lost everything.

[andy2004]

hi, didnt know where to put this.. so put it here..

a couple of days ago one of my 2tb drives died on me unexpectedly.. windows told me the drive was healthy..
nothing wrong with losing 1985gb of data.. now for the bad part.. the drive is where i was storing everything i'd downloaded from here.. every cd, collection the emulator and my hdfs files which i was adding new stuff to. new library etc.. all GONE..
havent looked into the hdd itself.. as i said its external.. and it started disconnecting itself.. then reconnecting and telling me i needed to format it before i use it, click cancel and then it showed as normal, so i did a chkdsk, then a virus scan took 4hrs and everything was working.. 24hrs later.. without using the drive. now it wont show in explorer.. or on the system.. things i did notice.. the power supply light was flashing.. changed that as i have 3 externals all the same.. but drive light on the case.. flashing but nothing happening.. the only thing i did was install poweriso cd emulator.. so my first thought was driver issue, uninstalled that. drive was working before installing that 1 app.
I have one of those 3in1 usb adapters.. 2.5in ide 3.5in ide and sata to usb. when i cant find it,. my last idea. so i wont be downloading anything or be here much.

Weird i know.. and yes i';ve tried different cables from the pc to the external drive. Just thinking what a waste.. every cd that i download and was keeping "safe".. cant afford to buy another drive.. and then of course which one to buy if i could.. due to the new standards of hdds with the new under 6tbs drives now being a certain format is the wrong word.. something the manufacturers are doing..
where the drive writes 2 tracks at a time.. so when writing data it loads the previous track into memory and then writes out the old data + the new data.. whereas hdds over 8tb are the old style.

[ptyerman]

If you can track down a ISO of Hiren's Boot CD 10.6 it contains a working version of GetDataBack, it is a fantastic bit of software for recovering files off dodgy hard drives.
It's best used on untouched drives but unfortunately you have used software on it that alters the drive contents. Nevertheless boot from the Hiren's Boot CD and run GetDataBack on the hard drive.
You need to track down 10.6 because the later versions of the Boot CD don't have it on them.

[jotd]

Stellar NTFS recovery does wonders with lost FAT sectors

[ptyerman]

Yeah there's great software out there for various drive ailments and errors. The best I've used for whole and part partition recovery is TestDisk, it's also freeware which is great!
Another little known one that I use for sector/cylinder recovery and remapping is called HDDRegenerator, it's another fantastic piece of software that's never failed me yet.
@andy2004
You could also run TestDisk on the drive and look for lost partitions if GetDataBack can't read the drive.
You can find TestDisk either by doing a search for it or you can download it from the Portable Apps website. You don't even have to install it.

[jotd]

of course don't install it on the drive you want to repair

[HOL2001]

Always do a backup!
I do a weekly synchronisation of all my internal HDDs to external HDDs.
Hope, you can rescue all your data! (crossing fingers)

[chip]

Agree with HOL2001

I have an external backup hd of 1 TB which is the exact copy of my internal disk where i store all the Amiga files

[Argo]

Could be the controler in the external enclosure failed
I've had that happen Though the drive died till I removed the drive from the enclosure to try recovery Try connecting it to an internal SATA and Power connector, if you have a desktop Just in case have a drive ready to back it up on just incase it is damaged and failing
Also, don't think it odd to refrigerate or freeze the drive then hook it up I've gotten some drives to work that way Meaning the drive had spindle issues

[jotd]

I once fried the controller card of my WD drive with all amiga stuff on it, by shorting it with an external IDE reader (some metal parts touched the board)

I bought the exact same WD drive, swapped the boards and could recover my data 100%

But in that case, the drive isn't even recognized by windows. The original issue here is probably lost FAT table. Not a problem since the information is also in the disk. It just takes hours to gather it

[roondar]

Just to point this out: if you really, really want the data back and can't live without it and all else fails, there are also companies who can take even quite heavily damaged disks and get you most of the data back.

This is costly, but will work in many cases where the software based solutions don't work (such as with seized up drives, crashed heads, burn & water damage, etc). I believe a number of these companies work on a mostly no-cure-no-pay basis, meaning they have a reasonable starting fee and only if they actually succeed at getting your data back do you have to pay the rest.

Not saying you should do this first, just to point out that if you're extremely attached to your data there are some, albeit expensive, options even if the recovery software fails.

