I can't access data on my hard drive

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LanguedocFox

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Apr 24, 2017
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I've looked at other threads with a similar title, but I can't find anything that is similar to my issue.

About three weeks ago I had a BSOD from which I was unable to recover. My local IT company (I live in southern France) installed a new hard drive, and managed to recover my desktop and my folder hierarchy. However, they could not/did not recover any files - apart from those at the highest level (ie, those within a folder on the desktop, but not those within subsidiary folders.

I got hold of a portable HDD enclosure, and installed the old hard drive, and this shows 639Gb free out of 930Gb - ie, around 191Gb has been used.

However, I can't seem to access this data. I've tried using recovery software (Wondershare and EaseUS) without joy.

Is everything lost? All advice gratefully received.
 
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Jester Maroc

Jester Maroc

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Apr 30, 2013
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If the IT company could not recover the files it is unlikely that you will be able to. However, it does not hurt to try, right? Have you tried booting Linux using a USB drive. Sometimes Linux can discover files that Windows cannot see.
 
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LanguedocFox

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Apr 24, 2017
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Thank you for your advice. I tried running PhotoRec and it searched through the whole disk, reporting "Damaged sector" and could not read anything. I am guessing that there is some fundamental problem, though goodness knows what!
 
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RolandJS

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Mar 10, 2017
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If not too late, if affordable, if possible, observe the first rule of many DR specialists, usb or dvd boot Macrium Reflect or anything similar, and either clone or full image that HD onto a reliable external HD. Put that spare in a safe place and then work on the HD with the problem.
 
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LanguedocFox

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Apr 24, 2017
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Thanks for this. I was going to ask how to clone the HD: I now have an external HD which I am using to back-up my files (bit of a stable door - if I had backed up my files on the HD I would not be in the position I am now!)

Thanks for all the help. I love this forum!
 
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LanguedocFox

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Apr 24, 2017
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Thanks for your answers. Sorry to be dumb, but what is meant by "taking ownership" of the drive and files? And where is the disk manager.

I am, as you may have guessed, not an expert!

 
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HEXiT

Champion
Mar 13, 2011
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right click on the my computer/this pc iconon yur desktop.
click manage
in the new open box click disk management.

to take ownership....
open notepad and copy/paste the following....
SET DIRECTORY_NAME="c:*.*"
TAKEOWN /f %DIRECTORY_NAME% /r /d y
ICACLS %DIRECTORY_NAME% /grant administrators:F /t
PAUSE
Click to expand...
save the text file.
now rename the txt doc to take_ownership.bat
the icon should change from a notepad to a white box with a cog in it. (if it satays the same you will have to show extensions in your folder options/ its hidden by default)

lastly where it says set directory name c:*.*
change the c: to the drive letter you want to take ownership of.
 
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