Data recovery services?

CJ · 4th October 2006, 06:25 PM

Hello,

Quite a few IT people here so maybe someone can
share the knowledge/experience.

My data drive died or is starting to. Got to stage where the
data is corrupted within minutes after a reboot with no access.
Still powering on and detectable in Bios but boy is it getting hot.

This is litterally within 5mins, I have had no signs of warning.

readlba error 23 etc.

Understand the importance of backups but have no recent ones.
So I blame myself for that one.

I have tried getdataback and rstudio software but taking to long. Attempting to try and image it of to another good drive then hopefully I can run recovery software on that. So far 2% in 2 days.

Hoping to recover minimum of photos, music, videos, software.
in that priority. So about 10mb to 5Gb depending.

Anyway, has anyone used or know of any data recovery services in NZ?
Cheap or reasonable, can they even be mentioned in this issue?

I have search whitepages and so far only found Dtidata but
the last time I got a quote from them for a customer failed hdd they
were saying about $800+

I love my data but can't put on price above on it.

Your thoughts appreciated.

Haydz · 4th October 2006, 06:28 PM

Theres no such thing as cheap data recovery but one thing i would suggest is trying a logic board from another HDD that is the same.. but really it sounds like your HDD is munched and if it is, do you really want all of that corrupt useless data?

HDD recovery usually costs about $800 + a new disk.

Last resort, put it in the freezer overnight. Sounds fuct i know but it works sometimes, might stay alive long enough to get all the data in one go.

VTAKYO · 4th October 2006, 06:55 PM

When a similar thing happened to me, I just booted the comptuer off a fresh HDD that had OS and recovery/repair software on it as primary/master, and put the original HDD as the slave... and after a few days of defraging and repairing the drive I was able to take off an acceptable chunk of it before it completely crashed. Keep in mind that I stopped using the drive as soon as I started seeing problems with corruption etc, which in your case looks like you have gone well past that point.

xsiv · 4th October 2006, 08:03 PM

i use a program at work called spin write. it will find errors and try fix them. it has five levels of working. it saved my ass a few times.
you will probally find ur write head has hit ur disk from ur computer or hdd getting hit. a small chip of the hard drive platter will be bouncing around the other platters corrupting more data. this program spin write will find them all try recover them( will go right down to the raw data 1 and 0) if u want i can email the program its small just pm me

CJ · 4th October 2006, 08:15 PM

Thanks for all your replies.

If at least I can try to retrieve my digicam photos I be happy.

I did come across the put the hdd in the freezer when
searching across the net.

Xsiv, I been keen to try anything. you have pm.

Thanks again for everyone input.

Haydz · 4th October 2006, 09:04 PM

SpinRite 6.0, www.grc.com

I doubt it will help you with the HDD that bad.

Just as a side note, Steve Gibson is a legend (GRC - Gibson Research Company) and i use his tools all the time. His ShieldsUp! tester is awesome too.

EVLEVO · 5th October 2006, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ

I have search whitepages and so far only found Dtidata but
the last time I got a quote from them for a customer failed hdd they
were saying about $800+

Unfortunately that's the going price for professional data recovery.

If I were you I would get an IDE -> USB adapter so you can plug your corrupted hard drive into the USB port on a working machine. You can then run your system tools on the corrupted drive from the working machine.

I have SpinRite v6.0. It's only 170KB so let me know if you want it and I will send it to you.

mick · 5th October 2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ

I have search whitepages and so far only found Dtidata but
the last time I got a quote from them for a customer failed hdd they
were saying about $800+

I love my data but can't put on price above on it.

$800 sounds reasonably cheap for data recovery!

CJ · 5th October 2006, 11:15 AM

Ironically enough I bought
a external case to put a harddrive into 3 days before.

MY OS drive is still good, so I could run the recovery programs on it.

XP didn't pick up the usb with the corrupted drive in it though.
Anyway would be faster to try to recover over the IDE channel I think.

$800+ is reasonably cheap by professional standards. Just
thought maybe someone knew of other places or a 1 man show type
professional.

