Drive almost dead, how to get data off quick

ElectroBlaster

ElectroBlaster

ElectroBlaster

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Basically im a numpty for not heeding some warnings about a bad seagate sata drive, its going downhill fast and I need to get some large mpeg2 video files off it pronto. Ive managed to get the majority off it via windows but the last few are giving me cyclic redundancy errors and the transfer will fail.

Ive had a go with chkdsk/f under the dos window command in xp but it no longer corrects any error's... which is odd? at on point I was getting loads of bad sectors. Is there anything else I can try? Ive tried slowing the drive down which has helped a little bit and also tried using a linux boot cd with a basic cut down operating system to move these files but its going to take an age as the drives are using basic sata drivers.
 
It sounds to me like the drive has been failing for a while and it has been automatically reallocating bad sectors. The drive has now run out of spare good sectors to transfer the data to and you now have permanent data corruption because you have bad sectors within the original file.

How you move these files probably does not matter as the actual source file is corrupt, so whether you get it faster or slower, its still corrupt!

So basically, you are buggered! :(

You are now in the realms of professional data recovery, because most of the home data recovery tools assume you either have a mechanically sound drive which has a software problem (FAT table, etc) or the mechanical damage is not getting worse.

Personally I would accept the files are gone, but as a last resort try the Seagate drive tools to see how bad the damage is, then if it is hopeful, try something like Spinrite to see if the drive can be returned to a functioning state long enough to salvage anything that is left on it.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I wouldn't get your hopes up though :(
 
Yup it sounds like I let this one go too far, I just grabbed spinrite6 and will give that a bash in a bit but I doubt it will work. I shouldve known better as I was moving drives about and for some reason I installed it alongisde a 500gb thinking I could get a away with it. The files in question are from my htpc and its about 4days worth of recorded programs so ive lost quite a bit of stuff.

Ive just ordered another 500gb drive and will use the duff one as a doorstop lol.
 
Ok guys I got spinrite6 doing its thing, its already found a defective area and claims to have recovered it. How good is this spinrite? I will be a happy bunny if it at least allows me to copy the data off intact.

I will give that get back data a go later aswell if things dont work out, thanx for the help/advice :)
 
Spinrite is one of the best tools around because it rather bravely goes in and attempts to read the drive at quite a low level and if unsuccessful then tries again in slightly different ways. But then if you are dealing in already knackered drives, who is going to complain for not succeeding?! :)
They key to it is not to write anything to the drive if it reports success, jsut get the data off quick!

If you read the web site the guy has worked in Hard Drives for years and really knows his stuff.

If Spinrite gets something readable, but still "damaged" there is a chance that domestic data recovery tools might work. As mentioned, GetDataBack works well, amongst others.

Best of luck! :)
 
Ok ive managed to get 90% of the data off intact and the rest wasnt too much of a problem as I can hopefully catch any repeats on bbc4. The drive is truly in a bad way, ive never had a drive fail so bad before... spinrite was having trouble trying to read let alone move onto another sector. The drive is still in warranty so I might aswell get it rma'd and use it as a spare.

Thanx again guys, just shows that ocuk has always been the best forum around :)
 
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