Recover hardrive

Posted by elane (507 days ago)

My computer is broken and I took it to a shop in the Wanchai computer center to have it looked at. Apparently the disk inside the hard drive and the IDE control chip is broken. To recover the data they want to charge me 3,000. The catch is that there is no guarantee all the material will be recovered. They gave me an exp. that if I had 50 files and they recovered 1 of the files, they will still charge me 3,000 for it! Anyone know of a reasonable place that I can take my computer to to get the files recovered? Thanks in advance!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by Thistle (507 days ago)

I have a similar situation in that I need to recover all my pictures off an old hard drive that is broken.
Any help much appreciated.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Ed (507 days ago)

Moved to tech

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by ldldjr (507 days ago)

It is unclear to me if your hard disk crashed, or your controller died, or both. IF it is a desktop and IF it is the controller that failed I would pull the hard drive and put it in another machine to see if the hard drive still functions - and back up the data right there!

I would also try a linux live cd - if your hardware failed, linux shouldn't work either, but stranger things have happened, so nothing is lost by trying except your time - again, if it does boot, you had better be ready to back up your data immediately!

(I am based in Vietnam)

Posted by elane (507 days ago)

Thanks for your response. Apparently the computer repair center indicated that both the hard disk and the controller died. Also, my computer is a laptop. Any other suggestions?

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Nuts&Bolts (506 days ago)

I'd suggest referal to :


http://hongkong.asiaxpat.com/forums/practical/threads/106197.asp

... where a fuller discussion is evident.

The "Controller" is normally PART of the Hard Disk assembly - maybe - and possibly correctly, they are pointing their technical fingers at the Laptop's mainboard.

If a substitute HD can not be accessed - then I would agree with the supposition that something is wrong with the [expensive] mainboard. It **HAS** happened to me on an ancient Libretto 30 - and required a replacement mainboard. The 500MB HD still worked externally !!

Anyway - removing a suspect "dud" HD from a Laptop is **USUALLY** not too difficult - I do it frequently.

Putting the retrieved Laptop Hard Disk into a simple ~HK$50 USB enclosure & attaching it to a USB port on some other computer is a very simple procedure - after all, all you will spend is a bit of time and a few tens of Dollars - and even if the USB external enclosure with your "V1agra" disk inside doesn't work, then you still have the USB enclosure for later use.

Me, I have many such USB enclosures for a variety of uses - including storing or 2GB of my pix on them.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Black-Virusss (506 days ago)

Get your laptop's HDD connect it to Desktop with cable and there is a 100 different programs that can help with recover HDD

Most of the guys in computer center all time want to cheat and get more money!!!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Black-Virusss (506 days ago)

Forget to give you link for
*Laptop 2.5" to Desktop 3.5" IDE Adapter*
Here 2 kind of adapter one direct to motherboard and second via USB
1) http://insidecomputer.stores.yahoo.net/la2tode3hadr.html

2)
http://insidecomputer.stores.yahoo.net/usb20toidsea.html

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by ldldjr (505 days ago)

According to MSI and Seagate, controllers are still on the desktop motherboards and the drive is connected to the controller with a cable. Possibly laptops are different, but having never delved into the internals of laptops I can't say.

(I am based in Vietnam)

Posted by Nuts&Bolts (505 days ago)

There's a lot more "Control Stuff" built in to the modern-day Hard Disks than there ever was with the 80's MFM & other varieties whose initials now elude me. [Not forgetting the "Perstore" controller board that was allegedly capable of "shoe-horning" greater amounts of data on to [say] the 20/30/40 MEGAbyte disks of that era. A time when I paid HK$3,000 for a secondhand Seagate 40 MEGAbyte Hard Disk which ran so hot that "Stiction" could be such a problem that the read/write heads would bond to the platters 'cos the platter lubricant also became a wretched glue!

As for the present problem - a few tens of HK$'s spent on an external connector from Laptop HD to a USB port will resolve whether the Hard Disk is defunct, or whether it's an internal disaster in the laptop that'll probably cost and arm & a leg to get fixed.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by elane (500 days ago)

Thanks everyone for your input. I will give your suggestions a try. Hope I can recover the hard drive!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by fun_at_30 (499 days ago)

depends on what exactly is the problem... the cost of recovery can vary from 1K onwards..

Lemme know if you need help with it.

Peter

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Black-Virusss (498 days ago)

Guys don't just try to cheat a person and get his money if he don't know how to recover his data from his HDD there only program working and if it's problem with HDD u cannot help him for sure if you not has good technology to open HDD and recover all data by clusters!!! If you have an computer service shop or something like this give him your address and say him your working days and time and when he can come to your shop!
Don't just say him *Lemme know if you need help with it.* and give him false hope and contact you and find out that he just lose his time!

If you can really help say him with what u can help and say how much it's will be in what situation and he will know if he going to take your help or no!!!

Don't just try to earn money on someones problem be RIGHT PERSON PLEASE!!!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Nuts&Bolts (498 days ago)

The **FIRST** thing to do when one suspects the Hard Disk is going to meet its maker is to copy off as much of the user's important files as possible - so that they can be restored to another HD later.

The **SECOND** thing to do is acquire "SpinRite" from GRC.COM and run it from DOS to have it examine & recover damaged data & recover that too!

The program is very small, can even be downloaded on dial-up in but a few minutes.

However, do not expect SpinRite to work its magic in a flash - depending on the HD size and the problems that the program finds - it **CAN** take many hours - if not days! I know - I had a really crapped out 40GB 2.5" that took days to complete.

Cost?

Well I seem to recall it was about US$75 or so, it's been a loooong time since I got it - but it has "saved my bacon when an 80 GB Hard Disk started making "bad" noises just before the warrantee ran out, and I got it replaced with days to spare.

And before anyone asks - I do NOT get a kick-back from Gibson Research Corpn !!

They have a number of FREE utilities to make your computer more secure against remote "burglars".

(I am based in Hong Kong)