Re: Need help with a totally avoidable problem

"Frog Prince" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> | Given the noise issue, I would say it's more likely mechanical than
> | electrical, so you may luck out with the first method.
>
> Money is not an option as these folk take a lot of small contributions
> coupled with sheer force of will and a lot of volunteers make it do
> multiples of  what one would expect.
>
> frankly I did find a back up of the needed file but that was the end of
> September so some poor volunteer is going to have to finger bone the data
> from Sept forward.
>
> Seems to spin up but unable to access the data on the drive.
>

<SNIP>

1) Does this happen to be a Western Digital drive? If so is the noise a
'clicking' variety?
This may be a case for the 'deep freeze' treatment, after all other option
fail!

2) To when mounted in your system, what did you see? I know you said "unable
to access the data on the drive", but what exactly did you see?  No message?
No action? No response? What's in the event log?

3) I know the org has 'shallow pockets', but what is the value of the data
on the drive? If for example, it contains the name/addresses/phones/ of all
the people who have 'deep pockets' who support the org, it may be a case of
investing $xxx to get back the list(s).

4) Some(I know at least one) of the recovery companies that does 'remote'
recoveries on your PC.
(Unmunge my address to request the name that I used)

5) Another possibilty is to find someone who has an 'image copy' program and
copy the data off the drive, telling the program to attempt to copy all
sectors. Take that copy and work with it. Start with CHKDSK /F on the COPY !