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Make a girl smile

ThaSoulHacker

By ThaSoulHacker,
in Apple Computers and Hardware

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ThaSoulHacker
ThaSoulHacker
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As much of a geek as I am I am willing to admit I don't know everything and I figured this might be the best source to find help for my problem.

 

My girlfriend's Toshiba laptop HDD died. It was working fine, but her laptop casing broke so she took it into Best Buy for them to repair the case. Unfortuently in the process her Hard Drive died. They replaced it with a new one, but files she needs are still on the old one. Files that can't be downloaded or replaced. She was told by Best Buy that they couldn't retrieve anything from it, but they gave it to her to see if she wanted to take it to someone else to try.

 

I have an external USB 2.0 HDD case for laptop HDD's. I plug it into Windows and it just crashes Windows onces it tries to install the new device. I plug it in Mac and it shows up just fine. I can right click on the HDD and select "Get Info" and see that there is information still on the HDD. I've even opened it up and noticed that everything seems to be there before it froze up on me. I've tried to copy the HDD to my Mac or use Disk Utility to restore it to another external HDD, but both lock up my Mac. I've used a data recovery program that has worked wonders for me in the past "Data Rescue II," but that works fine until the last 7 minutes of scanning. Nothing seems to work for recovering that info.

 

This is where you come in. That information is valuable to her. If someone comes up with a solution that works and you make her smile and happy again she may even pay you say $50. Please help recover that data.

 

A Mac or Windows solution is ok. It doesn't matter, anything that gets that data back. Thanks.

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Deviant0ne
Deviant0ne
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If you can see the files in Mac, I would say try copying the files over to a folder on your working Mac from the dead HD one at a time. It may work better in strides rather than trying to get all the information off at once. I'm not sure if this will work at all, but that would be the next step for me.

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The Baron
The Baron
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I'd get a decent linux 'live' cd, make a fat32 partition large enough for the files on your windows pc, then boot up linux and copy all files from the command line. Theres plenty of info out there, try google if you're unsure, or ask back here. I've used Slax (http://www.slax.org/download.php) in the past to do a similar thing, works like a charm.

 

Andy.

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The Baron
The Baron
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That's a very desparate way of doing things - the 'host' drive must be exactly the same as the 'donor', same firmware, components etc, plus the swap must be done in a zero-dust environment - not really possible. Try the other methods first (leave the freezer till you've tried the non-invasive techniques, it usually leaves the disk knackered)

 

Andy

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non sequitur
non sequitur
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i'd go with the live cd thing. i used a live cd of ubuntu to reformat a friends hard drive when his windows install was messed up. some people swear by using live cds for recovery. if the freeazer trick doesnt work(never tried that one) then try using a live cd to look at the files.

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Suzuka
Suzuka
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That's a very desparate way of doing things - the 'host' drive must be exactly the same as the 'donor', same firmware, components etc, plus the swap must be done in a zero-dust environment - not really possible. Try the other methods first (leave the freezer till you've tried the non-invasive techniques, it usually leaves the disk knackered)

 

Andy

 

hmm maybe it is,

but a similar story: my sisters laptop HDD broke (For the third time and this time her warrenty expired) so she gave it to me to try and fix so heres what I did I ran the windows installer and while it checked the disk, I shoved the HDD back in. this of course eresed the disk, but if you cant find a way to fix it, this method will save you some money

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ThaSoulHacker
ThaSoulHacker
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Well, I'm awake and back to my computer again. It's nice to see that I got some different options to try beyond smashing the HDD or praying for some divine being to magically make things work. I do have an Ubuntu live CD kicking around somewhere, but I haven't really used linux enough yet to call myself skilled, so I guess it'll be a learning experience. I know for a fact you can not simply copy the files even one by one from it in mac or windows, because it locks up finder (mac) and explorer (windows) once you try to actually access a file. Well actually windows locks up once plug and play kicks in and tries to install the new USB device. So I'll try what's mentioned so far and get back to you as I know what happens.

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rollcage
rollcage
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True, but if the HD is dead already, he doesn't have much to lose... :)

 

yeah, but if it doesn't work you are completely screwed. i'd save that for when all other possible options have been exhausted. if you get to that point, make sure you suck all the air out of the bag and seal it air tight. any moisture will just kill you hdd.

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Ouch
Ouch
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I have access to a disk cloning device at my work which does a bit by bit clone of the disk. I live in the UK but if your prepared to post it to me i don't mind sticking in the machine and giving it a try. :) I also have access to a program called stellar pheonix which works miracles where file allocation tables are damaged or unreadable.

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ThaSoulHacker
ThaSoulHacker
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Well this is it, the big update. I tried using the latest version of Vista, Ubuntu, XP, and Mac, but no software worked. Whenever you try to scan the drive the OS locks up and crashes. It doesn't matter if you try to retrieve the files using a floppy and PC and do it at boot, because either DOS crashes or the HDD just stops. It also started making noises. Scratching, knocking, and kind of a scretching sound. On my last attempt I tried the HDD seemed to have just died flat out and wouldn't even show in Mac anymore. I'm not sure why that is, but it was obviously having problems already, so maybe it's just more hardware failure or maybe switch OS's so much (but I find that doubtful) or maybe it's the software (also I find that doubtful), but it didn't show up and even software doesn't pick it up, but the power light is on and it did still make sounds.

 

So I decided what the heck I'll do the freezer method. I wrapped the HDD up good plastic wrap and put it into several bags in with I tried to suck the air out of at much as possible. I placed it in the freezer for 30 minutes and test my luck. I've never been one to be lucky and that still proves true. Doubly true 'cause a DVD for school somehow is unreadable now (distance education), but atleast they can give me a new one of those free of charge. The HDD sounded better on plug in/start up, but then the noises came and still no showing up in Windows or Mac or Linux. I let it run for a bit hoping it would sort itself out, but after about 10 minutes of noises the HDD just stopped altogether. I let it rest and tried again. Nothing. I did the freezer method again. Nothing.

 

I called my girlfriend up and told her the situation. She was quite emotional that she would never see those files again, but in the end thankful knowing I tried my best for her. Thank you guys so much for giving some tidbits advice to try that I hadn't thought of before. So with her permission and reading a bit online I began the lengthy and stressful process of switching HDD disks as a last suicidal attempt, since the HDD was swimming in heaven (or hell or some eternal place of death). Everything seemed to go smoothly. I was able to take everything apart alright [i have an amazing screw driver kit with just the right bits so that was cool] and make the transfer will relative ease. Although it did take me a long time 'cause I was tringing to be as careful as possble. Well, I crossed my fingers hoping I'd get lucky and well, to be blunt I wasn't. It still made the same stupid noise and still doesn't show up.

 

I'm not going to ship it to Europe or someone else 'cause well I can take it better knowing I screwed up then kicking myself in the pants blaming someone else like FedEx or the other person working on it. In the end I blame Best Buy, because I have a laptop from them as well and in a year and a half my HDD became incredibly slow and the boot corrupted, USB 1/2 ports failed, my ethernet and wireless worked half the time, and my touchpad was jumpy. They apparently replace everything and things still aren't working, so I guess it's just my luck again or my local Best Buy sucks the big one.

 

I'm at wits end and after a week of trying (most of it being today) and with the latest devolopments I kind of think its a pipe dream to see those files again. Thanks for your support. I know you guys tried to help me the best you could and I'm really thankful to be a part of - in my opinion - the best Mac forum out there. I'll continue to check in for a day or two to see if there is any thing I can do, besides pay big dollars for it to be recovered 'cause the data isn't worth the price despite its value on owner. With that I'm going to call it a night and relax. Thanks again everyone.

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