hard drive data unrecoverable?

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 01:02 PM

I have a thread posted under Windows XP that started with the error message "unmountable boot volume". Bottom line is my hard drive was replaced by Dell. Under advise from this site I installed the old hdd into the computer as a 2nd drive. All connections seem good. It does not show up in My Computer and when I run a hard drive diagnostic test the new drive appears in Drive 0 but it shows "no device" in Drive 1. Shortly after installing it, once again I heard the "click of death" as it had been doing from time to time before the final blue screen error message.

I'd like to know if means the hard drive is "dead" and the data is basically unrecoverable unless I choose to use a professional data recovery service costing lots of money. I have turned off the desktop awaiting further instruction whether there are more steps to pursue or if I should just take the old drive out now and return it to Dell for credit.

Thanks.

**Deleted090308** · 04-08-2008, 01:32 PM

Hi,

It would have been better to stay in the other thread.

Check the connections again - data and power. Try another power plug.

Please post a screenshot of Disk management (Right click "My computer" > choose "Manage" > Disk Management) and tell us which drive is the "bad" one.

How to post a screenshot.

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 01:57 PM

I apologize for posting to this thread. I thought that since a hard drive problem now it should be addressed here.

The "bad" drive does not show up at all. The only things that show here are the C drive and my two CD/DVD drives. I don't know how to try another power plug. Isn't that the set of 2 red, 2 black one white wires that is in a harness from the main hard drive?disk mgmt screen.JPG

Did the screenshot work?

**Deleted090308** · 04-08-2008, 02:09 PM

Yes, the screenshot's OK. But, like you said - there's no sign of the "bad" drive.

What's the model name/number of your computer?

Please take the hard drive out again and look for a model number - something like WD12345, ST67890 or similar.

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 02:13 PM

My computer is a Dell 4700. The "bad" hard drive is a Maxtor Diamondmax 6Y160M0. It was replaced with a Western Digital WD1600AAJS-75PSA0 (so the hard drive diagnostic test said).

**Deleted090308** · 04-08-2008, 02:18 PM

So, it's a SATA drive.
Try another data cable and connecting it to different SATA ports on the motherboard.

Look in Device manager (To open Device manager: Click Start >> Run >> Type devmgmt.msc and click OK).
Any sign of the drive there? (under Disk drives)

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 02:19 PM

That is a Dell Dimension 4700.

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 02:24 PM

It does not show up in device manager. Only the WDC WD1600AAJS-75PSA0 is there.

I do not see any other SATA ports on the motherboard other than the one that the main (WD) hard drive is plugged into. How do I know if I am using a proper data cable? I bought this one last night. It says UV SATA cable. It is the only one the local store had and the guy thought it would work.

**Deleted090308** · 04-08-2008, 02:44 PM

Should be the correct cable.
Is the drive spinning? (vibrating)
Try taking the cables from the "good" drive and connect them to the bad.
Leave the good drive disconnected.
Start the computer and enter BIOS (or "Setup") - can you see the bad drive there?

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 05:39 PM

I changed the cables, started the computer and pressed F12 for the hard drive diagnostics. The bad drive, Maxtor, showed up and the test came back "Fail, return code 7".

grig85 · 04-08-2008, 06:51 PM

hdgal,
What you are describing right now is a sign of a failing head. However, I can not be 100% sure on that without testing it. But if if fact this is the case, then that failing head still works but it is degrading (that explains clicks you hear once in the while). The more you use your drive now the less are the chances of getting this data back without replacing heads. If you have to get your data back and not willing to pay professional to do it for you, by all means do so, because it is not going to jeopardise chances of recovery by professional either way. Your data is and will be recoverable even if this head fails completely. However, making your drive trying to get into areas that are difficult access right now without options of picking up data from easy access areas could kill the head with absolutely no results. Then you will have to get professional help for head replacement.

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 07:23 PM

Grig85,
Thanks for this info. However what does this mean to me as far as trying to recover my data with this hard drive installed as a 2nd drive? The computer is not finding that drive. My crucial data was backed up to a portable so the recovery would be more of a convenience than necessity. That is why I will not pay hundreds of dollars or more to do it.
When my son's hard drive at work failed it cost his company $13K to recover his data. He works for a major biotech company with lots of critical data.

IT Helpp · 04-08-2008, 08:05 PM

STOP! If you hear clicking, the drive is broken. You have to take it to a Hard Drive recovery professional like datasavers to recover the files. The longer you run it as is, the more damage the head will cause to the disk surface.

http://www.drivesavers.com/
They will give you a quote over the phone, and you will only be charged if they are able to retrieve your data.

hbgal · 04-08-2008, 08:09 PM

Thanks. This thing has been clicking like a cricket! Guess I'll kiss it off!

