How to recover a crashed laptop hard disk (windows NTFS)

[Richard]

Does anyone know of freeware which can diagnose & recognize an already
crashed hard disk on an IBM laptop?

My kid's IBM laptop hard disk "stopped working" (it had been making noise,
he said).
- The IBM laptop would not boot no matter what I tried
- I put the laptop hard disk in a different working laptop - same thing
- In a 2nd IBM laptop as a 2nd disk - it still wasn't recognized.
(Even though it was a second disk in a second bay, the good laptop would
not boot, saying "Operating System not found" even though it was clearly
the second disk.)

I figured I'd see if I could be a hero and save his lost photos and email.

After googling, I bought a Vantec "SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter" and
connected the crashed laptop IDE hard disk to the USB port of a second
(good) laptop. The hard disk would not be seen, even when I used the WinXP
"Disk Management" utility found by right-clicking on My Computer. (A second
hard disk worked fine so I know the Vantec IDE-to-USB adapter was working.)

After googling some more, and with the laptop 2.5" IDE hard disk externally
tied to the USB port of a good computer, I tried using the TestDisk &
PhotoRec 6.9-WIP, Data Recovery freeware (from
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download) - but "TestDisk" also did
not see the hard disk attached to the USB port via the Vantec adapter.

Googling some more, I downloaded PCWorld's "Recover Data for Fat & NTFS"
shareware at
"http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,66229-order,1-page,1/description.html

At least this program recognized the good disk (disk 0) and the bad disk
attached to the Vantec IDE-to-USB adapter (disk 1) - but PCWorld's program
said the crashed hard disk was zero size:
- Physical Disk Number: 1
- Model: USB Device
- Media Type: Fixed hard disk media
- Cylinder: 0
- Head: 0
- Sectors Per Track: 0
- Disk Size: 0MB

And, when I tried to recover data, PCWorld's Recover Data program said
"Encountered Bad Sector(s) while reading disk."

Digging further, I found PC Magazine recommended PC Inspector
(http://pcmag.ph/hard-disk/recovering-from-a-hard-disk-crash/) for freeware
hard disk recovery after crashes.

I even put the hard drive in a zip-lock bag in the freezer (based on google
results) but nothing changed when I repeated the tests.

QUESTION:
What hard-drive crash-recovery WinXP freeware do you recommend which will
diagnose a hard drive and perhaps recover some of the lost files?

Didn't notice anybody mentioning PC Inspector...

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/pcinspector.html

Good Luck!

 

[bluerhinoceros]

That wont work, hard drives dont have anything that will absorb microwave energy.

And you could get alarming "lightning" discharges.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Indeed. He's crying over the loss of his data.

A bit more harsh, than lessons to children typically shpuld be, I agree,
but this one is a very valuable one.

I'm trying to be syphathetic
but personally, from an adult standpoint, I'm not too worried about it.
But, it would be nice to recover it so I'll keep trying for a while.

Since cold operating parameters didn't work, I might try putting the hard
disk in a zip-lock bag and heating it, either via the microwave or the oven
or boiling it in the water-tight baggie.

Don't do that! Microwave will reliably kill the electronics.
Boiling may be hot enough to damage the lubricant in the bearings
and will damage capacitors permanently.

Actually, microwave might be too dangerous as it's metal on the outside so
I'll skip that - but I'll try heating it to change the operating parameters
in the other direction.

The actual risk is to the semiconductors.

Does anyone know the maximum heat a hard disk can take in the oven. I'm
thinking about 212 degrees (pot) or perhaps 250 (oven).

Don't go over 70C sharp, i.e. 158F.

Can a hard disk take 250 degrees?
More importantly, do you think hot works in addition to cold?

I don't think so. Hot typically makes electronics and mechanics worke
worse.

Arno

 

[Arno Wagner]

Heh heh. I'm in California. We don't have "radiators". All we have is a
little forced air heater which fits in a corner of the closet which we
almost never turn on. But, I think I can put the hard disk drive in the
oven at about 200 degrees and try again.

Far, far too hot.

I'm not as worried about the data as the kid is. I'm really trying to learn
so I can be ready for the next big one.

I checked recovery prices and they are exhorbitant.

They are high. Considering what it takes in engineering time, they
are fair, though.

That's why I'm looking
for freeware. It would be nice to recover the data but it isn't worth ten
thousand dollars (that's what some companies charged).

So far I've tried (and failed):
1. At 72 degrees F, plug it into the USB (via IDE-to-USB adapter)
2. Cool it to 30 degrees F and plug into the IDE-to-USB adapter
3. PC Inspector File Recovery freeware
4. Recover Data for FAT & NTFS freeware

Did I miss it or is there a recommended freeware crashed disk data
recovery program that can get the data bit by bit out?

Actually recovering a crashed disk in software is typically
impossible. In some cases part of the disk is still readable and
any halfway usable recovery software should be able to help.
These programms are more for people that had a software problem,
but where the disk hardware is still fine.

