Hard Drive Dead-- Recover folder?

Hi all,

I have a Dell Desktop Computer at work.

Today, the hard drive started making noise like the arm inside was flying back and forth, then shut down. Tried to re-boot without success.

Put in bootable floppy, and can get "C" drive to show up, but will not boot. I have a new drive to install, but there is one folder I really would like to recover from old drive. It is a back-up file for the Automotive management software we use.

The folder is in "C:\my documents" , is it possible to get to there from C prompt? I ran scandisk from DOS, and it says drive is ok, but took only about 3 seconds to scan a 10gig drive, so does not seem to me that it could have actually done it.

ANY help will be greatly appreciated.

Stupidly, the last external(Zip Drive) back-up was on 8-4-2004, so getting this folder will be a great help.

Thanks, Mark

PS: BACK IT UP NOW!!!!!! Trust me!! LOL

 

Yes...

At C: prompt type cd my documents. It will look like C:\> cd my documents. "CD" stands for "Change Directory ".

If this commamnd does not work then you will need to type at the C: prompt C:\> cd mydocu~1. Note the "~" sign. This key is just to left of number 1 key.

Some Links...
- http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000209.htm
- http://www.curlyj.co.uk/Pages/Dos_Commands.htm

HTH

 

The easiest way to do this is to install the new drive in place of the old one. Before installing the new drive, set the jumper on the rear so that it is a Master drive. There is a diagram on top of the drive showing the jumper positions. Connect it where the old one is now, it should be the center or Master position.
Leave the old drive disconnected until windows is installed, you want no interference from it.
When windows is installed, then connect the old drive. Change the jumper on the old drive so that it is configured as a Slave, and connect it to the end connection on the same ribbon as the new drive. Then boot up and copy the files in Windows Explorer.

 

Thanks,

I will try it as soon as I get new drive in.

Anyone wanna guess how my day is going to be spent??? LOL

Thanks, mark

 

Just wanted to let you all know. I cannot get into anything on the old hard drive. Tryed it in a different computer, and when Itry to beeo with it in there as a slave(or anything) it will not even recognize the good drive.

So, so far my folder is gone.

I tried to get some help from Dell. It is 2 months out of warranty. No problem they said..... we can sell ya an extended 1 year warranty. First, $100 because more than 30 days out of warranty, then another $99 for the warranty.

So for 200 bucks I told them I could have a warranty that on a 38 month old computer. When I said I could throw in 200 or 300 more and get a better computer than I had from them now, they offered to set me up with the sales dept.

Sorry, just kinda ticked me off when one business does not at least try and help out another. I bend the rules all the time when I need to.

Ok, done whining...

mark

 

When you hook up the drive as a slave, and then no drives are detected because of this, this is because either there is a jumper conflict, or you are unlucky enough not to have a keyed IDE ribbon or cable. This can cause you to plug it in backwards.
Another reason could be the existing C: drive is actually connected to the Slave position, and not the Master position, so when you hooked up the old drive you are actually connecting it to the Master position.
In some cases, have one drive jumpered as CS or Cable Select can foul things up. Cable Select means the cable connection determines whethor Master or Slave.
The end connection is the Slave, the middle connection is the Master.
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confCS-c.html
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confJumpering-c.html

 

mtbitt

As a further suggestion.

If you can get the files in question that wil be but.

But once you do get it and.or need to make new start ;

Get yourself a ReWritable CDROM. And then keep a backup on it EVERYTIME you make a backup. I do that with our Quicken/Checking accounts and it works great. AND I HAVE had to use it.

Or a 2nd HD works fine too. And I mean a 2nd separate HD. Not a partition on the same one.

I also have backups stored on another PC on the Network. Just in case.

BillyBob

 

Is it right?

 

Jason Qi, I've only seen the Master conn in the middle on 1 cable, all others the Master has been the end connector.

I've also encountered some hard drives (on some machines) that would only work using the CS jumper mode. Sometimes have to experement with the jumpers to get to recognize.

 

Jason Qi and TJ-IT, please read the first link I posted.
Two quotes from that page;
"the 40-conductor IDE/ATA cable select cables have the "master connector" as the middle device and the "slave connector" as the device at the end of the cable, farthest from the host "
"Unlike the old cables, with the 80-conductor cable, the master connector is at the end of the cable, and the slave is in the middle "