04-08-2008, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	hard drive data unrecoverable? I have a thread posted under Windows XP that started with the error message "unmountable boot volume". Bottom line is my hard drive was replaced by Dell. Under advise from this site I installed the old hdd into the computer as a 2nd drive. All connections seem good. It does not show up in My Computer and when I run a hard drive diagnostic test the new drive appears in Drive 0 but it shows "no device" in Drive 1. Shortly after installing it, once again I heard the "click of death" as it had been doing from time to time before the final blue screen error message. I'd like to know if means the hard drive is "dead" and the data is basically unrecoverable unless I choose to use a professional data recovery service costing lots of money. I have turned off the desktop awaiting further instruction whether there are more steps to pursue or if I should just take the old drive out now and return it to Dell for credit. Thanks.

04-08-2008, 01:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? Hi, It would have been better to stay in the other thread. Check the connections again - data and power. Try another power plug. Please post a screenshot of Disk management (Right click "My computer" > choose "Manage" > Disk Management) and tell us which drive is the "bad" one. How to post a screenshot.

04-08-2008, 01:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? I apologize for posting to this thread. I thought that since a hard drive problem now it should be addressed here. The "bad" drive does not show up at all. The only things that show here are the C drive and my two CD/DVD drives. I don't know how to try another power plug. Isn't that the set of 2 red, 2 black one white wires that is in a harness from the main hard drive?disk mgmt screen.JPG Did the screenshot work?

04-08-2008, 02:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? Yes, the screenshot's OK. But, like you said - there's no sign of the "bad" drive. What's the model name/number of your computer? Please take the hard drive out again and look for a model number - something like WD12345, ST67890 or similar.

04-08-2008, 02:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? My computer is a Dell 4700. The "bad" hard drive is a Maxtor Diamondmax 6Y160M0. It was replaced with a Western Digital WD1600AAJS-75PSA0 (so the hard drive diagnostic test said).

04-08-2008, 02:18 PM	#6 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? So, it's a SATA drive. Try another data cable and connecting it to different SATA ports on the motherboard. Look in Device manager (To open Device manager: Click Start >> Run >> Type devmgmt.msc and click OK). Any sign of the drive there? (under Disk drives)

04-08-2008, 02:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? That is a Dell Dimension 4700.

04-08-2008, 02:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? It does not show up in device manager. Only the WDC WD1600AAJS-75PSA0 is there. I do not see any other SATA ports on the motherboard other than the one that the main (WD) hard drive is plugged into. How do I know if I am using a proper data cable? I bought this one last night. It says UV SATA cable. It is the only one the local store had and the guy thought it would work.

04-08-2008, 02:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? Should be the correct cable. Is the drive spinning? (vibrating) Try taking the cables from the "good" drive and connect them to the bad. Leave the good drive disconnected. Start the computer and enter BIOS (or "Setup") - can you see the bad drive there?

04-08-2008, 05:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? I changed the cables, started the computer and pressed F12 for the hard drive diagnostics. The bad drive, Maxtor, showed up and the test came back "Fail, return code 7".

04-08-2008, 06:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
grig85 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 28 OS: xp	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? hdgal, What you are describing right now is a sign of a failing head. However, I can not be 100% sure on that without testing it. But if if fact this is the case, then that failing head still works but it is degrading (that explains clicks you hear once in the while). The more you use your drive now the less are the chances of getting this data back without replacing heads. If you have to get your data back and not willing to pay professional to do it for you, by all means do so, because it is not going to jeopardise chances of recovery by professional either way. Your data is and will be recoverable even if this head fails completely. However, making your drive trying to get into areas that are difficult access right now without options of picking up data from easy access areas could kill the head with absolutely no results. Then you will have to get professional help for head replacement.

04-08-2008, 07:23 PM	#12 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? Grig85, Thanks for this info. However what does this mean to me as far as trying to recover my data with this hard drive installed as a 2nd drive? The computer is not finding that drive. My crucial data was backed up to a portable so the recovery would be more of a convenience than necessity. That is why I will not pay hundreds of dollars or more to do it. When my son's hard drive at work failed it cost his company $13K to recover his data. He works for a major biotech company with lots of critical data.

04-08-2008, 08:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
IT Helpp Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego County Posts: 29 OS: Win XP SP2	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? STOP! If you hear clicking, the drive is broken. You have to take it to a Hard Drive recovery professional like datasavers to recover the files. The longer you run it as is, the more damage the head will cause to the disk surface. http://www.drivesavers.com/ They will give you a quote over the phone, and you will only be charged if they are able to retrieve your data.

04-08-2008, 08:09 PM	#14 (permalink)
hbgal Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 41 OS: XP Pro	Re: hard drive data unrecoverable? Thanks. This thing has been clicking like a cricket! Guess I'll kiss it off!