Accessing Data on Boot Drive

stubnib · 12-16-2008, 11:02 AM

Hi, first post here. My wife's PC died this morning (motherboard) and she had a lot of data that was not backed up and needs access to it. I pulled the hard drive out of her PC and put it in an external case and tried on a few computers. My Computer doesn't show the drive but I can see it under Device Manager and under Computer Management. Under the drives section of Computer Management, it shows that it is a healthy partition. I took the drive and installed it into an old PC. It starts to boot then I get a blue screen saying that it is an invalid boot partition.

I'm at a loss what to do next. How do I access the data that is on the drive? The boot drive of the failed computer was running Windows 2000.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

**raptor_pa** · 12-16-2008, 11:03 AM

Try the drive as a slave on another pc rather than trying to boot the drive.

stubnib · 12-16-2008, 11:17 AM

Thanks, I tried to use it as a slave drive and got the same result as installing it as an external drive. I can see the drive in Device Manager and Disk Management but can't access.

hitech · 12-16-2008, 12:12 PM

see if you can do a repair install on your old machine. after you choose install, see if you have the repair option. if you have the 2000 disc. might be able to use a flash drive for your data.

stubnib · 12-16-2008, 01:17 PM

Unfortunately, the old computer is toast. I think the motherboard is fried. Press button to start and nothing ... no power. Could be switch the power switch as power supply seems to be OK. Hard drive appears to OK just not accessible.

Just wondering if there was a software program that will allow me to read the drive if it were installed as a 2nd drive or as an external USB drive. I have already tried both routes and even installed it as boot drive in old computer ... no dice on all. Just want to be able to pull off a few files and folders, the rest can be trashed.

Other alternative is to take it to a disk restoration place but that will cost losts of money. Want to try other alternatives first. Also, wife is leary about leaving drive with a stranger, lost of personal data on it.

**raptor_pa** · 12-16-2008, 01:45 PM

First thing I would try is install as a slave, then go to Disk Management ( right click my computer -> manage -> disk management from the left pane. Right click on the drive, ( grey area) and see if it needs either imported or reactivated. If it does then you should be able to access it in My Computer.
Win2K to XP will usually need imported.
If that doesn't work try R-Studio, GetdataBack, or Stellar Phoenix recovery software. They all have a demo that will show you waht is recoverable before paying for the key, and all are less than $100 ( R-Studio is like 50 - 60 )
If you are taking it for recovery, simple question is are your techs bonded. If not then look elsewhere LOL ( Yeah, I work in a data recovery/ certified destruction shop LOL )

hitech · 12-16-2008, 01:48 PM

you can try Ubuntu
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...dows-computer/
in your case, put your drive back in your inclosure. if you have a broadband connection, you can download the iso and burn it to a disc. you can order a Ubuntu disc also. after you have booted to the Unbuntu, you can plug in your inclosure and see if you can copy files to your main drive.

stubnib · 12-16-2008, 02:58 PM

All, thanks, I will try tonight. Another complication. The drive had Symantec Go Back! installed on it. Know of a way to get access to this. The techs at work said any and all of the suggestions made would work but had blank stares as when I brought up Go Back!. Like I said, it was an old computer that my wife refused to upgrade because it had her stuff on it! Of course, there was an external drive for data backup installed but never used .... Arrgh!

**raptor_pa** · 12-16-2008, 07:31 PM

Try here.. http://service1.symantec.com/support...058?Open&src=w
and here... http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...03050713255158

stubnib · 12-16-2008, 10:23 PM

Raptor, thanks for all the support. I decided not to mess around and D/L'd GetBackData and that did the trick. A couple of hours later and $79 lighter, peace was restored in the household.

Seriously, appreciate all the support.

