Failing HDD and Cloning

[Static~Charge]

Why not try it and find out? Copying file by file won't work on half failing drives.

At this point, file copying stands a much better chance of success than drive imaging. If the hard drive is failing, trying to create an image of it will likely fail. You might get part of the drive copied, but the image won't be usable because it doesn't contain the whole drive. Unreadable sectors will produce gaps in your data; the image that you create will be crap. If these gaps are in the operating system files, the image will be unbootable. Plus, the intensive nature of imaging is very likely to cause a failing drive to completely fail. The image will be incomplete, and your data will be gone. RejZor's idea of using TeraCopy to do a file-by-file copy is a good one.

 

[xvi]

Roadkill's Unstoppable Copier comes to mind too, although I haven't used it myself. I'd try other suggestions first, but this would be an option.
http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29

Programs like Tera Copy

+1 to TeraCopy in general. Really like that program for day to day stuff too.

 

[OOLuigiOo]

At this point, file copying stands a much better chance of success than drive imaging. If the hard drive is failing, trying to create an image of it will likely fail. You might get part of the drive copied, but the image won't be usable because it doesn't contain the whole drive. Unreadable sectors will produce gaps in your data; the image that you create will be crap. If these gaps are in the operating system files, the image will be unbootable. Plus, the intensive nature of imaging is very likely to cause a failing drive to completely fail. The image will be incomplete, and your data will be gone. RejZor's idea of using TeraCopy to do a file-by-file copy is a good one.

Already tried TeraCopy, but it's much too slow, so slow that it's as if it's doing nothing...

This drive is very slow and it was faster while failing until now.

 

[Static~Charge]

Already tried TeraCopy, but it's much too slow, so slow that it's as if it's doing nothing...

This drive is very slow and it was faster while failing until now.

TeraCopy is performing slowly because your hard drive is trying over and over again to read data from bad sectors. This will affect every program that you might use, including Windows Explorer and any disk imaging software.

 

[OOLuigiOo]

TeraCopy is performing slowly because your hard drive is trying over and over again to read data from bad sectors. This will affect every program that you might use, including Windows Explorer and any disk imaging software.

What if the image software were to ignore bad sectors?

Or cloning were to do it?

 

[Static~Charge]

What if the image software were to ignore bad sectors?

Ignoring bad sectors = missing data on the target drive. Even worse if the bad sectors hold the MFT (Master File Table) data.

Or cloning were to do it?

Have you ever heard of the saying "Garbage in, garbage out"? That's what your drive cloning software will accomplish.

 

[OOLuigiOo]

So if TeraCopy isn't accomplishing anything, then what?

By missing data, you mean missing files, right or data needed for image restoring?

 

[Jetster]

Short of forensic software. Copying is all you an do. Cloning software is design to work on a drive that's working. The WD rep already told you this

 

[tabascosauz]

So if TeraCopy isn't accomplishing anything, then what?

By missing data, you mean missing files, right or data needed for image restoring?

"Then what?"

All your options are on the first page, in like, the first 5 posts. We've given you a lot of suggestions but you seem intent on trying to clone a drive that's in its death throes. Why are you so hesitant to just buy a new drive, clean install Windows, then connect your old drive and manually copy things over while booted into your fresh Windows installation? I see no reason why you would be waiting and trying to clone the drive unless you have a pirated copy or have lost the Windows key. You already know where your important data is, so you can go ahead with what's been suggested.

HDDs tend to, but aren't guaranteed to show lots and lots of SMART errors before they die. Modern SSDs do a somewhat better job in this department. You don't need to analyze every possibility; make your data/computer safe by getting a new drive, be it a HDD or SSD, install your OS again, then talk about how you're going to extract what you need from your old drive. No hiccups whatsoever.

Seagate drives, in my experience with lots of Barracudas and Momentuses, are rather sketchy when it comes to reporting failing conditions. I'm not trying to be a WD fanboy here. Every WD drive that I've worked with has properly indicated in SMART that I should probably get a new drive, when the time comes for it to fade away. With Seagate, I've had a drive that started to do wacky stuff and only showed SMART errors a few weeks in, and another that screamed Critical SMART error every 5 minutes then ceased and proceeded to work properly for the last year and a half.

 

[OOLuigiOo]

You seem intend on this install clean install windows when I have said windows does not run on that drive and TeraCopy doesn't even budge anymore.
for moving files from that drive. Then there are those that have suggested imaging and 1 or 2 that talked about cloning software.

I now have 3 HDDs left...

So nothing is copying, no cloning and imaging, now what?

 

[Jetster]

What does the smart data say?

http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html

 

[tabascosauz]

You seem intend on this install clean install windows when I have said windows does not run on that drive and TeraCopy doesn't even budge anymore.
for moving files from that drive. Then there are those that have suggested imaging and 1 or 2 that talked about cloning software.

I now have 3 HDDs left...

So nothing is copying, no cloning and imaging, now what?

Physical damage then? If not even a software that is designed to skip over bad sectors can get what you're looking for then maybe that's it for this drive? I'm sure that there are experts on data retrieval out there that can take a shot at it but it's not guaranteed that they'll get anything out of it.

Did you try to just copy some files one at a time to see if the drive cooperates, as suggested? This old 320GB drive wouldn't copy folders but would do the contents of the folders one at a time.

 

[Jetster]

Next step would be to use a program like Get back Data or Recover my files. Seagate has recovery software not sure about WD

 

[OOLuigiOo]

Next step would be to use a program like Get back Data or Recover my files. Seagate has recovery software not sure about WD

How does this work on a HDD that isn't copying files or or does so at a rate so slow it as if it's not doing anything?

 

[Jetster]

Well the process is slow. It can take days. But it works for some data recovery

http://www.recovermyfiles.com/

But what does the smart data say?

