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View Full Version : External Hard Drive Failure, Recovery Options


Nevermind
07-23-2011, 01:08 PM
I have a 250 GB external drive that won't open, can't retrieve data. I contracted the manufacture and they suggested a recovery on line site to try and capture the data. No luck, only after 3 days managed to get a few files, just pictures so a waste of time. I manage to get the Local Disk and when I open it it says the disk in drive G is not formatted. If I say yes I want to format it tells me I will loose all the data in the drive. Don't want to do that. That is as far as I can go. Ant suggestions on what I can do to get my files back etc. software?
Thanks
Ron
Noisy Crow
07-23-2011, 01:22 PM
At this point there is not much you can do your self. You'll need to get some professional help:

e.g.
http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/
http://www.datarecovery.ca/

Won't come cheap though.
S.F.W.
07-23-2011, 02:48 PM
One item to consider, the enclosure could be causing the issues.
Have you tried removing the HD from the enclosure, and connecting the drive directly to a PC ?
gabbygenier
07-23-2011, 03:42 PM
One item to consider, the enclosure could be causing the issues.
Have you tried removing the HD from the enclosure, and connecting the drive directly to a PC ?

+1 to this. had this happen before.
Nevermind
07-25-2011, 08:58 PM
I did take it out of the enclosure and it still won't open.
Thanks
Nevermind
07-25-2011, 08:59 PM
At this point there is not much you can do your self. You'll need to get some professional help:

e.g.
http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/
http://www.datarecovery.ca/

Won't come cheap though.

Thanks, will look in to these
SomeGuy
07-26-2011, 12:32 PM
The drive shows up in my computer? or in device manager? (ie it mounts) and does the drive spin up?

If so, go find a copy of "Easy Recovery Professional" ... if there's data to be had on the drive, it can pull it off.
cwp_sedan
07-26-2011, 12:59 PM
Be prepared to pay a lot of money for data recovery. I had a friend who needed to have some files recovered and it was quoted at close to $2k.
n00bMeiSter
07-26-2011, 01:52 PM
Ron, plug it into a Unix or Linux system, and see what you can get before you spend any money.
zmz3
07-26-2011, 01:57 PM
Ron, plug it into a Unix or Linux system, and see what you can get before you spend any money.

Very good idea.

Now if the HDD doesn't spin, that's another case.
SKYMP3
07-26-2011, 02:03 PM
I purchased a program (forgot the name) and recovered files on my 16G CF card....pay around $50...and takes around 12 hours or so to recover all files.
n00bMeiSter
07-26-2011, 02:24 PM
I purchased a program (forgot the name) and recovered files on my 16G CF card....pay around $50...and takes around 12 hours or so to recover all files.

That's a Compact Flash card, it's a little different when dealing with Hard Drives.
gabbygenier
07-26-2011, 03:14 PM
Be prepared to pay a lot of money for data recovery. I had a friend who needed to have some files recovered and it was quoted at close to $2k.

had to do it a few years ago. 1700$. it was cheaper to do that then to get the data back (airborne geophysics) but i got a complimentary external hard drive with that 1700$ hahaha