HELP! External HD not working need to get files/photos off it!!

[redevil]

HELP!!!

I have an external HD that seems not to be working anymore...I need to know where I can take it to have important files/photos transferred to another better HD. Please recommend me to a place that can recover the files from it.

It is a 250 GB HD, but there is maybe only 20GB if that of files and photos.

Not really sure what is wrong with it but it doesn't get recognized when I plug in the USB to my computer. It seems to be turning, but no response. :banghead:

Any idea how much this service cost?

[duffy]

I picked up a hard drive mate the other day - it's awesome. It lets you plug any type of hard drive into an adaptor and that plugs into the computer with USB. It was only about $30 and worked perfectly. That might be something worth trying in case it's just the enclosure that failed on your drive.

[redevil]

Originally posted by duffy
I picked up a hard drive mate the other day - it's awesome. It lets you plug any type of hard drive into an adaptor and that plugs into the computer with USB. It was only about $30 and worked perfectly. That might be something worth trying in case it's just the enclosure that failed on your drive.


That is what I'm hoping that it is. It there a way for a shop to remove the HD disk and recover the files from it?

[adam c]

Originally posted by redevil



That is what I'm hoping that it is. It there a way for a shop to remove the HD disk and recover the files from it?

of course

[GQBalla]

you can also remove it yourself

[duffy]

Originally posted by redevil



That is what I'm hoping that it is. It there a way for a shop to remove the HD disk and recover the files from it?

Yeah that's what I meant, but you don't really need a shop to do it. Remove the hard drive from the enclosure, plug it into the adapter and it should show up as a drive on your computer (assuming the drive isn't screwed). If it shows up, just move the files to your computers hard drive, and go grab a new enclosure.

[redevil]

i have a feeling that the HD is screwed, I have to find a place to take it to get checked out. Hope that they are able to do something. I called a place and they said worse case scenario is that the HD is mechanically hooped, so it would have to be shipped to Toronto to a recovery place that has a clean room to extract the files. Is there somewhere in Calgary that does this? I might be looking at $1200+ just to go this way :banghead:

But there might be another way by the use of software that they have that might be able to read the HD and remove the files. I'll have to bring it in this weekend to see.

Man, I have years of family/vacation photos on this:cry:

[treg50]

Does it seem like it's a mechanical failure? Or just some weird 'device not found' issue?

If it's not a mechanical/physical issue, try plugging it into another computer if you haven't already. Mac and/or PC if possible.

[redevil]

Originally posted by treg50
Does it seem like it's a mechanical failure? Or just some weird 'device not found' issue?

If it's not a mechanical/physical issue, try plugging it into another computer if you haven't already. Mac and/or PC if possible.



Hard to tell if it is mechanical, my laptop doesn't even recognize it when I plug in the USB. So hope that it is the enclousure that is messed up. I will try pluggin it in to a desktop comuter later tonight at a friends house. Keep your fingers crossed for me that it will read it. :dunno:

[adam c]

have you tried reinstalling the drivers for it?

[redevil]

Originally posted by adam c
have you tried reinstalling the drivers for it?


There's no drivers for it, just plug and play.

[adam c]

everything has drivers

[Tripz]

Is the hard drive making any noises (ticking?), or is it just not powering up? If you don't want to deal with it yourself, many places will do this for you (eg: memoryexpress, futureshop, bestbuy). Futureshop will charge you 80 dollars if they can recover it.

[Grogador]

Originally posted by adam c
everything has drivers

Your 2GB USB memory stick came with drivers? :rofl: It's just a mass storage device...

[sputnik]

What brand is it?

Western Digital has a diagnostics program that you can download from their website.

[adam c]

Originally posted by Grogador


Your 2GB USB memory stick came with drivers? :rofl: It's just a mass storage device...

yes actually it did
it's a U3 Titanium

[redevil]

it is an I/O Magic 25 GB external HD. Inside the housing is a Segate branded HD.

I thought Segate was a good brand?

