HELP PLEASE!!!! Please! Major Harddrive problem

James_sb

Right, my hard-drive on the laptop, with all the course work for the year decides to crap out on me.



Does anyone know someone who can retrieve info from broken hard-drives. I hear there are companies that do it, but it can cost up to 700 quid. I'm nearly prepared to pay this, but I'm broke really so I'd have to get a loan or something.

Does anyone know anyone? Maybe someone used before, or someone offering good prices? This is really important, especially as to get a new hard-drive under the warrenty, I've to give back this one in 5 working days. (Thank god for bank-holidays!)



Please, please, please and thank you.

James

petes

When you start your laptop up what happens?

James_sb

It's a Dell Latitude D500:

It stopped in use, went to blue screen (saying technical error) and shut down.

When I tried to start it, it says no hard-drive recognised. And it won't start.

I'm in UCD and we have an IT group for support. They looked at it and said it's gone. They've ordered a new hard-drive for me as it's still under warrenty (Thank god for extendable warrenties - 4 years old now). I've 5 working days to try extract information before Dell requires the old hard-drive be returned for the new one.

Any suggestions?

Auvers

You could try putting it in the freezer overnight and then booting it up when frozen, it might work long enough to get your data off it. Believe me it does work sometimes.

example http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/01/freeze-your-hard-drive-to-recover-data.html

WizZard

I might be able to do something for you. I'm away for the weekend though, but back on Monday. If you're interested drop me a PM.
No guarantee's though...
I've helped people here in the past with similar issues.

DO NOT under any circumstances try to boot it up again, or access it if you really want your data back. Leave that to someone who knows what they are doing.

BTW, I work on a "No data = No cost" principle

<edit>Did it just die, or get dropped? huge difference in terms of retrievability</edit>

Anti

Jasus i hate it when that happens. But this is a lesson learned. Double back up all data. Preferably onto a usb key and a dvd/cd. I mean if you loose all that data how much **** will you be in??

I have also tried the booting from frozen, And it has worked a few times. Worth a try in my oppinion.

Ruu_Old

Is the light flickering or any noise at all to suggest its trying to read the data?

kryan1

James i just sent u a PM with my details give me a call and i will c if i can help you.
You can remove the harddrive and there is an adapter u can get that hooks up the the USB and if the drive is not Fcuked it can be read on another PC. If the drive does not boot up as the boys said previous, well then try the freezer, but that never worked for me.
Kevin

James_sb

Right, I was away to phibsboro there, and I dropped it into a place that does data retrieval. They'll let me know in the morning how much it will be to recover the data. If it's too much, I'll try the freezing thing.

The laptop was being carried while on, but not too much movement. Though that is it's regular enviroment, and it's 3 and half years old. So I think it was just wear and tear.

Wizzard, I appreciate the offer. I don't think I can though because it's under warrenty. I can get a free replacement if it's not tampered with, or if it's certified by a data retrieval place so I don't want to chance it. Thanks though, that's sound of you.

I had got a DVD drive just to back up things, but it's not been working for burning since september, hense the loss. So of the stuff is replaceable, some of it not. But I hadn't the money for an external hard-drive which was my next step... Ah tis life, ain't it.

James_sb

kryan1 wrote:

James i just sent u a PM with my details give me a call and i will c if i can help you.
You can remove the harddrive and there is an adapter u can get that hooks up the the USB and if the drive is not Fcuked it can be read on another PC. If the drive does not boot up as the boys said previous, well then try the freezer, but that never worked for me.
Kevin

Hey, I just sent you a PM reply.

Anti

usb memory keys are only 19.99 or less in some places

WizZard

James_sb wrote:

Wizzard, I appreciate the offer. I don't think I can though because it's under warrenty. I can get a free replacement if it's not tampered with, or if it's certified by a data retrieval place so I don't want to chance it. Thanks though, that's sound of you.

Np, it wouldn't be tampered with though
Let meknow if you need any help anyway.

James_sb

Hey, for the people who very kindly offered help. I'm still crossing my fingers with the data retrieval place. But i'll give you a look at this, just to find out if your familiar with this particular HDD.

I got this off the label on the HDD.

HITACHI 'TRAVELSTAR' (www.hgst.com)

Model: IC25N020ATCS04-0 4200RPM

5V 1.0A D.C. 20.00GB ATA/IDE

http://www.used-laptops-notebooks-guide.com/used-laptops-har d-drive-upgrade-guide.html

That page shows pictures of what my HDD looks like. Here's one. It also says something at the bottom about 2.5". So you might know whether it's a 2.5" IDE drive or what.

James_sb

Thanks

Puddles

On start-up press and hold F8. This shud give u the option to start Windows in Safe Mode. From there u can do all basic operations.
However u shud b able to take ur hard drive out and put it into any PC with a DVD burner and transfer the data.