Thanks for the tips and offers on Spinrite. Found a copy this morning
and running it now.

Cyclone21 · 5th October 2006, 01:46 PM

I don't mean to sound like a party pooper, but if your hard drive is dying/corrupt and you don't know what your doing you are probably causing a lot more harm than good!!

I'm pretty busy with work but PM me if you can't find anyone else.

CJ · 5th October 2006, 02:22 PM

Thanks for the offer.

I think it has gone past that point that it could get any worse besides the
drive not spinning up.

It happen litterally between 5 mins on Saturday morning. I was trying to copy data around got a first ever crc error. Rebooted my PC and couldn't access the drive anymore. I ran R-Studio which I have done in the past (never in a hardware failure, only corrupted partition.) Tried to image the data off to another drive and run recovery software on it. Furthest progress it got was up to 7%.

Spinrite seems to be making some progress, but no signs or recoverable data so far.

Anyway life goes on.

theirlaw · 5th October 2006, 07:37 PM

hey man, sorry i'm tired as i write this and i admit i only skim read your post, but if you've got another PC, jack it up to that as a slave (secondary, non boot) HDD and then just download a recovery tool and it shud work.

worked for me.

i should soo go work in IT and get paid $800 to do something so easy.

Dezigns · 5th October 2006, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theirlaw

hey man, sorry i'm tired as i write this and i admit i only skim read your post, but if you've got another PC, jack it up to that as a slave (secondary, non boot) HDD and then just download a recovery tool and it shud work.

worked for me.

i should soo go work in IT and get paid $800 to do something so easy.

Computer Forensics in Auck charge $120/hr for data recovery.

For $800, you're looking at a completely failed drive like I have sitting here at the moment. It isnt even recognised in the bios any more... so no chance of any software tools recovering the data. In a clean room, they pull the drive apart and put the platters into another drive, then copy the data off it to a new drive.
I've been quoted $1200 for my drive to be recovered.. which I will be doing (all the photos Ive taken from '98 to '06)

Backup! Backup! Backup!

Haydz · 6th October 2006, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dezigns

Backup! Backup! Backup!

Every profession has a word thats super important to be repeated three times, this is the one for IT. Just like Location, Location, Location for Real Estate.

theirlaw · 6th October 2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haydz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dezigns

Backup! Backup! Backup!

Every profession has a word thats super important to be repeated three times, this is the one for IT. Just like Location, Location, Location for Real Estate.

haha so true, so help me here, mechanics...?

Haydz · 6th October 2006, 05:15 PM

Fuckit, fuckit, fuckit!

xsiv · 6th October 2006, 05:35 PM

any luck with spin write

Pnut · 6th October 2006, 06:45 PM

Not helping your recovery much unfortunately but after my modem and onboard network port got fried after last weekends electrical storm/tornado last weekend i have been thinking alot about my HDD backups just in case. I have most of our photo's and movies burnt off to DVD as well as the HDD copy but discs get lost, scratched, degraded or corrupted so i still believe the best place is on the HDD. I have downloaded Synctoy (free from MS 8O

) to create a backup copy onto an older smaller HDD i have in my PC, its not exactly a RAID but for what i need it is good enough!

of course now the 40GB backup drive is running low on space

CJ · 6th October 2006, 07:58 PM

No sucess with Spinrite i'm afraid.

0.1% complete 26hrs runtime.

was 18000hrs > 1163hrs to complete.

No recoverable sectors.

The drive was 27 deg, put a fan pad underneath and dropped to 7 deg.

Left running over the weekend on the work PC.

Losing hope but a very handy program to know in the future.
Thanks Xsiv and thanks again to all inputs.

Haydz · 7th October 2006, 03:51 PM

Freezer.