I/O Magic (http://www.iomagic.com/Products/driver_results.asp)

Website says there is no drivers for it.

[redevil]

Originally posted by Tripz
Is the hard drive making any noises (ticking?), or is it just not powering up? If you don't want to deal with it yourself, many places will do this for you (eg: memoryexpress, futureshop, bestbuy). Futureshop will charge you 80 dollars if they can recover it.

Yeah it is making a ticking sound then it stops.

[Tripz]

Yeah definitely sounds like the hard-drive is on its way out, so even swapping it out to anther enclosure won't help it much. Try to get the files retrieved asap.

[adam c]

ADODB.Field error '800a0bcd' Either BOF or EOF is True, or the current record has been deleted.

Requested operation requires a current record.

/Products/driver_results.asp, line 171

the website has an error it doesn't mean there's no drivers for it.

is this your HD?
http://www.iomagic.com/Master_Artwork/Thumbnails/IHD35-250.jpg

edit
anyways since you posted this

Originally posted by redevil


Yeah it is making a ticking sound then it stops.
which you should have posted before, your HD is done... it will cost you to get the info taken off of it.. depending on how far gone it is, it will cost you anywhere between $60 just too look at it and 2500+ to get your info

[redevil]

any idea where in calgary they can do this type of work? or do they still send it out to Toronto?

GigaBank 250GB External Hard Drive
Model # I250HD35

[Grogador]

- take it out of the enclosure
- put it in a zip-lock bag
- leave it in the freezer for a couple hours
- (some people say to leave it overnight, but I usually stick to 2-4hrs)
- have a machine ready with the proper cables etc. and a destination drive
- pop in the "frozen" drive, you should get at least 20mins of use before it seizes again

I'm serious, recovered much data from clicking/screeching/clacking drives this way, Google "freezer trick". The best part is your platters remain untouched, so if you want to spend the $1000+ on professional data recovery, it's still there. Basically the cold causes parts to contract and loosen, things start moving again, for a bit at least... I wouldn't recommend putting the enclosure in the freezer, or even trusting an enclosure at all. Direct ATA or SATA would be the most reliable and quickest way. G'luck!

[jav_]

cant you connect the hd as slave to access it?

[black13]

Originally posted by Grogador
- take it out of the enclosure
- put it in a zip-lock bag
- leave it in the freezer for a couple hours
- (some people say to leave it overnight, but I usually stick to 2-4hrs)
- have a machine ready with the proper cables etc. and a destination drive
- pop in the "frozen" drive, you should get at least 20mins of use before it seizes again

I'm serious, recovered much data from clicking/screeching/clacking drives this way, Google "freezer trick". The best part is your platters remain untouched, so if you want to spend the $1000+ on professional data recovery, it's still there. Basically the cold causes parts to contract and loosen, things start moving again, for a bit at least... I wouldn't recommend putting the enclosure in the freezer, or even trusting an enclosure at all. Direct ATA or SATA would be the most reliable and quickest way. G'luck!
Damn. That is pretty clever. I gotta remember this when the day finally comes and my HD fails. Although don't think 20 min is enough for me to move 500GB's lol so will take a few tries.
http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/01/freeze-your-hard-drive-to-recover-data.html

[UndrgroundRider]

Don't bother with the freezer trick. It works... on bearing failures. Your drive definitely has a head stack issue. My guess is you bumped it while it was turned on. The 3.5" drives in those external enclosures are not intended to be shocked while running. This is of course assuming the clicking you mentioned isn't normal head noise.

There's a small/medium chance that even if you send it away they won't be able to recover the files. Physical damage to the platters usually results from a head stack failure. At which point no amount of money will recover the data.

If you know what files you want recovered, you might actually be able to get it done pretty cheap. Most places charge by the megabyte/GB. I'm guessing those quotes were to pull the whole drive. If you only had a few important files, that would save you a ton.

