Laptop hard drive crashed
Hi my laptop, when I reboot it went through the bios password to start my laptop but after that it's displaying error. A disk read error occured. Press ctrl+alt+del to restart. When after restarting getting same error. I think my hard drive crashed. What do you guys think and why this sort of things happen. Is it because of any mistake from my side. Lastly if I get new hard drive can I recover data from my crashed hard drive, if yes than how. Thanks for your help in advance
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there are a few variables.. what kind of laptop is it? It could be the drive, it could be the drive controller on the motherboard, or it could simply be a bios setting. Does the drive show up in the bios? If it does there is a very good chance of getting your data. If it does not show up you run into an issue of the disk being possibly dead or the mobo. However, there is still hope of removing the drive and attaching to another pc to extract data if the board is dead. If it is the drive that is dead you may have to use a service such as ontrack data recovery to extract the information. Such services typically start around $800 so you run into the debate of, is the data worth it?
It's not easy to say what could cause a drive to malfunction. It could be the way you used it, but most likely it was just the end of its life cycle.
What you can do now is:
Download the manufacturer's tool. Usually the hard drive manufacturer's have a tool to diagnose their drives and it's much more accurate than any other.
Use a live CD to see if you can read data in the hard drive. If you can, then everything you have should be salvageable.
However, I wouldn't put much hope into it. From what you say, I assume your drive has mechanically malfunctioned. If that is so, then the only hope you have of recovering any data are professional rescue services, but those are too expensive for anything other than vital professional data.
What you can do now is:
Download the manufacturer's tool. Usually the hard drive manufacturer's have a tool to diagnose their drives and it's much more accurate than any other.
Use a live CD to see if you can read data in the hard drive. If you can, then everything you have should be salvageable.
However, I wouldn't put much hope into it. From what you say, I assume your drive has mechanically malfunctioned. If that is so, then the only hope you have of recovering any data are professional rescue services, but those are too expensive for anything other than vital professional data.
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Sounds like a hard drive failure.
Most laptops will have a diagnostic boot option. When you boot up, look for a statement about pressing F2, or some other function key, to boot to the diagnostics. From here you should be able to run a test to verify it is the hard drive.
As to why - well, parts just sometimes fail. Typically it isn't because of something you did, unless you removed it and used it as a frisbee or something. ;)
You may be able to recover the data from the crashed drive - it is a matter of how bad it is. There are some various methods of attempting data recovery - most will involve hooking it up as a slave drive to another computer then attempting to access the drive. One method you could try yourself is to burn a Ubuntu CD (www.ubuntu.com). Boot from this disk, select the run from CD option. Once it comes up, try to access the hard drive. Some times a linux version like Ubuntu will be able to access failing drives. If it is able, you can copy your data over to a flash drive.
If you really need the data, and are unable to retrieve it yourself, you could try a local computer shop to see if they have any luck. Another option would be a data recovery service like Gillware (www.gillware.com). I've had success with them in the past - and if they can't recover data, they won't charge you. Of course, if they can, it isn't cheap, but they are the best imho.
Hope that helps, let me know if you need anything expanded upon.
Best of luck.
Most laptops will have a diagnostic boot option. When you boot up, look for a statement about pressing F2, or some other function key, to boot to the diagnostics. From here you should be able to run a test to verify it is the hard drive.
As to why - well, parts just sometimes fail. Typically it isn't because of something you did, unless you removed it and used it as a frisbee or something. ;)
You may be able to recover the data from the crashed drive - it is a matter of how bad it is. There are some various methods of attempting data recovery - most will involve hooking it up as a slave drive to another computer then attempting to access the drive. One method you could try yourself is to burn a Ubuntu CD (www.ubuntu.com). Boot from this disk, select the run from CD option. Once it comes up, try to access the hard drive. Some times a linux version like Ubuntu will be able to access failing drives. If it is able, you can copy your data over to a flash drive.
If you really need the data, and are unable to retrieve it yourself, you could try a local computer shop to see if they have any luck. Another option would be a data recovery service like Gillware (www.gillware.com). I've had success with them in the past - and if they can't recover data, they won't charge you. Of course, if they can, it isn't cheap, but they are the best imho.
Hope that helps, let me know if you need anything expanded upon.
Best of luck.
ASKER
Hi FireRunt as you mention I can buy USB to laptop. What is that instrument called and how much that cost any idea. I will buy and try to check that as its easy and cheap methode I think. If any other guy have any other methode than please let me know.
I have one from cool gear....standby while i get you the link to my tools
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156102&cm_re=usb_drive_adaptor-_-12-156-102-_-Product I have one similar to this that I have used for a couple of years. They are relatively cheap.