Disinfo · 7th October 2006, 07:18 PM

Freezer can work wonders if the bearings are fecked - worth a try at any rate

xsiv · 8th October 2006, 12:42 PM

give the freeza a try. if that dose not work ide give up on ever getting ur pic off it unless they are worth more then $800 to u, data recovery service

4th October 2006, 06:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
CJ Member 700rpm (Idle) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 89 Location: Christchurch	Data recovery services? Hello, Quite a few IT people here so maybe someone can share the knowledge/experience. My data drive died or is starting to. Got to stage where the data is corrupted within minutes after a reboot with no access. Still powering on and detectable in Bios but boy is it getting hot. This is litterally within 5mins, I have had no signs of warning. readlba error 23 etc. Understand the importance of backups but have no recent ones. So I blame myself for that one. I have tried getdataback and rstudio software but taking to long. Attempting to try and image it of to another good drive then hopefully I can run recovery software on that. So far 2% in 2 days. Hoping to recover minimum of photos, music, videos, software. in that priority. So about 10mb to 5Gb depending. Anyway, has anyone used or know of any data recovery services in NZ? Cheap or reasonable, can they even be mentioned in this issue? I have search whitepages and so far only found Dtidata but the last time I got a quote from them for a customer failed hdd they were saying about $800+ I love my data but can't put on price above on it. Your thoughts appreciated.

4th October 2006, 06:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Haydz Senior Member 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,373 Location: Tauranga	Theres no such thing as cheap data recovery but one thing i would suggest is trying a logic board from another HDD that is the same.. but really it sounds like your HDD is munched and if it is, do you really want all of that corrupt useless data? HDD recovery usually costs about $800 + a new disk. Last resort, put it in the freezer overnight. Sounds fuct i know but it works sometimes, might stay alive long enough to get all the data in one go. __________________ I fucked Elvis Presley in the bathroom where he died.

4th October 2006, 06:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
VTAKYO Team NZH: Retired 11,000rpm (Spoon B16B!!) Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,565 Location: Christchurch	When a similar thing happened to me, I just booted the comptuer off a fresh HDD that had OS and recovery/repair software on it as primary/master, and put the original HDD as the slave... and after a few days of defraging and repairing the drive I was able to take off an acceptable chunk of it before it completely crashed. Keep in mind that I stopped using the drive as soon as I started seeing problems with corruption etc, which in your case looks like you have gone well past that point. __________________ ¤ Smashing Magazine ¤ Pokerstars ¤ ¤ So 2.0 Fresh Even My Sandwiches Have Rounded Corners and Drop Shadows ¤

4th October 2006, 08:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
xsiv Senior Member 6,000rpm (Max Torque) Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,391 Location: Hamilton	i use a program at work called spin write. it will find errors and try fix them. it has five levels of working. it saved my ass a few times. you will probally find ur write head has hit ur disk from ur computer or hdd getting hit. a small chip of the hard drive platter will be bouncing around the other platters corrupting more data. this program spin write will find them all try recover them( will go right down to the raw data 1 and 0) if u want i can email the program its small just pm me __________________ xsiv da6 313kw b16a

4th October 2006, 09:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
Haydz Senior Member 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,373 Location: Tauranga	SpinRite 6.0, www.grc.com I doubt it will help you with the HDD that bad. Just as a side note, Steve Gibson is a legend (GRC - Gibson Research Company) and i use his tools all the time. His ShieldsUp! tester is awesome too. __________________ I fucked Elvis Presley in the bathroom where he died.

4th October 2006, 08:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
CJ Member 700rpm (Idle) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 89 Location: Christchurch	Thanks for all your replies. If at least I can try to retrieve my digicam photos I be happy. I did come across the put the hdd in the freezer when searching across the net. Xsiv, I been keen to try anything. you have pm. Thanks again for everyone input.

5th October 2006, 11:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
CJ Member 700rpm (Idle) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 89 Location: Christchurch	Ironically enough I bought a external case to put a harddrive into 3 days before. MY OS drive is still good, so I could run the recovery programs on it. XP didn't pick up the usb with the corrupted drive in it though. Anyway would be faster to try to recover over the IDE channel I think. $800+ is reasonably cheap by professional standards. Just thought maybe someone knew of other places or a 1 man show type professional. Thanks for the tips and offers on Spinrite. Found a copy this morning and running it now.