Arno

 

[Arno Wagner]

Actually recovering a crashed disk in software is typically
impossible. In some cases part of the disk is still readable and
any halfway usable recovery software should be able to help.
These programms are more for people that had a software problem,
but where the disk hardware is still fine.

Arno

P.S.: But I have to say, I admire your approach. Keep trying a bit
more, you will learn things. You might even get lucky, unlikely
as that is.

 

[John Corliss]

Does anyone know of freeware which can diagnose & recognize an already
(snipped)

Just letting people know so that they can decide fairly whether or not
they want to post to another group.

--
John Corliss BS206. I try not to reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett,
Hummingbird or proteanthread.
Because of Googlespam, I use NFilter to block all Google Groups
posts from being displayed in my news reader.
No ad, cd, commercial, cripple, demo, dotnet, nag, share, spy,
time-limited, trial or web wares OR warez for me, please.

 

[Alfred Einstein]

It seems to me I heard somewhere that (e-mail address removed) wrote in

That's really the whole point. Software recovery tools won't recover data if
the drive cannot be accessed. That latter appears to be the case for the OP.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Its not practical to do that, its close to impossible to get the platter
back on the rotation motor accurately enough so that the tracks
arent eccentric. The tracks are written to the platters after the
platter has been mounted on the rotation motor in manufacture.

Fred Langa suggested it in...

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2005/2005-08-15.htm#11se

....as a last-ditch effort.

Larry

 

[Rod Speed]

Fred Langa suggested it in...

...as a last-ditch effort.

He's mad, and it aint gunna work with a laptop drive.

 

[Erica Eshoo]

Didn't notice anybody mentioning PC Inspector...
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/pcinspector.html

This was in the first post:

Digging further, I found PC Magazine recommended PC Inspector
(http://pcmag.ph/hard-disk/recovering-from-a-hard-disk-crash/) for freeware
hard disk recovery after crashes.

I did find a good video from PC World at
http://www.pcworld.com/video/catid,1610-page,1/video.html
titled "How to Resurrect a Crashed Hard Drive - PC World Video".

This video has LOTs of suggestions which were not covered in this thread
yet.

 

[Erica Eshoo]

Nothing may work, but before the next try, put the disk inside a plastic
bag, seal it, and put it in the freezer for an hour or two, then *very*
quickly try to recover the data.

PC World says the freezer trick will only work for a clicking but not
spinning hard disk drive.

My IBM laptop hard disk is clicking AND spinning.

How do I know it's spinning? Well, when I press on the cover while the hard
disk is powered up on the external Vantec IDE-to-USB adapter, I can hear
the spinning hard disk rub against something as it grinds to a halt so I'm
pretty sure it's spinning.

So, I don't think the freezer trick will work. Still, I've had the hard
disk inside the freezer wrapped in a cloth inside a zip-lock bag for about
18 hours now. PC World suggested up to 24 hours - so I'll let you know if
it worked even though my disk was clicking AND spinning.

http://www.pcworld.com/video/catid,1610-page,1/video.html
How to Resurrect a Crashed Hard Drive - PC World Video

 

[Erica Eshoo]

So others start where we left off ...

Here is the freeware/demoware that PC World suggests at
http://www.pcworld.com/video/catid,1610-page,1/video.html
How to Resurrect a Crashed Hard Drive - PC World Video

If the drive spins up ...
- Start the PC with a boot disk & back up data.
- Ultimate Boot CD for Windows v3.05 (6/23/2007)
- http://www.UBCD4Win.com
- http://find.pcworld.com/57857

If you have bad sectors ...
- Use HDD Regenerator v1.51 demo version bootable regenerating CD
- http://find.pcworld.com/57877

If you know the manufacturer ...
- Download manufacturer specific freeware diagnostic utilities
- http://www.tacktech.com
- http://find.pcworld.com/57878

Data recovery software ...
- File Scavenger v3 Disk Data Recovery
- Stellar Phoenix

Mechanical recovery for clicking but not spinning drive ...
- Wrap in cloth & zip-lock bag and freeze for 24 hours

Mechanical recovery for stuck drives
- Frisbee the disk to overcome stiction

Electrical recovery for not spinning drives
- Connect to a high wattage power supply

Last hope
- Data Recovery Service like 800-440-1904
- http://find.pcworld.com/57858

 

[bluerhinoceros]

How do I know it's spinning? Well, when I press on the cover while the hard
disk is powered up on the external Vantec IDE-to-USB adapter, I can hear
the spinning hard disk rub against something as it grinds to a halt so I'm
pretty sure it's spinning.

Eek. This doesn't sound advisable. You could damage the motor or realign
critical components or possibly even cause a head crash, none of which
are going to help.

Cheers.

 

[bluerhinoceros]

Electrical recovery for not spinning drives
- Connect to a high wattage power supply

I don't understand this one. Doesn't the device draw the amps it needs
regardless of the supply's maximum output rating? I can see it making
sense if the original power supply was overloaded/overrated and not
really delivering, but the video implies that the power supply "pushes"
the current rather than allowing the device to draw it.

