how can i fix these hdd's ?

sidecar · 11-29-2006, 08:56 PM

i have several hdd's, some apparently are corrupt, some have been infected with viruses, and some i just don't know. is there any way i can repair and clean these drives for use?

thanks in advance for any help.

all are ide drives

Tumbleweed36 · 11-29-2006, 09:07 PM

Hi,

Unfortunately, you can't most likely save all of them. However, if these were mine, I would take the dban program and wipe them clean, then format them and use them or try them.

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Note: Be very careful that you have drives you don't want erased disconnected because you might make an error and erase something you want to keep. Just know that once you use this program on ANY drive, you will not be able to retreive that data. This is a high security erasing program that is free.

sidecar · 11-29-2006, 10:22 PM

tks tumbleweed, will give it a try,

sidecar · 12-09-2006, 07:23 PM

tumbleweed, i put your advice to good use and cleaned up all the drives, except one 40 gb hdd. no matter where i connect this drive, (i.e. master, slave, or in a usb ext. adapter) i get the bsod when i try to boot. my question now is, should i just quit while i'm ahead? or is there maybe something i can do to this drive? thanks again for the help,

sidecar

Tumbleweed36 · 12-09-2006, 07:33 PM

Hi,

Well, most likely you should quit while you are ahead. However, if you want to have a little fun, some times drives can freeze up from the heads rubbing, like metal to metal. If you just want to see if that is it, then put it in a plastic bag (set it up first, so you waste no time getting it back in the computer) and place it in the freezer overnight. The metal will shrink and heads will shrink. Take it out, hook it up immediately and see if it boots up. The problem is, that regardless, it won't last long, but at least you can have the fun of saying you got it going for a while. Some times I do weird things like that just to see if that was it.

Glad the advice helped...have a great evening and don't be a stranger on here....stick around and enjoy the forum.

sidecar · 12-09-2006, 08:15 PM

ok tumbleweed, will give it a go just for fun, although it may be some time before i have the time. thanks again for the previous help. and i will probably be around off and on with other problems, so will check in from time to time again, thanks,

sidecar

11-29-2006, 08:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
sidecar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 53 OS: xp pro	how can i fix these hdd's ? i have several hdd's, some apparently are corrupt, some have been infected with viruses, and some i just don't know. is there any way i can repair and clean these drives for use? thanks in advance for any help. all are ide drives Last edited by sidecar; 11-29-2006 at 08:57 PM. Reason: more info

11-29-2006, 09:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,490 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Unfortunately, you can't most likely save all of them. However, if these were mine, I would take the dban program and wipe them clean, then format them and use them or try them. http://dban.sourceforge.net/ Note: Be very careful that you have drives you don't want erased disconnected because you might make an error and erase something you want to keep. Just know that once you use this program on ANY drive, you will not be able to retreive that data. This is a high security erasing program that is free. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

12-09-2006, 07:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,490 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Well, most likely you should quit while you are ahead. However, if you want to have a little fun, some times drives can freeze up from the heads rubbing, like metal to metal. If you just want to see if that is it, then put it in a plastic bag (set it up first, so you waste no time getting it back in the computer) and place it in the freezer overnight. The metal will shrink and heads will shrink. Take it out, hook it up immediately and see if it boots up. The problem is, that regardless, it won't last long, but at least you can have the fun of saying you got it going for a while. Some times I do weird things like that just to see if that was it. Glad the advice helped...have a great evening and don't be a stranger on here....stick around and enjoy the forum. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

11-29-2006, 10:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
sidecar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 53 OS: xp pro	tks tumbleweed, will give it a try,

12-09-2006, 07:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
sidecar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 53 OS: xp pro	tumbleweed, i put your advice to good use and cleaned up all the drives, except one 40 gb hdd. no matter where i connect this drive, (i.e. master, slave, or in a usb ext. adapter) i get the bsod when i try to boot. my question now is, should i just quit while i'm ahead? or is there maybe something i can do to this drive? thanks again for the help, sidecar

12-09-2006, 08:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
sidecar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 53 OS: xp pro	ok tumbleweed, will give it a go just for fun, although it may be some time before i have the time. thanks again for the previous help. and i will probably be around off and on with other problems, so will check in from time to time again, thanks, sidecar