I have had some success with using SpinRite from www.grc.com but it is quite expensive when compared to purchasing a new drive. I only recommend that option of data recover is absolutely mandatory and as a last resort short of sending the drive out for a recovery from a professional service.
Usually, if your bios can see the drive and you are at least getting partially booted into Windows, you can attach the drive to another PC using a converter kit to convert the laptop drive from (most likely) SATA to USB and just plug it into any other pc through an available USB port. At that point just accessing it through My Computer you can copy the data you require from that disk onto another disk and then begin your recovery.
I hope that helps.
Usually, if your bios can see the drive and you are at least getting partially booted into Windows, you can attach the drive to another PC using a converter kit to convert the laptop drive from (most likely) SATA to USB and just plug it into any other pc through an available USB port. At that point just accessing it through My Computer you can copy the data you require from that disk onto another disk and then begin your recovery.
I hope that helps.
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Do not get the one from newegg, its garbage. Read the reviews on it
ASKER
Hey FireRunt can you please do me a favor. In the below link
www.bestbuy.com
Can you search and send me the link which I need t buy in the above link as I am getting confused what to buy. I would appreciate your help and thanks alot for your help in advance.
www.bestbuy.com
Can you search and send me the link which I need t buy in the above link as I am getting confused what to buy. I would appreciate your help and thanks alot for your help in advance.
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ASKER
In the above 2 which one would you suggest me to buy as I don't wanna waste time for shippment from coolgear. I can just go to bestbuy and buy the one which you suggest.
The second one would be the best, because it can connect to any type of drive, however might not work, it has not gotten good reviews, the other one just has a sata connection and looks like junk....
What state do you live in? Best buy might not be the only option.....
What state do you live in? Best buy might not be the only option.....
ASKER
One last question. How to use the instrument. than I will close the question.
Take the drive out of the laptop, plug it into the adapter, plug the adapter into the usb port and there you go
Looks like this is a hard drive related issue. And could be a bad sector on the booting partition or could be a total failure.
What you can try is to shut off your laptop, then try to locate your laptop hard drive (usually a laptop hard drive door is located on one side of your laptop; the screws are on the button of your laptop; take off the screws; then you should be able to slide out the hard drive)
Then, exam your hard drive type (usually, if your laptop order than 3 year, it might be the IDE type; if your laptop is newer model, it should be SATA type; if you don't know what's the differences between IDE and SATA; Google it, see pictures what are they look like.)
Once you know your hard drive type, try get a IDE or SATA to USB converter, so you can connect your laptop hard drive to another computer via USB port as an external hard drive; please see the links at below (this one will work for both IDE and SATA hard drive),
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX13663%28ME%29.aspx
If by any chance, the other computer detects your hard drive and also show the contains in the hard drive; back it up your staff quickly. Then try to do a scan disk (chkdsk /r) to try to locate the problem; most likely causing by bad sectors.
If the other computer detects your hard drive connection but cannot see any contains of your laptop hard drive,
1. could be the zero sector problem, means the place on your hard drive where store all your hard drive partition information is gone. (You can find professional data recovery to help you recovery your data)
2. could be the circus board on the hard drive has gone bad (you can seek help with your laptop hard drive satisfactory to recover your data)
This is all the situation that I can think at the moment. Hopefully you will get all your data back. Good Luck!
What you can try is to shut off your laptop, then try to locate your laptop hard drive (usually a laptop hard drive door is located on one side of your laptop; the screws are on the button of your laptop; take off the screws; then you should be able to slide out the hard drive)
Then, exam your hard drive type (usually, if your laptop order than 3 year, it might be the IDE type; if your laptop is newer model, it should be SATA type; if you don't know what's the differences between IDE and SATA; Google it, see pictures what are they look like.)
Once you know your hard drive type, try get a IDE or SATA to USB converter, so you can connect your laptop hard drive to another computer via USB port as an external hard drive; please see the links at below (this one will work for both IDE and SATA hard drive),
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX13663%28ME%29.aspx
If by any chance, the other computer detects your hard drive and also show the contains in the hard drive; back it up your staff quickly. Then try to do a scan disk (chkdsk /r) to try to locate the problem; most likely causing by bad sectors.
If the other computer detects your hard drive connection but cannot see any contains of your laptop hard drive,
1. could be the zero sector problem, means the place on your hard drive where store all your hard drive partition information is gone. (You can find professional data recovery to help you recovery your data)
2. could be the circus board on the hard drive has gone bad (you can seek help with your laptop hard drive satisfactory to recover your data)
This is all the situation that I can think at the moment. Hopefully you will get all your data back. Good Luck!
It will do its level best to restore data on your drive.