5th October 2006, 01:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
Cyclone21 Team NZH: Retired 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,858 Location: Christchurch	I don't mean to sound like a party pooper, but if your hard drive is dying/corrupt and you don't know what your doing you are probably causing a lot more harm than good!! I'm pretty busy with work but PM me if you can't find anyone else. __________________ www.nissansilvia.co.nz

5th October 2006, 02:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
CJ Member 700rpm (Idle) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 89 Location: Christchurch	Thanks for the offer. I think it has gone past that point that it could get any worse besides the drive not spinning up. It happen litterally between 5 mins on Saturday morning. I was trying to copy data around got a first ever crc error. Rebooted my PC and couldn't access the drive anymore. I ran R-Studio which I have done in the past (never in a hardware failure, only corrupted partition.) Tried to image the data off to another drive and run recovery software on it. Furthest progress it got was up to 7%. Spinrite seems to be making some progress, but no signs or recoverable data so far. Anyway life goes on.

5th October 2006, 07:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
theirlaw Senior Member 4,000rpm (Taxi Drag) Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 676 Location: Pukekohe	hey man, sorry i'm tired as i write this and i admit i only skim read your post, but if you've got another PC, jack it up to that as a slave (secondary, non boot) HDD and then just download a recovery tool and it shud work. worked for me. i should soo go work in IT and get paid $800 to do something so easy. __________________ 'What we're dealing with here is a total lack of respect for the law' [- -the prodigy]

6th October 2006, 05:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
Haydz Senior Member 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,373 Location: Tauranga	Fuckit, fuckit, fuckit! __________________ I fucked Elvis Presley in the bathroom where he died.

6th October 2006, 05:35 PM	#17 (permalink)
xsiv Senior Member 6,000rpm (Max Torque) Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,391 Location: Hamilton	any luck with spin write __________________ xsiv da6 313kw b16a

6th October 2006, 06:45 PM	#18 (permalink)
Pnut Senior Member 9,000rpm (S2000 Redline!) Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 6,144 Location: Auckland	Not helping your recovery much unfortunately but after my modem and onboard network port got fried after last weekends electrical storm/tornado last weekend i have been thinking alot about my HDD backups just in case. I have most of our photo's and movies burnt off to DVD as well as the HDD copy but discs get lost, scratched, degraded or corrupted so i still believe the best place is on the HDD. I have downloaded Synctoy (free from MS 8O ) to create a backup copy onto an older smaller HDD i have in my PC, its not exactly a RAID but for what i need it is good enough! of course now the 40GB backup drive is running low on space __________________ The Internet: where men are men, women are men, and children are FBI agents

6th October 2006, 07:58 PM	#19 (permalink)
CJ Member 700rpm (Idle) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 89 Location: Christchurch	No sucess with Spinrite i'm afraid. 0.1% complete 26hrs runtime. was 18000hrs > 1163hrs to complete. No recoverable sectors. The drive was 27 deg, put a fan pad underneath and dropped to 7 deg. Left running over the weekend on the work PC. Losing hope but a very handy program to know in the future. Thanks Xsiv and thanks again to all inputs.

7th October 2006, 03:51 PM	#20 (permalink)
Haydz Senior Member 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,373 Location: Tauranga	Freezer. __________________ I fucked Elvis Presley in the bathroom where he died.

7th October 2006, 07:18 PM	#21 (permalink)
Disinfo Senior Member 7,000rpm (Peak Power) Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,938 Location: Ahipara	^^^ Freezer can work wonders if the bearings are fecked - worth a try at any rate

8th October 2006, 12:42 PM	#22 (permalink)
xsiv Senior Member 6,000rpm (Max Torque) Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,391 Location: Hamilton	give the freeza a try. if that dose not work ide give up on ever getting ur pic off it unless they are worth more then $800 to u, data recovery service __________________ xsiv da6 313kw b16a

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