Retreiving lost data....How?

[Mr B]

I use an external USB hard drive to back up my CAD drawings. I don't leave them on my computer. I've been doing this for a long while and the drive has never let me down before. There is about 100 very important drawings on it that I will need again sometime soon.

The last time I used it, it was working fine, now I want to get at the data...the hard drive won't give it back. I've tried it on 3 different computers now including a brand new one and no luck. I've even taken the hard drive out of the caddy and tried it as a slave in a computer and the comp doesn't recognise the drive.

Help...I'm right in the shit with this one.

Any ideas how I can get out of this?.

Brian.

[Dodzi]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I use an external USB hard drive to back up my CAD drawings. I don't leave them on my computer. I've been doing this for a long while and the drive has never let me down before. There is about 100 very important drawings on it that I will need again sometime soon.

The last time I used it, it was working fine, now I want to get at the data...the hard drive won't give it back. I've tried it on 3 different computers now including a brand new one and no luck. I've even taken the hard drive out of the caddy and tried it as a slave in a computer and the comp doesn't recognise the drive.

Help...I'm right in the shit with this one.

Any ideas how I can get out of this?.

Brian.

If its not recognising the disc it sounds like main directory block of the drive has become corrupted. You could try googling for a data recovery program - I found instructions Computer First Aid Using Knoppix to use a linux disc. I had a similar problem a few years ago and down loaded a utility which allowed my to get back most of the data - can't remember what it was called however.

[SalTheWop]

PM Sent

[Dodzi]

Its gotta be asked - did ya get the data back?

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Dodzi

Its gotta be asked - did ya get the data back?

No, I haven't got it back. The drive, which is a 4.3gb Quantum Fireball seems partially dead. It's been put in several computers now as a slave and none of these show it up in 'My Computer' as a new drive.

A different drive has been put into each of these computers as well, and they show up straight away as a new drive. The Fireball does make some noises though as it spins up or should I say rattle up, but won't show itself so as to be able to transfer the data.

I reckon I'm going to end up having to pay a specialist to get this data back for me, but I do have a mate that's shit hot on this sort of thing, and I'm trying to find out his number...it's on that bloody disc. He owes me a favour or two.

If and when I do get it back, I'm going to have two backups of everything on two different high quality memory sticks.

Thanks for the replies and help.

Brian.

[Urrell]

Brian
I keep backup copies of all my photographs on CD or DVD that I keep up to date every couple of months. I now have about 20 in a storage file. In later years just one photo could be worth more to me than the computer itself. Someone will chip in here about CDs & DVDs not lasting forever but if you steer away from the cheapies you should be safe. Probably have more to fear from losing them in a fire or other catastrophic situation, so like you suggest best to keep 2 in different locations.
Hope you manage to retrieve all your data.

[Battersea]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I reckon I'm going to end up having to pay a specialist to get this data back for me,
Brian.

Many years ago had the same problem and contacted a 'specialist' and the cost was astronomical. They wanted £1500 with no refund to just look at it to see if anything was possible and then another £2000 to get whatever they could back. This was with no guarantees.

In the end mine was a software problem and a mate got everything back, hopefully you will have the same luck.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Battersea

Hope you can get better luck than me on this.

Many years ago had the same problem and contacted a 'specialist' and the cost was astronomical. They wanted £1500 with no refund to just look at it to see if anything was possible and then another £2000 to get whatever they could back. This was with no guarantees.

F**kin 'ell. I might just have to do it though. Most of those drawings are highly detailed hydraulic circuits and prototype hydraulic cylinders that I designed, and they will eventually be repeat work for some companies that I do R&D work for.
Anyone got a gun?

Brian.

[smalHD]

Hi mate

If its making noises like you say it could be the bearings gone or the read write head. It most likely will need opening and the platters transfered to another drive chassis. To re-iterate the point made above.. If you backup important files like documents or photos you need to keep an up to date copy in another physical location, if something happens where your computer is your backups could be lost too.
Sounds obvious but how many do this, let alone backup stuff at all?

Good luck with the recovery, if I was you I would not think twice about going to the experts to have it done.. Also if you dont leave your work on your computers hard drive but save it to a remote drive thats not backing it up, thats having 1 copy of your work.

I'm sure you dont need telling though.

All the best

[Battersea]

Originally Posted by Mr B

The Fireball does make some noises though as it spins up or should I say rattle up, but won't show itself so as to be able to transfer the data.
Brian.

This does sound like a hardware problem and if the heads have come in contact with the platters you will def loose some data if it was on the tracks affected.

Can you get on another computer? If so read this:
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/articles/Hardware/Hard_Drive_Data_Recovery/
gives a good explanation of what can and may have happened.

These people claim no success no fee, obviously things have changed since I had a problem:
http://www.datarecoveryuk.co.uk/hard-drive.aspx Phone 0800 023 2301

Found by typing 'hard disc data recovery' in Google, there are loads listed. Quite how you choose the right one I don't know, it could be important who you choose because they may f**k-up and then make it impossible for someone more competent.

Hope this helps.

Edit:

These quote 'from £79':
http://www.datatrack-labs.co.uk/ phone 0800 043 3282