Thanks

**raptor_pa** · 12-17-2008, 05:05 AM

LOL, well glad to heare all is peaceful there now :)

12-16-2008, 11:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
stubnib Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP Media Center	Accessing Data on Boot Drive Hi, first post here. My wife's PC died this morning (motherboard) and she had a lot of data that was not backed up and needs access to it. I pulled the hard drive out of her PC and put it in an external case and tried on a few computers. My Computer doesn't show the drive but I can see it under Device Manager and under Computer Management. Under the drives section of Computer Management, it shows that it is a healthy partition. I took the drive and installed it into an old PC. It starts to boot then I get a blue screen saying that it is an invalid boot partition. I'm at a loss what to do next. How do I access the data that is on the drive? The boot drive of the failed computer was running Windows 2000. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

12-16-2008, 11:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,557 OS: XP	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive Try the drive as a slave on another pc rather than trying to boot the drive.

12-16-2008, 11:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
stubnib Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP Media Center	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive Thanks, I tried to use it as a slave drive and got the same result as installing it as an external drive. I can see the drive in Device Manager and Disk Management but can't access.

12-16-2008, 12:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
hitech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 607 OS: Windows	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive see if you can do a repair install on your old machine. after you choose install, see if you have the repair option. if you have the 2000 disc. might be able to use a flash drive for your data. __________________

12-16-2008, 01:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
stubnib Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP Media Center	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive Unfortunately, the old computer is toast. I think the motherboard is fried. Press button to start and nothing ... no power. Could be switch the power switch as power supply seems to be OK. Hard drive appears to OK just not accessible. Just wondering if there was a software program that will allow me to read the drive if it were installed as a 2nd drive or as an external USB drive. I have already tried both routes and even installed it as boot drive in old computer ... no dice on all. Just want to be able to pull off a few files and folders, the rest can be trashed. Other alternative is to take it to a disk restoration place but that will cost losts of money. Want to try other alternatives first. Also, wife is leary about leaving drive with a stranger, lost of personal data on it.

12-16-2008, 01:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,557 OS: XP	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive First thing I would try is install as a slave, then go to Disk Management ( right click my computer -> manage -> disk management from the left pane. Right click on the drive, ( grey area) and see if it needs either imported or reactivated. If it does then you should be able to access it in My Computer. Win2K to XP will usually need imported. If that doesn't work try R-Studio, GetdataBack, or Stellar Phoenix recovery software. They all have a demo that will show you waht is recoverable before paying for the key, and all are less than $100 ( R-Studio is like 50 - 60 ) If you are taking it for recovery, simple question is are your techs bonded. If not then look elsewhere LOL ( Yeah, I work in a data recovery/ certified destruction shop LOL )

12-16-2008, 01:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
hitech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 607 OS: Windows	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive you can try Ubuntu http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...dows-computer/ in your case, put your drive back in your inclosure. if you have a broadband connection, you can download the iso and burn it to a disc. you can order a Ubuntu disc also. after you have booted to the Unbuntu, you can plug in your inclosure and see if you can copy files to your main drive. __________________

12-16-2008, 02:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
stubnib Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP Media Center	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive All, thanks, I will try tonight. Another complication. The drive had Symantec Go Back! installed on it. Know of a way to get access to this. The techs at work said any and all of the suggestions made would work but had blank stares as when I brought up Go Back!. Like I said, it was an old computer that my wife refused to upgrade because it had her stuff on it! Of course, there was an external drive for data backup installed but never used .... Arrgh!

12-16-2008, 07:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,557 OS: XP	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive Try here.. http://service1.symantec.com/support...058?Open&src=w and here... http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...03050713255158

12-16-2008, 10:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
stubnib Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP Media Center	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive Raptor, thanks for all the support. I decided not to mess around and D/L'd GetBackData and that did the trick. A couple of hours later and $79 lighter, peace was restored in the household. Seriously, appreciate all the support. Thanks

12-17-2008, 05:05 AM	#11 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,557 OS: XP	Re: Accessing Data on Boot Drive LOL, well glad to heare all is peaceful there now :)