 

[OOLuigiOo]

Well, does Acronis keep reports on an HDD smart data?

 

[taz420nj]

Bottom line is trying to image/clone the drive is a useless waste of time. I've tried it every way possible with several different programs (including Reflect and Acronis) and it never produces anything usable. Either the image creation fails (even with the Ignore Errors option) or the image itself is corrupt and unmountable. The only option is to move (not copy) file by file, skipping anything that hangs the system, then go back and run chkdsk l: /f /r and see if it can recover the bad sectors and retry moving the remaining files.

As far as the SMART debacle, I use WinDFT for diagnosis, and I've seen many drives which otherwise indicate SMART OK, but then give an error like "Read Element Failure" in DFT. The huge read times are a sure-fire symptom of that.

 

[Jigar]

Bottom line is trying to image/clone the drive is a useless waste of time. I've tried it every way possible with several different programs (including Reflect and Acronis) and it never produces anything usable. Either the image creation fails (even with the Ignore Errors option) or the image itself is corrupt and unmountable. The only option is to move (not copy) file by file, skipping anything that hangs the system, then go back and run chkdsk l: /f /r and see if it can recover the bad sectors and retry moving the remaining files.

As far as the SMART debacle, I use WinDFT for diagnosis, and I've seen many drives which otherwise indicate SMART OK, but then give an error like "Read Element Failure" in DFT. The huge read times are a sure-fire symptom of that.

Dear Taz420nj.

Seagate Drives Are Designed Badly From 7200.11 Model To Till 7200.14 Model They Dont Get Stability.
You Can Check Yourself That Seagate All New Model from 2014 to 2015 Above 1tb are failed very quickly they not passed the warrantly perioud too and died.
Now Seagate Start Sales Encrypted Drives in The Currunt 2015 models Are Encrypted And Locked Also.
i clearly seen lots of issues in the seagate from 2015 to 2016. people never buy seagate products.
and without the clint no any product being best or no1.

 

[95Viper]

Dear Taz420nj.

Seagate Drives Are Designed Badly From 7200.11 Model To Till 7200.14 Model They Dont Get Stability.
You Can Check Yourself That Seagate All New Model from 2014 to 2015 Above 1tb are failed very quickly they not passed the warrantly perioud too and died.
Now Seagate Start Sales Encrypted Drives in The Currunt 2015 models Are Encrypted And Locked Also.
i clearly seen lots of issues in the seagate from 2015 to 2016. people never buy seagate products.
and without the clint no any product being best or no1.

Your opinion... And, I disagree.
Seagate had some problems; however, no more than others manufacturers.
I have some Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS drives that have been flashed to the CC49 firmware that are rolling on 3 years of use and have no problems.

Seagate products are just as good, if not better, than some.
And, you find just as many praises, as condemnations, on the internet for just about every product ever made.

 

[taz420nj]

Your opinion... And, I disagree.
Seagate had some problems; however, no more than others manufacturers.
I have some Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS drives that have been flashed to the CC49 firmware that are rolling on 3 years of use and have no problems.

Seagate products are just as good, if not better, than some.
And, you find just as many praises, as condemnations, on the internet for just about every product ever made.

The large box of failed Seagate drives I use for target practice on a monthly basis begs to differ.. I see more computers with failed Seagate drives in my shop than any other brand by at least 4 to 1.

 

[Jetster]

The large box of failed Seagate drives I use for target practice on a monthly basis begs to differ.. I see more computers with failed Seagate drives in my shop than any other brand by at least 4 to 1.

Your full of it. Its easy to search fail rates and all the brands are very close in percentage. Seagate is no worse than WD or any other. Drives nowadays are more reliable than ever in history.

 

[dorsetknob]

Having read the thread from the beginning and each subsequent post's

BUY A NEW DRIVE
INSTALL O/S
BOOT FROM NEW DRIVE INTO o/S
then copy as much data as you can from failing Drive to new Drive

Then

Throw the old FUCKED Drive into the Trash after introducing it to Mr 7lb Sledgehamer or his Friend A pickaxe

Nuff said on this Subject

 

[taz420nj]

Your full of it. Its easy to search fail rates and all the brands are very close in percentage. Seagate is no worse than WD or any other. Drives nowadays are more reliable than ever in history.

Lol whatever you say. I own a computer repair business and I know what I replace. Unless you can say the same, the only one full of it is you.

Kthxbye.

 

[rtwjunkie]

This thread.... It just goes round and round.

 

[OneMoar]

Lol whatever you say. I own a computer repair business and I know what I replace. Unless you can say the same, the only one full of it is you.

Kthxbye.

drop the attitude because A: you are wrong B: nobody gives a shit what you do for a living if I had a nickle for every so called "pc repair shop" I have embarrassed/caught bullshitting or just flat out not having a fucking clue what they are doing I would be a very rich man ) and going by your attitude I would't take a machine within 100 miles of your "shop"

and yes the 1TB and 3TB OEM/green drives made from 2008-2012 sucked hard which is why you will indeed see so many failures because OEM's put them in everything because they where cheap
and I feel I need to remind you that its not just segate that had runs of 'bad drives' WD/hitachi, IBM all had drives that where just junk from the factory as with the case of almost any anything made on the planet
you can find the numbers here
https://www.backblaze.com/blog/best-hard-drive/
and I dare say the folk at backblaze know just a little bit more about hard drives than you.
----
//ontopic
@OOLuigiOo
put the drive in a zip-lock bad and freeze for 6H
remove and while the drive is still cold,start pulling data
repeat until you have recovered all the data you need to save.

and stop asking stupid questions while you are at it
YOUR HARD DRIVE IS GARBAGE REPLACE IT