NDD Trashed Hard Drive

[Mike]

I ran NDD in DOS mode on an older p-166 system with 2 hd's. Apparently
ez-drive was installed and ndd did not like it. The options were set
up to auto repair so NDD tried to fix the problem. From things got
hairy and I don't have notes as to the errors. The final result is the
two drives (C&D) dissapearing and dos telling me invalid system disk.
My guess is somehow the MBR or FAT got corrupted. The problem is that
I would like to recover the data on these drives. Is this possible? Is
there any free or reasonably priced resources out there? Thanks in
advance

 

[Zvi Netiv]

I ran NDD in DOS mode on an older p-166 system with 2 hd's. Apparently
ez-drive was installed and ndd did not like it. The options were set
up to auto repair so NDD tried to fix the problem. From things got
hairy and I don't have notes as to the errors. The final result is the
two drives (C&D) dissapearing and dos telling me invalid system disk.

Unfortunately, when NDD messes a drive, it does it majestically. What for did
you run NDD? Was there anything wrong with the drives? Could the drive boot on
its own before running NDD?

My guess is somehow the MBR or FAT got corrupted.

Worse, they were rewritten by NDD with completely wrong information.

The problem is that
I would like to recover the data on these drives. Is this possible? Is
there any free or reasonably priced resources out there? Thanks in
advance

Depending on how far NDD went with the changes it did to the drives, there might
be a slim chance to recover data.

You will have to conduct the recovery with the drive attached to a BIOS that can
handle the disk's full capacity without the EZ-bios overlay, one drive at a
time.

Utilities that can be instrumental to the recovery process are RESQ, from
www.resq.co.il/resq.php Read the online primer on disk recovery, on same page,
before going any further.

Regards, Zvi

 

[Mike]

All was well with the system, just needed mem upgd. Thought I'd do
some general maintenance and ran Speeddisk. Would not run because it
found errors and sugested running NDD. I have never had NDD do any
major damage. It has always fixed problems not create them. Anyway, I
think it's a bust. Resq looks like a nice option but I dont have the
$$$ to purchase...My guess is that the eval will diagnose but not fix
but will give it a try. I guess then I'll just blow my nose and move
on.

 

[Zvi Netiv]

All was well with the system, just needed mem upgd. Thought I'd do
some general maintenance and ran Speeddisk. Would not run because it
found errors and sugested running NDD. I have never had NDD do any
major damage.

The Norton Utilities shouldn't be let to approach a drive running a boot
overlay! Use Windows' native DEFRAG on these drives, never a third party
defragger, especially not Speed Disk!

It has always fixed problems not create them. Anyway, I
think it's a bust.

Our experience obviously differs. The use I make of NDD is demonstrating to
trainees how to ruin a drive.

Resq looks like a nice option but I dont have the
$$$ to purchase...My guess is that the eval will diagnose but not fix
but will give it a try. I guess then I'll just blow my nose and move
on.

Basic recovery with RESQ is free, only advanced disaster recovery requires
registration. But I suspect that the damage inflicted by NDD got far beyond
what you may call "basic"!

Regards, Zvi