How do you extract data from a "crashed" Hard Drive?

Hello folks, I have an issue on my hands.

As I'm doing some computer servicing, I recieved a call from a lady who said that she bought a new computer, but that her old computer "crashed" (as how she termed it), and she wants me to save important pictures she had saved on that computer. I was like "Well, if the computer 'crashed', how is that possible? ", and she was like "well that's your job ".

Unfortunately, I've never run into one of these instances. Do any of you know here what is the most efficient way for extracting data from a "crashed" HD? I'm not sure it's even crashed, all I know is that the term "crashed" in her mind means "it won't boot up ". She says she really doesn't care about her old computer...she just wants some images saved.

Anyone here have an idea? (I have no clue what operating system she uses as we talked shortly).

Thanks.

 

Well, crashing can be caused by malware, power spikes, poor operation, etc. Since you do not know if the old PC just needs a reboot from a BootDisk or whether one of its parts is not working or whether the old hard drive is damaged. So you have to go over there and try various steps to get the old PC running. If the old PC won't boot, then you could try taking out its hard drive and slaving it to the new PC and transferring files that way. Of course that won't work if the drive is damaged. In that case, she is talking major cost for the services of a company that restores data from damaged drives.

 

Then I would question why you are doing this as a commercial endeavor - if thats what you are doing. Its one thing to tinker with your own computer but the rules change when you are servicing others equipment. Perhaps you might want to try your hand at cardio-vascular surgery and see what suits you best.

 

Rockster2U

Wise Advise

 

True.

Quickest way (what I usually do) is yank the hard drive and throw it in a junk system (so as not to damage mine if the drive is that bad) then copy the files over to another computer... 99.99999999999% of the time they are not encryted so no worries there.

If she bought a new PC there is no point trying to repair the old one to rescue a few lousy pictures.

 

A good thing to do would be to suggest that in the future the party store them on somehing else besides that HD.

CD for safer keeping. The HD for use.

BillyBob

 

I agree strongly with Rockster2U's view on the whole situation! I work on systems and could not say that I know everything but if it's something I'm not familiar with I let the customer know. I will then let them know that, if I take a look at it, there is a good chance that I may be able to come up with something but that I can not guarantee anything. I also let them know that if I solve the problem I will charge at 75% of my hourly charge as I can not justify charging full price when I have to experiment just to come up with a procedure. I also let them know that since I don't know if I can or can not fix it that there will be NO charge if I do not suceed.

 

That is very lousey, poor and un-necessary attitude.

That is why I have ( and suggest same ) to keep them backed up on a CD.

A CDRW will work. But for more permanent and less chance of Loss I burn them to a CD.

Oh BTW. Thanks for reminding me folks. I have a bunch that needs to be burned.

BillyBob

 

I feel somewhat insulted. I've been operating in this field for approximately 7 years now. I have an AS in CIS Computer Networking, and I've troubleshooted, repaired, and built a number of computers in my lifetime. However, it just happens to RANDOMLY be that I've never had a situation where I've had to extract data from a "crashed" Hard Drive!

Is that so hard to understand??

I even have my own business: www.practek.com

 

Everyone took my post the wrong way. Why rescue a PC to save the pictures when you could yank the hard drive to retreive them, she already has a new one and said she doesn't care about the old PC?

Calm down people, loosen your collars.

 

The clue there is the Words ( doesn't care about the PC )

She may not care about the PC itself that is true. If a certain one of mine crashed I would not care either. But I could just put the HD in another machine and grab the pictures off of it. I HOPE !! ( they are on CD anyway )

If the HD itself crashed then it may be a whole different story.

It may depend on WHAT CRASHED. If it was the PC then it might be possible to put the HD in another machine and maybe get stuff off of it.

If it happens to be in NTFS format that might make this a bit more difficult.

If it is one of the newer LARGE size ( 120 and up ) all in one partition, that might makes things more difficult also.

But it is still the words " A few lousey pictures " that pulled my chain.

No it is not

Once in awhile I myself run into something that I may have had a problem with before on machine A. But the problem on machine B may take a whole different approach.

BillyBob

 

Lysimachus:

If, after 7 years you've never been challenged to recover any files from a crashed hard drive.................

Why don't you just tell this woman that you have an AS in CIS Computer Networking, have never "randomly" been confronted with this kind of problem and have never done this type of work before. If she accepts that - go for it. If not, refer her to a qualified technician who has.

Seems simple enough to me.

 

Not gonna get into a spitting contest here but it just seems to me that anyone with 7 years experience with anything on a computer... dosen't know the very basics of trouble shooting... I just don't get it. 7 years of just playing... ya know that if you can't boot ya plop in a rescue disk or boot floppy and see if the drive can be read. Or if the system will boot under the simplest of situations.

Not trying to be insulting here. I'm really not. I just don't get it.

 

Hey, here's a thought...

Hey, all... Let's help out someone... Put up here e-mail or give her the url of this site and we'll help her for free. This isn't a difficult problem. The procedures are very basic and simple. Either the drive can be read or it can't. If it can't then the pics are lost. If it can then the recovery is very simple.

Ahhhhhhh, I have more to say but I'm not gonna. Not gonna get into that spitting contest.

 

Hi
I think rockster starts spitting nails before it necessary, which seems to be his MO....as I've seen from past posts.

This is a helpful web site where most are very helpful, everyone knows this is a volunteer site and no one is getting paid to help people, so attitudes should be left at the key board...so to speak.

As far as problems that one runs across in their daily endeavors to becoming more enlightened, this goes with any business.
I have been in graphic arts sense 1981, and still run into people that would like me to do things I've never done before.
I tell them so, I tell them I will try if I believe it is something I might be able to do. If they like it fine, they pay for it, if they don't then they can go else where to have it done. They lose nothing and I gain experience and knowledge.
When I look to someone with maybe more experience for some pointers I don't care to have someone spitting nails for asking a question. Especially in bold.

Geri

 

If one must have experienced every possible problem that can occur to cause a nonfunctioning computer to be qualified to fix 'broken' computers, none of the above folks are qualified, IMO, either to practice surgery or act as computer techs. And I'm not either!

 

I am with TonyT and Geri all the way on this one.

But one BIG PROBLEM here may be, how much help can Lysimachus get from the OWNER ?

If even she does not know what OS or how the HD was formated he may well be in big trouble. And just an " I THINK " may not do a bit of good.

Also was it say Home built or something like Dell, Compaq etc ? I think that alone could make a difference.

AND/OR. What was the owner doing when things went wrong ?

And what this post is all about is EXACTLLY WHY I have any real important stuff that I want to save backed up on CDs. Burned to CDs. Not CDRW. JUST IN CASE

If nothing else, that is one thing I have learned over the years and due to losing a few things I wish I had not. MAKE BACKUPS.

We never know when the you-know-what is going to hit the fan.

And if Lysimachus does get things fixed I hope he stresses BACKUP to the owner.

BillyBob

 

Truly sorry to learn you feel this way.

1682 seems to be an appropriate ending. I bid you all well.