Corrupted HDD - How to Recover?

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

I have a problem with a family members PC, the PC would not boot from the SATA HDD, corrupted Windows 7 boot sector or the drive is gone bad. Tried to repair boot sector, still no dice. Disconnected HDD, installed a spare SSD which I had lying around and installed Windows 10 without any issues. When I turn off the PC and connect the bad HDD to the one of the SATA ports (tried all) and set the newer SSD with Win 10 installed as the primary boot drive, Windows 10 just sits in limbo unable to boot to the desktop. Removing the bad HDD allows it to boot into windows with no issues from the SDD. I can not fathom how when the HDD is connected it is somehow confusing windows and not allowing to boot from the SSD? All I want to do now is recover whatever files are on the HDD but being unable to boot into windows with the two drives connected is impossible? I've tried connecting the bad HDD SATA whilst booted into windows but I suspect as the specific drivers have not loaded during boot and hot swapping is not achievable this is also impossible.

Is my only option a SATA to USB cable and try and read the drive this way?

Toothless · Feb 24, 2018

I had a dead HDD prevent booting from an SSD before. Try to run it via USB and if that doesn't work, I'm sure someone else knows what to do next. I sure don't.

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

Toothless said:
I had a dead HDD prevent booting from an SSD before. Try to run it via USB and if that doesn't work, I'm sure someone else knows what to do next. I sure don't.

Seems like the only option. Thanks mate.

Jetster · Feb 24, 2018

Linux to recover files.

But did you try a repair with a windows install?

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

Jetster said:
Linux to recover files

But did you try a repair with a windows install?

I did but no go

Jetster · Feb 24, 2018

If Linux doesn't work
The you will need to replace the circuit board on the drive. Maybe buy another used drive just like it and swap them. That would be my next move if the data is important

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

Thanks mate. I'll give it a go

I should have added, the BIOS sees the drive as well but wont read

R-T-B · Feb 24, 2018

Jetster said:
If Linux doesn't work
The you will need to replace the circuit board on the drive. Maybe buy another used drive just like it and swap them. That would be my next move if the data is important

Uh.... no.

I've done this. Drive controller boards have factory configuration info on them that prevents hotswapping in most if not all cases. What you are advising will likely DESTROY what little data is left.

If the data is valuable, consult a data recovery service. It won't be cheap, mind.

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

Jetster said:
Linux to recover files.

But did you try a repair with a windows install?

Which version of Linux BTW?

Aquinus · Feb 24, 2018

Dia01 said:
Which version of Linux BTW?

Any. I use Ubuntu but, recovering data doesn't mean it won't still be corrupted. If data on the drive is bad, it's going to be bad no matter which way you get it off and that without a checksum there is literally no hope of properly repairing it. Remember that using Linux helps you get your files, it doesn't help you repair them. In fact repairing them probably isn't even realistic if data has been corrupted.

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

Aquinus said:
Any. I use Ubuntu but, recovering data doesn't mean it won't still be corrupted. If data on the drive is bad, it's going to be bad no matter which way you get it off and that without a checksum there is literally no hope of properly repairing it. Remember that using Linux helps you get your files, it doesn't help you repair them. In fact repairing them probably isn't even realistic if data has been corrupted.

In Ubuntu atm, I can see the drive and copying over to an external HDD as we speak. Never used Linux before, dissapointed I haven't now, seems to be going ok

Thanks guys for the advice :toast:

Aquinus · Feb 24, 2018

If the drive mounted and it's copying files, you're already doing pretty good. Bad situations where the drive won't even mount or copy files takes much more time and effort to recover data. Don't be surprised if it stops copying half way through if there really is an issue though. Different steps need to be taken to do that and it usually involves using dd.

Dia01 · Feb 24, 2018

There are a few files that won't copy over atm. Mostly going ok I think atm. Thanks mate.

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Corrupted HDD - How to Recover?

Dia01

Toothless

Tech, Games, and TPU!

Dia01

Jetster

Dia01

Jetster

Dia01

R-T-B

Dia01

Aquinus

Resident Wat-man

Dia01

Aquinus

Resident Wat-man

Dia01

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