[gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[sean]

I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just crashed.

I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive to
mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.

Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
able to make this happen?


				Thanks
				Sean
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Albert Hopkins]

On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
> crashed.
> 
> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive
> to
> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
> 
> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
> able to make this happen? 

If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much nothing
you can do.  
--
Albert W. Hopkins

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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Mick]

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On Sunday 27 May 2007 14:36, Albert Hopkins wrote:
> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
> > I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
> > crashed.
> >
> > I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive
> > to
> > mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
> >
> > Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
> > able to make this happen?
>
> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much nothing
> you can do.

On the other hand if it is a matter of an MS OS crash, just use a LiveCD and 
save the data onto a DVD/CDROM, CF memory stick, or a server.

-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Mark Kirkwood]

sean wrote:
> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just crashed.
> 
> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive to
> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
> 
> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
> able to make this happen?

What happened when you tried to mount it (and is it formatted NTFS or 
FATXX)?

If the disk has real errors (i.e bad sectors as opposed to 
software/windows problems), then app-forensics/autopsy might get the 
important user data off.

Cheers

Mark
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Alan McKinnon]

On Sunday 27 May 2007, Albert Hopkins wrote:
> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
> > I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
> > crashed.
> >
> > I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the
> > drive to
> > mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
> >
> > Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might
> > be able to make this happen?
>
> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much
> nothing you can do.


Wrong.

If the drive suffered a head crash, you would be amazed what data 
recovery experts can do.

But true enough, there might be very little that sean personally and by 
himself can do :-)

alan

-- 
Optimists say the glass is half full,
Pessimists say the glass is half empty,
Developers say wtf is the glass twice as big as it needs to be?

Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings dot co dot za
+27 82, double three seven, one nine three five
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[sean]

Albert Hopkins wrote:
> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
>> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
>> crashed.
>>
>> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive
>> to
>> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
>>
>> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
>> able to make this happen? 
> 
> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much nothing
> you can do.  
> --
> Albert W. Hopkins
> 

I think it is such a crash.
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[sean]

Mick wrote:
> On Sunday 27 May 2007 14:36, Albert Hopkins wrote:
>> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
>>> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
>>> crashed.
>>>
>>> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive
>>> to
>>> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
>>>
>>> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
>>> able to make this happen?
>> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much nothing
>> you can do.
> 
> On the other hand if it is a matter of an MS OS crash, just use a LiveCD and 
> save the data onto a DVD/CDROM, CF memory stick, or a server.
> 

Tried something like that, no good.
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[sean]

Alan McKinnon wrote:
> On Sunday 27 May 2007, Albert Hopkins wrote:
>> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
>>> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
>>> crashed.
>>>
>>> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the
>>> drive to
>>> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
>>>
>>> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might
>>> be able to make this happen?
>> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much
>> nothing you can do.
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> 
> If the drive suffered a head crash, you would be amazed what data 
> recovery experts can do.

They are very expensive, if I recall correctly?
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[sean]

Mark Kirkwood wrote:
> sean wrote:
>> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
>> crashed.
>>
>> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the drive to
>> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
>>
>> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might be
>> able to make this happen?
> 
> What happened when you tried to mount it (and is it formatted NTFS or
> FATXX)?
> 
> If the disk has real errors (i.e bad sectors as opposed to
> software/windows problems), then app-forensics/autopsy might get the
> important user data off.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Mark

Tried to mount it as NTFS.

Not familiar with this software, will have to check it out.

		Thanks
		Sean
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Alan McKinnon]

On Wednesday 30 May 2007, sean wrote:
> Alan McKinnon wrote:
> > On Sunday 27 May 2007, Albert Hopkins wrote:
> >> On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 09:26 -0400, sean wrote:
> >>> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that
> >>> just crashed.
> >>>
> >>> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the
> >>> drive to
> >>> mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for her.
> >>>
> >>> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I
> >>> might be able to make this happen?
> >>
> >> If the drive experienced a head crash, then there is pretty much
> >> nothing you can do.
> >
> > Wrong.
> >
> > If the drive suffered a head crash, you would be amazed what data
> > recovery experts can do.
>
> They are very expensive, if I recall correctly?

If you mean expensive as in the price tag is a largeish number, then the 
answer is yes.

But some data is priceless. One of our notebooks in the office had a 
disk crash two months back, no backups. The final cost was 50% the 
price of a new high end notebook, the cost of never getting that data 
back ever again was the loss of a 7 figure contract. For us, it was 
dirt cheap :-)

If your friend needs to get back data that means something to them but 
is otherwise not valuable, then they might be in for a shock

alan



-- 
Optimists say the glass is half full,
Pessimists say the glass is half empty,
Developers say wtf is the glass twice as big as it needs to be?

Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings dot co dot za
+27 82, double three seven, one nine three five
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Re: [gentoo-user] Trying to mount a bad disk

[Dan Farrell]

On Tue, 29 May 2007 22:13:58 -0400
sean <tech.junk@verizon.net> wrote:

> Mark Kirkwood wrote:
> > sean wrote:
> >> I have a Windows XP driver here that belongs to a friend that just
> >> crashed.
> >>
> >> I am trying to figure out if there is some way I can force the
> >> drive to mount on my system so that I can get some data off it for
> >> her.
> >>
> >> Not having much luck, would anyone have any tips as to how I might
> >> be able to make this happen?
> > 
> > What happened when you tried to mount it (and is it formatted NTFS
> > or FATXX)?
> > 
> > If the disk has real errors (i.e bad sectors as opposed to
> > software/windows problems), then app-forensics/autopsy might get the
> > important user data off.
> > 
> > Cheers
> > 
> > Mark
> 
> Tried to mount it as NTFS.
> 
> Not familiar with this software, will have to check it out.
> 
> 		Thanks
> 		Sean
There are things you can do if - AND ONLY IF - the drive doesn't work
when used as usual.  Don't try this until you're sure there's no other
option.  Also, I have never done this, but have had it explained to me
by 2 techs, one who owns his own shop, and another who worked
at compUSA, in the tech department, and I belive them. 

The first thing you can try is to freeze the drive.  How to keep the
condensation out, I don't know.. I seem to recall seeing a drive in an
antistatic bag in a freezer but I don't know the details.  hopefully
the internet can fill them in. You might also try keeping it cold with
compressed air cleaning canisters held upside down, or using them for
light cooling by themselves.  Look into it, at any rate, because I
think this one's promising.  

Secondly, a drive sometimes needs a little 'encouragement' before it'll
cough up the data.  Try tapping , nudging, or banging it around a
little before you decide to throw it away.

I certainly hope this helps a bit.  This is of course a last resort --
people are probably going to say it's rediculous, but there's no loss
at the point of your trashing the disk.  
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