Re: Need help with a totally avoidable problem

"Frog Prince" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Joe Gill" <snip >
>
> | > How to do this if the system will not recognize the drive?  I've put
> this
> | > drive on another computer running the same OS as a secondary and get
an
> | > error message that the drive needs to be formatted.
> | >
> | >
> |
> | 1) Did the old system at least 'recoginize' the drive?
>
> For a time but I wasted valuable time looking for a virus when I should
have
> been working to salvage the data (0ne file actually)
> |
> | 2) How big is the drive? It may be a case of the drive not being
> recognized
> | correctly by the new system, due to size, and/or BIOS restrictions.
>
> Duplicate computer (to the extent possible) with the same make and model
HDD
> |
> | 3) Many of the vendors have software that allow you to
> | check-out(not-destructively) the drive! Maxtor now supports the Quantum
> | line.. Look @ the POWERMAX utility on their site, It runs from a boot
CD,
> | and runs with low-level disk commands...
>
> Does that distroy the data?  Also I think PowerMax will only work on
Maxtor
> drives but I'll give it a try.
> |
> | 4) When you attempt to access on the new system, is there any mechanical
> | noise from the drive or does it feel like the drive is 'spinning up'?
>
> No noise and there is the spin up sound but no access.
>
> At this point they are resigned to finger boneing the data into a new
file.
> My efforts are basically my attempt to salvage but more for the experiance
I
> might gain.
>
>

I am assuming that the BIOS recognized the drive and you went through that
process...

Since there have been no other updates... I am not sure where you are on
playing with the drive....
You may want to try the 'freezer bag' trick, which has helped many users but
especially WD drives...

But this goes with the disclaimer that this method, IF it works, will
usually work 1-2 passes and then you end up with a really dead drive.

***************************************************
* This is a method of LAST RESORT                                *
***************************************************

1) Reserve a block a time or map out the time based on the items below.
2) Get a good 'zip-loc' type freezer bag.
3) Work in a non-humid area.
4) Removed drive and place in bag, squeezing out as much air as possible,
and seal it
5) Place is freezer for one hour (Some sites say 30 minutes, some 60, some 4
hours)
6) Remove drive from freezer and bag and place in PC..
7) If you can now access it, you must move QUICKLY, you may be able to
access for a while, and you may not...
8) If you cannot access it, try a couple times, over the next half hour,
power-up / power-down


You can look around the web for references/stories about this technique