[Grogador]

Originally posted by black13
http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/01/freeze-your-hard-drive-to-recover-data.html

Cool, but don't bother trying to boot from it, thrashes the disk too much and working in faulty/dying Windows defeats the whole purpose of data recovery. He only had it in there for 1hr too, looks like 24hrs worked better for him...


Originally posted by jav_
cant you connect the hd as slave to access it?

Sure you can slave it once it's out of the freezer, just try not to waste 5-10mins messing with the jumpers and warming it up with your hands ;)


Originally posted by UndrgroundRider
Don't bother with the freezer trick. It works... on bearing failures.

Its worked on some head failures for me...

[szw]

That freezer trick sounds neat. Just wait a couple weeks then boot it up outside in the snow.

[redevil]

Originally posted by UndrgroundRider
....
If you know what files you want recovered, you might actually be able to get it done pretty cheap. Most places charge by the megabyte/GB. I'm guessing those quotes were to pull the whole drive. If you only had a few important files, that would save you a ton.


Where would people recommend to take it to get done. I know it is only photo files I want recovered, the other stuff really doesn't matter.

Please let me know what you recommend to take it to. Anyone taken stuff to Tech Squad (off 14th St by SAIT)?

[Grogador]

Originally posted by redevil
Tech Squad

LOL no. I'd take it to Walmart before them. Google for "data recovery" brings up all sorts of people, call around for a quote?

http://www.vitaldata.ca/
http://www.datarecovery.ca/
https://www.forensicdata.ca/
http://www.cbltech.ca/

[redevil]

Originally posted by Grogador


LOL no. I'd take it to Walmart before them. Google for "data recovery" brings up all sorts of people, call around for a quote?

http://www.vitaldata.ca/
http://www.datarecovery.ca/
https://www.forensicdata.ca/
http://www.cbltech.ca/

ANyone have experiences using such companies?

[SigmaRacing]

Any certified IT forensics analyst could do it for you and will have the tools on hand.

For a "company" I know some people that have gone through "we recover data (dot) com" and have had success. They have an office here in Calgary. They can even take the platters out and mount them in another HD to recover your data.

As a second measure, I could try for you if you'd like. I've got the needed tools. Pretty busy though, PM me if interested.

Either way, good luck.

[megavolt]

Just so you know... if the 'important data' you're referring to is your mp3 collection or something... you might be quite shocked at the price of data recovery.

[redevil]

Originally posted by SigmaRacing
Any certified IT forensics analyst could do it for you and will have the tools on hand.

For a "company" I know some people that have gone through "we recover data (dot) com" and have had success. They have an office here in Calgary. They can even take the platters out and mount them in another HD to recover your data.

As a second measure, I could try for you if you'd like. I've got the needed tools. Pretty busy though, PM me if interested.

Either way, good luck.

I'll check that place out, I think the website says they are in Bankers Hall? Thanks


Any other places with a clean room that might be able to do this? I would like to do it locally rather then send it off out east.


Originally posted by megavolt
Just so you know... if the 'important data' you're referring to is your mp3 collection or something... you might be quite shocked at the price of data recovery.


no, not mp3 at all. It is mostly family/vacation photos thing is it is only 10GB or so worth of photos taken over the last 6 or so years.

[WhippWhapp]

Hindsight is 20/20!

It is probably worthwhile to have some sort of redundancy in place for important data in the form of a raid array or simple optical media back ups... unless of course you don't mind paying through the ass when hardware goes tits up.

Live and learn, hope you get your photos back.

[SigmaRacing]

Originally posted by redevil


I'll check that place out, I think the website says they are in Bankers Hall? Thanks



Yes, they're in Bankers Hall.

[Grogador]

Originally posted by redevil
no, not mp3 at all. It is mostly family/vacation photos thing is it is only 10GB or so worth of photos taken over the last 6 or so years.

You don't have any backups of that? Wow... with drives being so cheap, and even DVDRs burning so fast, all I have to say is bendovergrabyourankleshopeyouenjoyit.