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Clarification on using recuva or similar

Tags:
  • Hitachi
  • Computer
  • External Hard Drive
Last response: in General UK & Ireland Discussions
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November 23, 2012 9:20:51 AM

Hello,
I am pretty much a novice at doing anything on the computer so could I please ask for clarification.

My Hitachi Touro 2TB desk external hard drive packed up yesterday (only 4 months old). It's been brilliant but when I switched on yesterday morning it made a whirring sound - like a cd does going round in a player. Since then it appears on my computer as a local drive G: whereas before it identified itself as Hitachi G: The data shows as RAW although the check says the drive is working. Originally I was getting an error message that said something like 'cyclical redundancy' but now that's gone too. The message now is that I need to reformat.

Hitachi's website support give instructions on removing the partition and reformatting. I understand from this forum that it means the data is lost. Is this a situation where programs such as Recuva or the other one mentioned Restore could get my data back? Is this manageable by a complete beginner or should I take it into a local computer shop? Any advice (spelled out in simple terms please) would be much appreciated. Thanks

More about : clarification recuva similar

November 23, 2012 9:30:53 AM

simcha100 said:
Hello,
I am pretty much a novice at doing anything on the computer so could I please ask for clarification.

My Hitachi Touro 2TB desk external hard drive packed up yesterday (only 4 months old). It's been brilliant but when I switched on yesterday morning it made a whirring sound - like a cd does going round in a player. Since then it appears on my computer as a local drive G: whereas before it identified itself as Hitachi G: The data shows as RAW although the check says the drive is working. Originally I was getting an error message that said something like 'cyclical redundancy' but now that's gone too. The message now is that I need to reformat.

Hitachi's website support give instructions on removing the partition and reformatting. I understand from this forum that it means the data is lost. Is this a situation where programs such as Recuva or the other one mentioned Restore could get my data back? Is this manageable by a complete beginner or should I take it into a local computer shop? Any advice (spelled out in simple terms please) would be much appreciated. Thanks


Sorry :(  I'm such a newbie, I 've posted this in the wrong forum. I think it would be better in 'storage'. Thanks anyway
November 23, 2012 5:25:21 PM


Hello and welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums.

Whichever sub-Forum - it matters not so long as you get an answer. :D 

I think the thing to do first is to run Checkdisk on the drive, in Command Prompt and using the syntax chkdsk /r (including the space). The /r switch will find and fix any disk errors Windows finds and the RAW report may change back into NTFS after that five-stage process runs its course.

As to Recuva, I've had a lot of success with it in my customers' systems. I've even allowed a format to go ahead - usually a Quick Format if offered - knowing Recuva can find and recover quite a large percentage of files so long as the drive hasn't been written to since deletion or loss.

It is, however, preferable to fix the disk first and not format unless really pushed.


Related resources
November 23, 2012 6:56:09 PM

Hi

sorry to disagree but running chkdsk on a hard disk with a hardware fault may make recovery more difficult.

Most disk manufacturers make software specifically for testing their hard disks and seeing if the problem is caused by:-
controller chips, surface defects, read write heads damage etc

There is probably a Windows version on Hitachi's web site.

Recuva is OK for recovering deleted files but not on hard disks with a damaged surface (bad sectors)

Testdisk is well known for recovering data if there are a few bad sectors.
But if use of the drive causes more damage it will not succeed.

At 4 months old I would expect Hitachi to offer guidance on recovery, repair or replacement options.

Windows reporting the disk needs to be formatted is often caused by bad sectors near the start of the disk or other critical data areas , this maybe repairable
(at least as a temporary measure)
(shock or vibration while disk in use can cause this)

regards

Mike Barnes
November 23, 2012 10:03:01 PM

Hi :) 

I personally (and we test a LOT of crashed hard drives) think this is a drop in bin job.... the symptoms are hardware not software..

4 months old...RMA it... its GOT to be under warranty... depending on your country..

All the best Brett :) 
November 23, 2012 10:16:53 PM

simcha100 said:
Hello,
I am pretty much a novice at doing anything on the computer so could I please ask for clarification.

My Hitachi Touro 2TB desk external hard drive packed up yesterday (only 4 months old). It's been brilliant but when I switched on yesterday morning it made a whirring sound - like a cd does going round in a player. Since then it appears on my computer as a local drive G: whereas before it identified itself as Hitachi G: The data shows as RAW although the check says the drive is working. Originally I was getting an error message that said something like 'cyclical redundancy' but now that's gone too. The message now is that I need to reformat.

Hitachi's website support give instructions on removing the partition and reformatting. I understand from this forum that it means the data is lost. Is this a situation where programs such as Recuva or the other one mentioned Restore could get my data back? Is this manageable by a complete beginner or should I take it into a local computer shop? Any advice (spelled out in simple terms please) would be much appreciated. Thanks


Google minitool partition wizard its very easy to use and it works very well and has an excellent interface it is simple and efficient.
November 23, 2012 10:20:29 PM

simcha100 said:
Hello,
I am pretty much a novice at doing anything on the computer so could I please ask for clarification.

My Hitachi Touro 2TB desk external hard drive packed up yesterday (only 4 months old). It's been brilliant but when I switched on yesterday morning it made a whirring sound - like a cd does going round in a player. Since then it appears on my computer as a local drive G: whereas before it identified itself as Hitachi G: The data shows as RAW although the check says the drive is working. Originally I was getting an error message that said something like 'cyclical redundancy' but now that's gone too. The message now is that I need to reformat.

Hitachi's website support give instructions on removing the partition and reformatting. I understand from this forum that it means the data is lost. Is this a situation where programs such as Recuva or the other one mentioned Restore could get my data back? Is this manageable by a complete beginner or should I take it into a local computer shop? Any advice (spelled out in simple terms please) would be much appreciated. Thanks


PS This is a multi function tool with sections for recovery too also you can rebuild the mbr.
November 23, 2012 10:27:48 PM

purpla said:
PS This is a multi function tool with sections for recovery too also you can rebuild the mbr.


Hi :) 

NOT if it cannot see the drive even exists if its a HARDWARE fault...

All the best Brett :) 
November 23, 2012 11:23:26 PM

Brett928S2 said:
Hi :) 

I personally (and we test a LOT of crashed hard drives) think this is a drop in bin job.... the symptoms are hardware not software..

4 months old...RMA it... its GOT to be under warranty... depending on your country..

All the best Brett :) 


Hi Brett, may I go through your bins?
!