dads computer failed, need files

unwashed potato! · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:01

my dads computer failed over the weekend, reason unknown, but he has loads of holiday photos on there which we are hoping to get back.

When it went wrong it first would come up with a black screen quickly after on button was pushed which said something (he didn't write it down) so after a few attempts of turn off and on he dcided to put the recovery floppy drive in, which did something for like a minute but then just froze on a loading screen with a bar below it so he took that out and gave up.

I had a look at if the other day and all it does now is go to the screen which lets you chose safe mode, normal mode, last working mode etc, and then when any of the options are chosed it just restarts and does it again.

Now he alright with accepting its broke and a reinstall is needed, however he hasn't back up and of his holiday photos. What im wondering is if there is any way in which he can get them back?

thanks guys

modo77 · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:03

Plug the hard drive in on another pc?

Felix Da Housecat · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:06

My advice would be to take the hard drive out, install it in a working pc and try either finding the files on the drive if they are still there or use some software for recovering the lost files.

What ever you do don't make any changes to the hard drive if possible as it makes the job of recovering the images harder.

unwashed potato! · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:06

thought of that but wont that just do the same thing as windowsis stored on that? he is borrowing another computer for ages soon so i will give it a go but i wouldn't know what that would do and how i'd install it on another pc, unles you just mean plug it in

RichieUK · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:18

Yeah, set the BIOS up so the working version of Windows is the first boot priorty (it already will be). Plug the dodgy drive in and set it up in the BIOS as a secondary drive. It should show up in My Computer as an extra drive. HOpefully you can get the pictures you need off it

Poolybit · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:20

If you can't access the drive..the only SURE way of getting those pictures back is Data Recovery and for that you will be looking a tidy penny thats for sure.

Something like £250 for looking at a drive and recovering a gig... something like that.

unwashed potato! · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:25

RichieUK said:
Yeah, set the BIOS up so the working version of Windows is the first boot priorty (it already will be). Plug the dodgy drive in and set it up in the BIOS as a secondary drive. It should show up in My Computer as an extra drive. HOpefully you can get the pictures you need off it

ok thanks for the advice, will give it a try when he gets the next computer