How to swap hard drives?

[Jqgun]

Anyone know how to transfer a whole hard drive disk to another hard drive setup to salvage data from a non functional drive?

Thanks a bunch, Jacob.

 

[rolli59]

Only way with a none functional drive is with expensive data recovery service!

 

[treefrog07]

If the old HDD does not spin, you probbaly cannot salvage the data. If it spins, but cannot be seen or its folders and files are not visible, you MAY be able to recover the MBR and the folders and files using TestDisk. Do read the wiki, and it helps if you can install the old HDD into a working system to recover its data. You may also try the free EaseUS Partition Recovery.

If the old HDD is still functional, you can download free cloning software from the HDD manufacturer's website. You can then use that to clone the old HDD to the new one. If the new one is larger than the old one, you'll have to use some free partitioning software to re-size the partition on the new after you've successfully cloned the old one. I have used the free Partition Wizard and the free EaseUS Partition Master.

I have successfully used all of these to manage HDDs and recover data.

 

[Jqgun]

If the old HDD does not spin, you probbaly cannot salvage the data. If it spins, but cannot be seen or its folders and files are not visible, you MAY be able to recover the MBR and the folders and files using TestDisk. Do read the wiki, and it helps if you can install the old HDD into a working system to recover its data. You may also try the free EaseUS Partition Recovery.

If the old HDD is still functional, you can download free cloning software from the HDD manufacturer's website. You can then use that to clone the old HDD to the new one. If the new one is larger than the old one, you'll have to use some free partitioning software to re-size the partition on the new after you've successfully cloned the old one. I have used the free Partition Wizard and the free EaseUS Partition Master.

I have successfully used all of these to manage HDDs and recover data.

That's exactly what's happening every time I plug my hard drive to my other laptop (I took it out and bought a USB to sata plug). The hard drive now powers on an spins, but I can't see the folders or files. So you think Test disk will work?

 

[Jqgun]

So to use test disk, I need to make a bootable cd of it and plug back the hard drive back in the laptop where I took it from?

 

[treefrog07]

No, just unzip the TestDisk files to the working HDD. I use a top-level folder I named TestDisk, then unzipped the files there. Double-click on the TestDisk.exe and you'll get a DOS screen. Save the recovered folders and files to the working HDD in the TestDisk folder; it will create the folder structure used on the old HDD. Please read the wiki, using it is not difficult, but takes some getting used to.

 

[Jqgun]

No, just unzip the TestDisk files to the working HDD. I use a top-level folder I named TestDisk, then unzipped the files there. Double-click on the TestDisk.exe and you'll get a DOS screen. Save the recovered folders and files to the working HDD in the TestDisk folder; it will create the folder structure used on the old HDD. Please read the wiki, using it is not difficult, but takes some getting used to.

I'll try that in a few hours. Thank you very much. I will read up on it on wiki on the "how to". I have been trying to retrieve my one month old son's pictures from that hard drive. All my photography work is in there. Thanks again very, very much.

~Jacob~

 

[Jqgun]

No, just unzip the TestDisk files to the working HDD. I use a top-level folder I named TestDisk, then unzipped the files there. Double-click on the TestDisk.exe and you'll get a DOS screen. Save the recovered folders and files to the working HDD in the TestDisk folder; it will create the folder structure used on the old HDD. Please read the wiki, using it is not difficult, but takes some getting used to.

I just downloaded test disk and I came across a problem. I plugged in the hard drive I would like to recover to my laptop and turned the test disk program on. The problem is that the program locks up. If I quickly unplug and plug back the USB that's connecting the hard drive the test disk program then unfreezes and recognizes it. It recognizes the size of the hard drive, but can not open any partition. I'm confused to what I should do now. Should I keep trying?

Thanks again, ~Jacob~

 

[rorouni]

make things simple. replace a new HDD on the laptop. install OS and every thing. now to get the data from the previous HDD (not sure if working) use an encapter or USB adapter to use the HDD as external Device, there you can find solutions on how you can acces the drive. if windows applications doesnt work,, try doing the long cut.. use DOS commands in searching and copying your file.. you should also try to check your disc for bad sectors, and also antivirus scan can help.. DOS can do so much thing more than we can imagine.. probably you know the basic DOS commands..

try this for a review: http://www.computerhope.com/msdos.htm

 

[treefrog07]

I just downloaded test disk and I came across a problem. I plugged in the hard drive I would like to recover to my laptop and turned the test disk program on. The problem is that the program locks up. If I quickly unplug and plug back the USB that's connecting the hard drive the test disk program then unfreezes and recognizes it. It recognizes the size of the hard drive, but can not open any partition. I'm confused to what I should do now. Should I keep trying?

Thanks again, ~Jacob~

After you have TestDisk open and can access the USB HDD, you may have to use TestDisk to restore the MBR, before TestDisk can recover the data. There is a tutorial in the wiki for using TestDisk in windows; it spells out the procedures pretty clearly.