External Hard Drive Fail!

[red delicious]

I've got a 1TB external hard drive that I use as a back up. My lovely baby daughter walked up to my desk and some how managed to pull the drive off of my desk.

Now, it will show me the thumbnails but I cannot open or transfer the files off the drive. I keep getting the error "Cannot read files (cyclic redundancy error)"

I've got two album designs that I made earlier this month on there and, stupidly, I didn't back them up anywhere. I can redesign them, but...I really don't want to.

Any one know of a way to fix this or if there is a good shop I can take the drive to?

Thanks,
Leslie

[zerovision]

Have not had to use anyone for data recovery yet, but you might try 24 Hour Data. They are local, but it looks like it will be a minimum of $200. Most of them offer no charge if they are unable to recovery your data for you.

www.24hourdata.com.

Hope it works out for you.

[Hanky]

turn it off and leave it off until you decide to fix it or not.

[red delicious]

My husband is obnoxiously tech savvy and he's taking a look at it right now. I'll give 24 Hour Data a call if he can't make it work. Earlier I remembered that I had some photos of my kiddos in the blue bonnets that I didn't back up either! I'm always so horrible about backing up my own family stuff. GAH!

Anyway, your replies and advice are made of awesomeness and win sprinkled in unicorns!

[zeroendless]

Windows system?

Two things you can do for external drive without the proprietary NAS format.

1) Remove the cover, plug the bare drive directly to your computer via SATA or IDE interface. If you are lucky, damage only done on drive interface, you should be up and running in no time.

2) software recovery or using windows to repair damaged blocks.

Most local shop will do the same using software recovery app, then charge you 3-4 times as much as the app cost. So i suggest you buy the software and do it yourself, hey... you get to keep the app too. They can't perform physical disk recovery anyway, which will cost you up to thousands of dollars..........

i once tested probably about 10 apps or more on file recovery, ranging from $19.99 to $2,000. This one got my vote and it even repair raid array.

http://www.file-recovery.net/

[Flea77]

Originally Posted by zeroendless

Most local shop will do the same using software recovery app, then charge you 3-4 times as much as the app cost. So i suggest you buy the software and do it yourself, hey... you get to keep the app too. They can't perform physical disk recovery anyway, which will cost you up to thousands of dollars..........

While this may be true of some, a "good" local shop will do a LOT more than just run a simple piece of recovery software. At least my shop does, WAY WAY more.

Allan

[kenw]

Originally Posted by Flea77

While this may be true of some, a "good" local shop will do a LOT more than just run a simple piece of recovery software. At least my shop does, WAY WAY more.

Allan

Only if they need to, they will try the simpler fixes 1st.

my suggestion?

1st, take the old one apart, disconnect the drive from the interface board and then plug everthing back in. you would be surprised how often reseating the connectors fixes things.

If still no workee, just buy a new hard drive enclosure ($10-20, Best Buy, Fry's) and put your old drive in it. The electronics USB/FW IDE/SATA interface board inside the box is often the failed part, drives themselves are pretty durable. If that doesn't work, well, you're only out $20 and you know it is in fact the actual drive and not the interface.

[red delicious]

Thanks Dan, Allan & Ken. I called the 24 Hour Data like zerovision suggested. They concurred with Hanky that I should just turn it off until I can bring it in.

Since the drive itself is not making any unusual noises (grinding, whirring, clicking) they think it's just a digital error and are hopefull that they can perform a recovery at minimal cost.

::crosses fingers::

I have a recovery program that I bought for what I called the Great Compact Flash Fail of 2008. I tried to run the program earlier today, but it was unable to perform the recovery due to disc errors.

I'll show my husband your suggestions and if he's comfortable taking the thing apart (and honestly, isn't it programmed into male DNA?) then i'll have him try it tomorrow. I will keep you guys updated.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and advice! You all make my heart beat happy!

[ramblinray]

The most valuable lesson to be learned here is: Small children and expensive/critical equipment do not mix well. Place one out of reach from the other. Cords of all types look like great fun to small inquisitive ruggats. Just remember that Mommie is the one that didn't take the proper precautions. Baby was just doing what babies always do, break something that you least desire broken.

I hope your data recovery goes well. Since there are no unusual noises, it should be a relatively simple fix. Simple does not always translate to inexpensive though. You'll be laughing about this in no time and it will make a great story to tell her when she is old enough to appreciate her antics.

[Flea77]

Originally Posted by kenw

Only if they need to, they will try the simpler fixes 1st.

Then you have been using the wrong local shops! The absolute first thing we would do is make a bit copy of the drive onto another drive so that there was no way we could make things worse, then we play with the copy to see if it is just a data error. We have a lot of other tricks up our sleeves as well other than just running a cheap piece of software.

Allan

[warlord48]

Sounds like Allan has a smidgen of forensic technique under his belt.

[zerovision]

Any news? Is your drive fixed?

[zebulus]

http://www.recuva.com/

Price=$0.00

[kenw]

Originally Posted by warlord48

Sounds like Allan has a smidgen of forensic technique under his belt.

maybe a smidgen, but 30 years in the electronics manufacturing bidness says reseat all connections 1st without changing ANY hardware.

a real computer tech would do this intuitively..... many times, fancier backups and repairs really haven't done anything but reseat (by disconnecting and reattaching) connectors.

The novice repairperson thinks that whatever they did fixed it, the expert knows that the reseating may have in fact be all that was needed.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by zerovision

Any news? Is your drive fixed?

With only twelve posts in almost a year, Leslie has probably gone bye bye.