Drive dying - how to copy?

[travisbrown]

So my XP Pro system drive is about to crash. The other day it started clicking and gave out. I managed to boot to it today and am trying to copy it to another drive using Paragon Drive Backup Pro 8.

It gets halfway through the process and them ends, saying, "User terminated the process", or some such nonsense. This happens both when copying as a boot and non-boot drive.

I really, really don't want to reinstall XP. Data is all safe and backed up, but don't want to deal with apps and config and finding my install disc, and reconnecting all my databases, and setting up IIS...

Any suggestions.

 

[firewolfrl]

you need to use recovery software that will continue past the bad areas of the drive....I am sure that there will be a flurry of posts as to what is the best one.


what I have done in the past is install on a new drive a clean install of windows then I copy everything from the old drive and paste it on the new install ...I use a second computer for this and I use both drives...make sure you can see all system files
This trick has worked pretty good in the past
it even keeps the activation

 

[firewolfrl]

do not have the drive plugged in till you are ready for the recovery
less it runs the better chance for recovery

 

[linney]

Here's the flurry.

Data recovery.
PC Inspector

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm

http://www.restorer2000.com

http://www.runtime.org/hints.htm

Plenty of other recovery software listed here.

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Disk_Management/Error_Checking_and_Repair/

If you want to confirm the worst have a listen to these terrible sounds.

My Ipod Tracklist
thread779-1272771

 

[travisbrown]

Hmm...definitely head damage.

I don't need to recover any files so much as just copy the partition as is to a good drive. I haven't lost anything yet, and already copied all my user files from My Docs.

I'll try Firewolfrl's trick first. Maybe some repair if I hit some bad spots.

Do I just need to copy the files, including the hidden sys files, to a newly formatted drive? Partion size matter? The new drive is about 100 mb bigger.

 

[Scotsdude]

I'm assuming from your post that your running Drive Backup from within Windows?

If so, have you tried using the rescue disk to boot your machine, and clone the drive from there?

------------------------------------------------------
Matt
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy

 

[travisbrown]

Yes, from within Windows on another machine. I attached both drives as firewire drives, so neither the source or destination were active drives.

I'll try the disk, but I thought it wouldn't make a difference if it was on another machine.

 

[gargoyle47]

Look if you got your data off the machine good.
But why are you attempting to clone the whole drive?
Why not just re-install the operating system on the new drive?
Do really want to take the chance that some of the drive you are coping is bad and you will not know it until you attempt to use it.

Yes re-installing is a pain but at least you will know it is a good working copy verse trying to reuse a dubious copy of a failing drive.

But again that is up to you.

Never Say Never (Romeio Void)

Homebuilt MSI MD5000MD-5000 M-ATX, 2.4Gig, 393mb, WinXp Pro
Homebuilt Iwill KK266R-Plus, 768mb, WinXp Pro

 

[firewolfrl]

you have to copy every single file that will copy....but you do have to install windows first because you need the boot sector to read right for the drive....that is unless you copy over the boot sector to the new drive

google Hiren’s BootCD....I won't post the link because of the fact of some of the software. The big companies out there are going after anyone that posts a download link...gotta respect the webmaster to this great tech site

anyways you can save and transfer the MBR and even do some copy of the data...you just gotta play with it

linney posted some great stuff that works pretty good....though I don't use it....I had to pay almost $800 for the software I use for my computer repair business so I could recover data. it has paid for itself

 

[linney]

If you have a Windows environment to work in then
xcopy /? at a Command Prompt shows all the available Switches including ignoring errors and copying hidden and system files.

ROBOCOPY.exe (Resource Kit) has succeeded Xcopy.

http://www.ss64.com/nt/robocopy.html

copying a directory tree using a dos bat file
thread779-1077173

 

[firewolfrl]

I like Xcopy but I prefer to stay away from the DOS copy stuff because of the the long file name limitations

Linney looks like you have been busy....lol

 

[lmwtech]

This will sound crazy but i've used this trick several times and it worked. Take the drive you want to copy from, and put it in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Get your setup ready, and as soon as you get the bad one out of the freezer hook it to your system and start copying.

 

[firewolfrl]

I have said it before and I will say it again

I DON'T RECOMMEND THE FREEZER TRICK

you are asking to total your drive on a one shot deal

moisture is gonna be the killer....as soon as you pull the drive out of the freezer. condensation is going to start on the platters...then the armature is going to hit those moisture drops and maybe knock the read heads out of alignment with the secondary index platter


the trick does work...but...I would only use it if you have absolutely nothing to lose...

it is one shot and timing is everything...I pack a drive with moisture removing stuff (I vacuum pack mothballs and air drying shipping moisture packets..I have the IDE cable and an extension power cable on the outside pre-plugged in to the drive)

to me this is an absolute last resort to the drive. if it has certain types of damage this trick does not work....it also makes data recovery options in a lab very reduced as to the percentage they can recover...(if I am going to spend $2,000 on a harddrive I am not putting it in a freezer)


you have a drive that is somewhat accessible. so you do have a lot of options still....the freezer trick will reduce to nill your options and will probably end up making the drive inaccessible after it is warm....

 

[trollacious]

I don't particularly buy the moisture argument. Every hard drive I've opened up that's been made in the past 5-6 years (probably a couple dozen of different brands) has a packet of dessicant in it to absorb any moisture that somehow makes it past the sealed case, or that is created from some chemical process/breakdown inside the case.

I've successfully used the hard drive in the freezer trick a few times, but always when there had been some kind of problem that was heat-related.

I wouldn't try that with a problem that WASN'T heat-related, though.

Lee

 

[firewolfrl]

LOL...I live 2 blocks from the Pacific ocean....where I live humidity is a big issue....the average in the winter months is around 80% in the air......
harddrives are not hermetically sealed....and moisture from a freezer to warm air environment in my area I live is instant Sweat....I have opened drives that I have freezered....lol....if you live in a dry climate maybe its no big deal....but not where I live

 

[linney]

firewolfrl,

You didn't say how many of your frozen drives end up in the Pacific Ocean?

Maybe a good soaking in the Ocean is just what is needed?

 

[firewolfrl]

Linney,
nah! I am environmental friendly. I would just hate to clunk a fish while chucking a drive into the ocean....that and I know there is a conspiracy in the ocean...I saw it on TV...the fish will get the data off the harddrive then use the Identity theft to take over the world and eat all the crabbers that fish for crab in my neck of the pond. they will learn how to sink a boat...can't have that you know.
so to play it safe I dispose of old drives by worshiping the refrigerator god I sacrifice the drive and give the god the magnets it demands....in turn the refrigerator god gives food to its servants. Then there is the COFFEE god it demands the platters to put the cup of offerings on. in turn it keeps the almighty wifey from sacrificing the husband who leaves coffee cup ring stains on the furniture

LOL


Linney I did save a hopeless drive once when I put it in a brine tank for flash freezing crab....-10 for 5 minutes works pretty damn good....they were getting ready to flush the tank and start a new batch.....kept the drive in dry ice till I got home.
its nice to be the repair guy who saved the crab proccessing company's data (most of which was backed up...there was just the day's schedule they were after)


its amazing what a tech will do for entertainment....lol