings and you don't have to bother reinstalling all your apps, which can be a major drag. When you get your replacement HD back, you can do the repair install again and you'll be back to normal.

I'll give that a shot... worst comes to worst, I have driver conflicts and I start over.... now I can't wait to get home. Seems like it's been a while since I've smiled about my PCs.

[unclemojo]

I'm in the same boat pretty much Steve. I lost over 2 gigs of baby pics, movies and files. I'm actually the most depressed I can ever remember right now. I've tried a zillion utilities with no luck.It was my backup drive. Windows finally 'saw' it, but said it was so fragged it needed to format to use it. It then formatted by itself with NO ACTION by me. It's a usable drive again, just an empty one. I posted the symptoms and similar info in the CRASHED forum too. If anyone can help, I would be deeply appreciative. Thank you all in advance.

sadmojo


*** Excellent choice on the new AV Steve She's a cutie pie ***