Windows 7 Crashed. Changed drive. Not able to access old drive contents

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gemi_kk

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Nov 13, 2013
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My Windows 7 Crashed. i wasnt able to open almost all applications.
Tried to install Windows 7 again in the same drive by formating it.
However, the installation never went successful. I used to get a message saying No Bootable drive.

So, i pulled out the 1 TB hdd and plonked in a backup 160 GB HDD.
Installed Windows 7 again in it.
Now Tried connecting my old HDD to computer using an external casing.
Drive is getting detected in windows DIsk utility. However none of the drives are showing up in My computer.
I have tons of data in the old drive. But not able to access its contents.

Any help/suggestions in this regard are highly appreciated.
 
Solution
G
Finally found a solution to this problem. Source: Tomshardware. This is why i love this site.

I had to install a partition magic to convert this hybrid drive to a Basic drive. Later i had to import all partitions of this new drive. And then had to perform a system reboot.

The problem is resolved now.
Guys, thanks for your positive responses.
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SoumyaHD

SoumyaHD

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Mar 19, 2013
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Please Install it from a fresh copy of Windows 7 and did u backup things previously if not you won't get your data back.... This things are very simple ...
And install it correctly...Hope your data gets recover. Good luck mate
 
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Y

Y0GI

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Jul 22, 2013
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You say that the HDD is detected in Windows "Disk Utility". Do you mean "Disk Management"? If so, you may just need to assign a drive letter to it.

Right click on the rectangular box with the ribbon on top for your externally connected drive. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" and follow the instructions to assign one of the available drive letters to the HDD. After this, the HDD should be visible in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

Yogi
 
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G

gemi_kk

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Nov 13, 2013
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I am not getting the option that you have said.

I tried to Re install windows 7 in the same drive, but it didn't work. Installation goes successful. But boot fails from drive. Says, no bootable device.
So, had to use a secondary drive which i have.

When i Right click on this drive, i have only the following options "Import Foreign disks, Convert to Basic disk, Reactivate Disk, Remove Disk, Offline, Properties, Help."
I tried updating, uninstalling and reinstalling the driver for this device, but no luck.
I also tried convert to basic disk, but got a popup saying all the data would be lost, so refrained my self from doing it.


 
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popatim

popatim

Titan
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Dec 2, 2009
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If you are trying to install windows to the same drive you want to recover files from then stop.
You don't want to write over any files because the install system wont care if they are important to you or not. You formatted the drive already so they were either erased (full format) or marked "Ok to overwrite" (quick format)

Get yourself another drive to recover your data to is the first step. If its big enough to hold windows and all the files you want to recover then you can install windows to it... just leave the old drive alone until you get your files back. Whether you will be able to recover any files from it at this point remains unknown...
 
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Y

Y0GI

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Jul 22, 2013
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This is not really a "recommendation" as I have never tried this, but, if it were me, I would try "Reactivate Disk". Do so at your own risk though!

Yogi

 
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G

gemi_kk

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Nov 13, 2013
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It is a 1 TB WD drive with 4 partitions in it.
The first partition of 120 GB was used for OS. Now i am not able to install OS in it. Ok. i have another 160 GB backup/old drive, which i connected to PC and installed OS in it.
Now i want to access the contents of my 1 TB. There is huge amount of important information in it. I cannot loose it.
Connected the WD 1 TB drive to PC using an external HDD casing. Drive is visible when i do, My computer->Manage-> Disk management.

Just do the following in your pc to understand better (My computer->Manage-> Disk management)
In the Top pane, I see Disk 0 as the 160 GB one. In the bottom pane/frame, i see it as (C: 149.01 GB NTFS, Healthy (System, BOot, Page file, Active, etc etc.
I do not see the 1 TB in the top frame, however i see it in bottom frame, with the right hand portion disabled.

How to get this drive activated is the biggest question. i am sure that the drive hasn't crashed. so, seeking a solution for the same.
 
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G

gemi_kk

Honorable
Nov 13, 2013
21
0
10,520
Finally found a solution to this problem. Source: Tomshardware. This is why i love this site.

I had to install a partition magic to convert this hybrid drive to a Basic drive. Later i had to import all partitions of this new drive. And then had to perform a system reboot.

The problem is resolved now.
Guys, thanks for your positive responses.
 
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Solution
Y

Y0GI

Splendid
Jul 22, 2013
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Congrats! Glad that you got it figured out!

Yogi

 
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popatim

popatim

Titan
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Dec 2, 2009
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well you have access to your files... now back them up!

You never want to have important or irreplaceable files like family pics stored on just 1 device. All drives fail and having an extra copy or three around on different devices can be a lifesaver. Even if the copy is a few 20 cent dvds.
 
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