Cheers.

 

[Eric Gisin]

The heads will not load unless spindle is spinning.
Therefor, you cannot have clicking without spinning.
PC Worm is full of shit.

 

[Erica Eshoo]

The heads will not load unless spindle is spinning.
Therefore, you cannot have clicking without spinning.
PC World is full of shit.

Interesting!

So, you're saying that, since I clearly hear a sequence of initial loud
clicks (about a score of them in about as many seconds) in the naked laptop
hard disk drive hooked up to the USB port via the IDE-to-USB adapter ...
then my drive is spinning for sure because it's clicking?

I had already realized it was spinning because when I pressed on the top of
the hard disk drive, I could hear a whirr as I made something touch
something else.

I've already put a spare hard disk in the kid's laptop - but now I have an
activation problem. I can't get past the activation screen which just
hangs. I'm sure the hard disk has a valid WinXP but obviously for another
laptop (not the one I put it in) - so I'm not surprised the Winxp OS balked
.... but shouldnt' Windows XP give me the opportunity to enter whatever
information it needs?

How do I enter whatever information it needs if it just comes up with a
blank Windows Activation box which hangs for hours with no way to enter
anything.

Why is the world punishing me! Was I a bad girl or something!

 

[Baron]

Interesting!

So, you're saying that, since I clearly hear a sequence of initial
loud clicks (about a score of them in about as many seconds) in the
naked laptop hard disk drive hooked up to the USB port via the
IDE-to-USB adapter ... then my drive is spinning for sure because it's
clicking?

I had already realized it was spinning because when I pressed on the
top of the hard disk drive, I could hear a whirr as I made something
touch something else.

I've already put a spare hard disk in the kid's laptop - but now I
have an activation problem. I can't get past the activation screen
which just hangs. I'm sure the hard disk has a valid WinXP but
obviously for another laptop (not the one I put it in) - so I'm not
surprised the Winxp OS balked ... but shouldnt' Windows XP give me the
opportunity to enter whatever information it needs?

How do I enter whatever information it needs if it just comes up with
a blank Windows Activation box which hangs for hours with no way to
enter anything.

Why is the world punishing me! Was I a bad girl or something!

The copy of wins on the drive doesn't like the changed hardware that it
sees when it trys to boot. Re-install time.........;-(

 

[Rod Speed]

Gary R. Schmidt wrote

PC World says the freezer trick will only work
for a clicking but not spinning hard disk drive.

PC World is just plain wrong. There are quite a few examples in
groups.google of it working in other circumstances than just that one.

My IBM laptop hard disk is clicking AND spinning.

How do I know it's spinning? Well, when I press on the cover while
the hard disk is powered up on the external Vantec IDE-to-USB
adapter, I can hear the spinning hard disk rub against something
as it grinds to a halt so I'm pretty sure it's spinning.

Fark, thats not a good idea at all. You may
well have metal filings inside the chamber now.

You can see if a drive is spinning by feel alone, no need to press on it like that.

So, I don't think the freezer trick will work.

See above.

Still, I've had the hard disk inside the freezer wrapped in a cloth inside a
zip-lock bag for about 18 hours now. PC World suggested up to 24 hours

Thats for a different problem, stiction, which you clearly arent seeing.

- so I'll let you know if it worked even though my disk was clicking AND spinning.

http://www.pcworld.com/video/catid,1610-page,1/video.html
How to Resurrect a Crashed Hard Drive - PC World Video

Just another superficial steaming turd.

 

[Rod Speed]

Interesting!

So, you're saying that, since I clearly hear a sequence of initial
loud clicks (about a score of them in about as many seconds) in the
naked laptop hard disk drive hooked up to the USB port via the
IDE-to-USB adapter ... then my drive is spinning for sure because
it's clicking?

I had already realized it was spinning because when I pressed on the
top of the hard disk drive, I could hear a whirr as I made something
touch something else.

I've already put a spare hard disk in the kid's laptop - but now I
have an activation problem. I can't get past the activation screen
which just hangs. I'm sure the hard disk has a valid WinXP but
obviously for another laptop (not the one I put it in) - so I'm not
surprised the Winxp OS balked ... but shouldnt' Windows XP give me
the opportunity to enter whatever information it needs?

How do I enter whatever information it needs if it just comes up with
a blank Windows Activation box which hangs for hours with no way to
enter anything.

Why is the world punishing me! Was I a bad girl or something!

Yep, it was that furious drunken grave dancing that you were warned about.

You wouldnt listen...

 

[Rod Speed]

I don't understand this one. Doesn't the device draw the amps it needs regardless of the supply's maximum output
rating?

Nope, the supply may not be able to supply enough current at the rated voltage.

I can see it making sense if the original power supply was overloaded/overrated and not really delivering,

Thats essentially what they mean.

but the video implies that the power supply "pushes" the current rather than allowing the device to draw it.

Just a clumsy description.