---
Edit: in regards to recovering data, I've had some success with photorec (designed to recover photo's and video's, but it will also recover other files). This is completely free to use. It's interface is quite that easy to use though, as it is a console only environment.

In all cases, if you recover data do not recover it to the same drive. Doing so makes any further recovery attempts pretty much impossible. So, always recover to a different drive - just to keep the original intact should your recovery option of choice fail.

[andy2004]

in reply to all..

I already have hddregenerator installed.. but windows was telling me drive was HEALTHY before it died.. 100% it just suddenly started after i installed poweriso.. i had no problems up til that day.. then i started getting the disconnection.. and the you need to format the drive before using.. even though clicking cancel would then allow the drive to show up.. i googled.. chdsk done.. 0 errors.. antivirus check.. 4hrs later and it disconnected.. no data was CHANGED added.. i did move 1 file 4mb.. then it disconnected..

in responce to backing up.. thats why i bought 2 x 3tb hdd when they where on offer, but i filled them up with tv shows and movies.. infact if i told you i had a total 16tb of storage and its pretty much all filled up..
2 x 3tb.. 3 x 2tb one of which has died.. 2x 1.5tb and my windows os hdd 1tb.. thats hdds then i have flashdrives all 32gb each 7, and 1 64gb all filled. in and i was literally down to my last gb of freespace when the drive packed in.. thats TOTAL over the lot..
I've been waiting for drives to become cheap again.. but seeing how the manufacturers have changed the standards... the way the drive store the data.. it seems you need to buy a large 8tb minimum to get the old stanard.. i was reading about it.. new cheap drives.. read data from the drive and then write out 2 pieces of data.. as one is literally on top of the other. SMR i think is the technical term.. like shingles.
The magnetic tracks are overlapped, a bit like shingled roofing tiles. This means when the drive receives a write request it has to first read the overlapped data before rewriting both tracks. This means that write speed can be slower especially for small files. so non SMR hdds are better.


And you cant recover any data if the drive cant be seen by the operating system. even if you do a quick format and then use an app like unformat to recover the partition.. if the drive is DEAD its DEAD.., with all data lost.. i havent taken the drive out of the external case yet to connect it directly to my computer using a sata adapter. ie usb on one end and a 3way adapter.. 2.5in 3.5in and sata connector on the other.
I'm still hoping its the cable or pci of the external case..
And you cant recover if you dont have another drive to recover to. after a hour of so burning some dvds i currently have 4gb of freespace. i know 1 dvd holds 4.5gb so how do i only have 4gb free if i burnt 3 dvds.. well windows decided to make the pagefile.sys bigger.. it was set to 2gb.. now due to the fact i have 16gb memory.. increased it to 8gb

In response to roondar.. yes i know about those called companies.. First of all, it's important to note that data recovery prices are typically based on "labor time spent", much like your car's mechanic. So while a $100+/hr in-lab fee is very common in the industry, so think.. 10hrs thats $1000 spent.. and they would only have to say they spent 20hrs or 30hrs.. when in fact they didnt spend that long at all..

Not the first time a hdd has died on me.. nor the 2nd.. infact the first was a WD drive i bought.. 3months died, sent back, replaced for free,, and the replacement died 5months later and it then got replaced directly by WD.. and that drive is still working perfectly.. something that company did or just a bad batch..

All i know is everything i download that was classed as amiga went into a folder on that drive.. loads of cd's, apps, collections others had uploaded.. my Winuae hdd with all my registered apps and librarys. as i had it for the last 5years.. just updating the librarys. making sure the apps where working replacing some with others etc.
It was SUDDEN.. thats whats getting me..

[andy2004]

just found my usb - sata adapter.. and i found the power supply unit that came with it..
connected up the drive using that.. and its working..
according to hard disk sentinel The hard disk status is PERFECT. Problematic or weak sectors were not found and there are no spin up or data transfer errors.
so zero data lost.. so it must be the external case..or the pci board. or cable..

[chip]

That's a good news

[roondar]

Good news!

