Hard drive failure need to retrieve data

[Guest]

Hi,

I have strange problem that i noticed just now. I have a spare hard drive i have been using as a storage and recently this drive is visible on my computer as a e: drive, but i can not access it to view files. It is giving me error that it can not be accessed and I need to format it, which i obviously don't want to do.

Is there any way i can retrieve at least some of the data?

 

[jsc]

Maybe. You can try the semi-mythical freezer trick. Put drive in zip-lock freezer bag. Put in freezer overnight. While drive is in freezer, prepare computer. Make sure you have enough space on the computer to save everything you want.

The next day, have all the cables ready for the drive. Pull drive out of the freezer, connect the drive to the computer, boot, and immediately transfer the files to another drive.

YMMV.

 

[notherdude]

Try data recovery software. I have used 'get data back' with good results on drives that appeared to be dead.

Something as a simple as chkdsk might fix it but I would try data recovery first as anything else you do to the drive might further corrupt the data.

 

[huron]

I have heard that the "freeze trick" is not a good thing and can make a drive worse.

You can try knoppix (Linux distro) to help recover files, or get a IDE/SATA to USB hard drive cable and see if you can use it like an external hard drive (I have one and it works great).

Good luck getting the files off.