Hard drive failure imminent, I have a question!?!

CLLC

Hi MSE's :hello:

I've had to replace my hard drive as it was detected by S.M.A.R.T that the hard drive will imminently fail. The problem is all my data is still on the hard drive and it won't boot up for me to retrieve it :eek:

I have the idea disabling the SMART detection may allow me to retrieve some data but my laptop (HP 6720s) doesn't have the option in the BIOS to disable it. Any idea how I can?

Or any idea how I can retrieve my valuable data?

Thank you very much

Carl

P.S. I have tried to attach the HDD to the computer via the USB but the drive is detected just fails to open and be explored

P.S.S. It will definetly not boot into Windows whether it be Safe mode etc.

Gallstones

If you have attatched the drive via a USB adapter, this bypasses smart and should be able to be opened. In this case you have stated that it cant, and that usually means that the the partition table is broken. You can try certain programs to try and recover the partition tables but this can be flakey. let me know how you get on.

CLLC

Thanks for the reply! so that smart theory is out the window

Upon attaching it to USB it says I need to re-format it before I can use it (but even that fails).

Can you name me any free software that may help then?

Thanks!

Gallstones

I have some at home, will check when ive finished work.

CLLC

Gallstones wrote: »

I have some at home, will check when ive finished work.

Ah thanks :beer:
In the mean-time if anyone else has any suggestions, fire away!

closed

If it's detected by the bios, you may have more luck attaching it internally inside a desktop, are you talking about a failed laptop drive, and you have a desktop available?

Alternatively, a linux boot CD may be able to read it, such as avg rescure disk

CLLC

closed wrote: »

You may have more look attaching it internally, are you talking about a failed laptop drive, and you have a desktop available?

Thanks for the reply,

I'm talking about a failed laptop hard drive , which I have attached internally to a laptop and externally to a laptop via USB. I have also attached it externally to a desktop with no such luck

Esqui

Try getting a copy of Hirens http://www.hirensbootcd.net/download.html
(dowload the ISO and then copy to a CD).

If you have a spare hard drive, you could use something like Norton Ghost to copy an image over. If not, there are some other utilities that may be useful

closed

When you boot with it in the laptop, what happens.

totalsolutions

Have you tried freezing it yet?

TonyMMM

CLLC wrote: »

Upon attaching it to USB it says I need to re-format it before I can use it (but even that fails).

Thanks!

Do not format it or even try to format it ....that will only make it more difficult to retrieve anything.