[andy2004]

bad news.. my 1.5tb drive is dying.. hdd regenerator currently running is saying BACK UP IMMEDIATELY 2 delays detected so far.. no bad sectors though..
1397gb.. mostly music downloaded via newserver some of it is burned to dvd..
but problem i have is no money to buy a new drive.. other things in life needed..
wish i could go out any buy the 14tb that WD are doing at the moment for under £200..
but just imagine having the drive die on you.. without being able to back it up..
Not worrying.. when it goes it goes.. 44days according to the other app..
Just moved into my own flat hence the reason i got nothing.. need to change to the gas connection to the standard bayonet fitting.. need to buy a cooker first.. been told £80 for the change and to attach the cooker.. old house had bayonet fitting.. cooker i had same fitting.. sister took the cooker.. need trainers aswell.. 1 pair 5years.. sods law.. even this internet is my neighbours via wi-fi.. this is the problem when you sign on at the jobcentre and some nasty b**** decides you didnt put a tick in a box and closes your claim down.. and then waits a month to tell you.. and then it takes another month before you get paid.. which then turns out your in rent arrears by the tune of £660 cause of those 2 months you didnt get paid.. then of course theres the living side.. bills you didnt even think of. And your loving family not speaking to you for 6months+.. who told you you'd have at least £60 a week to spend on doing the flat up.. more like 60 a month to actually buy food after all bills.. council are taking £64 a month from UC payment, for the rent arrears.. yet they wont pay for the gas connection conversion as they dont do that anymore.. same as they wont replace the tv ariel.. i have to pay for that aswell.. no wonder suicide is running high at the moment.
And then they wonder why i have depression..

[DamienD]

Sorry to hear this.

One thing I've noticed is you seem to use Western Digital... avoid these like the plague as they are rubbish, numerous reports everywhere of hard drives failing. I'd never purchase / use anything WD.

I have 3 x 2TB and 4 x 3TB external hard drives here and never had issues over many, many years.

They are Seagate, Toshiba and Hitachi.

[dreadnought]

I only back up stuff which I know will be really hard, or sometimes impossible to find and redownload again, should something bad happen.

The rest, if i have space then yes, but otherwise it's not that important. For example, things like TOSEC or WHDLoad are not going anywhere and with current broadband speeds it takes a moment to grab them again.

[malko]

This is a sad story... Hope you will manage to recover most of the files and backup them to a new device.

Originally Posted by DamienD

[...] One thing I've noticed is you seem to use Western Digital... avoid these like the plague as they are rubbish, numerous reports everywhere of hard drives failing. I'd never purchase / use anything WD.[...]

Have a different user experience here. All of my external HD are "WD Elements". No problems at all. But I have to say that I never trusted the "factory format". Thus I take the time to format all drives I buy. Was a pain when there was only USB1 but now with USB3, 3TB format quite quickly.
Even BitD, inside my workstations (486DX2-66, etc.), after bad experiences with Seagate, etc. used only "WD Caviar" .
The only external device that I lost (without the help of my mini-Godzillas ) was a SanDisk Titanium USB stick (128GB). The culprit was Windows Vista (at work) : saved a file to the stick, used the windows icon to unplug it safely. The stick never worked again !... It was even not recognized by any computer I pluged it on ; so couldn't even access it in low level... By chance, I had a copy of my files on the network

[jotd]

I lost my both Seagate 500MB drives rather quickly in 1996/1997... I don't buy Seagate anymore. WD went okay on my. I have only WD element external drives. Noone failed so far (of course, if you happen to drop it on the floor that will be a different story)

Anyway @andy2004: just don't use the harddrive until you can buy another one to back it up. Using the drive is an important part of the wearing off. Store it in a safe & dry place.

[andy2004]

DamianD i only have 1 WD which is a 1.5tb.. the 2 3tb are toshiba. all the rest are samsung including the one going bad.. its the other 1.5tb..

JOTD not the last time i've lost data.. the WD 1.5tb that was replaced twice..
then the fact i got really angry one night and formatted the wrong hard drive..
currently running a hdd regenerator scan on the bad drive.. and its bad..
no bad sectors.. but 9 delays so far.. at 82.88% scanned.

on the side note of hdd manufacturers.. there arent so many any more..
seagate bought samsung / maxtor
toshiba and WD are pretty much the only 2 left.. the 2 x3tb drives i bought where only £39 at the time..hence the reason i bought 2.
lacie.. seem to be over the top expensive..ie paying for the name.
cant think of any others.. which aren't rebranded drives.