Re: HDD Failure - What to do?

["jonsemailstuff" <jonsemailstuff@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tim,

I assume you are using windows. I had a disk that was completely
unreadable under windows, but I managed to rescue the contents under
linux. If you don't have linux installed, try a bootable CD such as
knoppix - you just download the iso image, burn it to CD and boot your
computer. I think I'd also be tempted to connect it directly to your
IDE bus rather than using a USB adaptor.

You should be able to copy most of your stuff onto the hard disk
already on your machine.

I've not heard the freezer trick before, but I don't think it would be
a good idea as you are likely to get condensation indside the drive
(they are not hermetically sealed as some people believe).

Hope this helps,
Jon



--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Hawes,Timothy Edward \(GEG\)"
<haweste@a...> wrote:
> I recently 'inherited' an older PC. It will boot through the BIOS but
> then it stops. I've taken the Maxtor HDD out and tried to read it via
a
> USB adaptor with another PC and although it makes encouraging noises,
I
> always get the following message: "E:\ is not accessible. The
file or
> directory is corrupted and unreadable."
>
> I've put the drive in the freezer and then tried to read it but still
> get the same error.
>
> Is there anything else I can try? I don't think it's worth sending off
> to data recovery co.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tim.
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]