Disk Recovery

I'm having some problems with accessing data from my primary hard drive. I've installed my old hard drive and my P.C.s now running off that but my hard drive with everything I need on is 'RAW'. I've downloaded a couple of free programmes that fix this problem (easeus and recover my files) but after retrieving all my data, they ask for hefty payment. Are there any free programmes out there that will do the job just as well? Any alternative methods I can use?

 

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm
I've used this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ many, many times in the past. It is very thourough, and therefore a bit slow. But it will get your data, and it's 100% free. Good Luck!

hd2k

 

Hi, thanks for the quick reply. I've downloaded the programme but its not as easy to use as the others. For starters, im not even sure which option I need.
My hard drive has not been formatted nor have I deleted the files. Windows seems to have got corrupt maybe and it got stuck in a reboot loop. So, like I said, im running windows through another drive. I have since connected my old hard drive and tried to access the content. Like I said when I look at the properties, it says it is 'RAW'. When I try to explore it, it asks me if I want to format it. I've tried all the options on PC inspector. It did a full scan at one point taking about 2 hours but that only came back with data in the deleted tab and all the file types were not what I was looking for - mp3, jpeg, avi etc. There's never been anything in the root tab. I've had a couple of error messages whilst using the programme. I think the problem to start with is I dont even know which drive to scan. I currently have 4 to choose from:

No name on fixed disk 1
(?) on fixed disk 2
No name on Windows Drive C
(?) on Windows Drive E

(The question mark above represents an unknown symbol)

When trying both the E drive options, after ticking them, it sort of flashes and loads something in less than a second (there is a progress bar but it is too fast to see what it says). I am left viewing the content of the root but there is nothing to be seen.
Have I done something wrong? The other 2 programmes I mentioned in my last message found all my files without any problems.

 

Just to add to the previous post (couldn't find the edit post option), on the first time of attempting the disk scan after opening the programme, there is an error message saying:

bad parameter in boot sector: root directory cluster (411953373) > count of clusters !

After this I get onto the select drive screen. I assume im choosing the correct one (see previous post). It asks me to select cluster range. I just tick the default numbers already there. (2 - 22604554). It then comes up with this error message:

Access violation at address 0048F782 in module 'filerecovery.exe'. Write of address 20CA631D.

After this message, I tried the process again but what I described before happened (the bar came up and the screen flashed as if it had completed something really quickly). As mentioned before though, there is nothing in the root or deleted folders.

Like I said before, the programmes that require payment seem to be fine. This suggest to me that its a software problem (or something im doing wrong) rather than a completely corrupt hard drive.

 

Sounds like the first 64 bytes of your disk are fubar'ed.

 

Go here for more information, in a previous thread.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=973470

 

Sorry, could you just explain what you mean by that? What are the implications if this is the case.

Thankyou

 

FUBAR is an acronym meaning F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition.

The implications of this mean you hard drive is totally dead, if Dublin PC Services is correct in his/her assessment of your situation.

 

Data recovery help from the link I gave.

For the knoppex cd

http://www.knoppix.org/-- english----http://www.knoppix.net/

To save you keep looking,
From my previous work on this sort of problem
NFTS RECOVERY
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/121517/EN-US/

NFTS BOOTSECTOR RECOVERY
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/153973/EN-US/

SCROLL DOWN PAGE FOR A LIST OF RECOVERY OPTIONS
http://shsc.info/DataRecovery

 

If the hard drive spins, and doesn't keep clicking, you should be o.k

 

Hi, an update:
I've got a programme called getdataback and its worked. Well, kind of. My hard drive's 200gb and there's about 100gb of data. Its only managed to recover 18gb of data. I think it has something to do with partitions? In the scan, it found these lost items but they were not bold like the items that have been recovered. Therefor, I think the items still exist. How can I access them? Its as though 2 or 3 partitions are missing.

 

Version 4 of pc inspector (freeware works with nfts, and fat32, and finds partitions automatically, even if the boot sector is damaged.( Thats what it says on the tin )

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm

 

Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone that's helped. The problem with the scan only detecting some data was caused by the jumper pin on the hard drive. I took it off and its now done a full scan taking 1 hours. I have everything back! I used Getdataback and can highly recommend it. Especially given that I asked in PC world how much they'd charge and what they thought. They said £99 plus I'd have to provide them with a 120gb external hard drive. So.......thank you all very much!! I take my hat off to you all.

 

Thanks Zawadski,for letting us know - for others needing similar data recovery, and it is a frequent problem, the tip about removing the jumpers is a helpful one, and the one that worked for you- Getdataback.
SCROLL DOWN PAGE FOR A LIST OF RECOVERY OPTIONS
List:-
http://shsc.info/DataRecovery--
This one is good , if Data is very valuable to you
http://www.runtime.org/ - GetDataBack for FAT or NTFS and even a RAID Reconstructor. Cost is US$69-$99, with savings if you bundle different filesystem versions. Supports recovery across a network or serial cable. Demo allows you to test file integrity before you need to purchase a licence to recover the files.