Two storage drives die at the same time... Need my files !!

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by tnx, Jul 15, 2016.

  1. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Nope, I have not set up RAID on these drives.

    I can not get my head round it at all.

    I am going to go through my DVD's and see what damage limitation I can do.

    If it is a virus I am stumped of how I let it in. I am very careful of what files I open, never running keygens on my main PC and I have not even downloaded owt like that for quite sometime now.

    I am mad with myself cause I have been very good at backing up my files to DVD but not bothered for the last year I would say.TUT :death:
     
  2. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Or if it is a virus like R29k suggested it may infect the the system it was installed in.

    I would suggest a seperate system booting off CD or DVD like Hiren with no other drive installed for diagnosis.
    Hiren has all the tools one would need... Version 15.2 restored anyway.
     
  3. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

    Jan 12, 2012
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    #23 Joe C, Jul 15, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2016
    Were these drives in any type of raid configuration? I agree with JKFI, another boot disk you might consider would be Ultimate Boot CD, like Hiren it has a multiple choice of software to use for recovery
     
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  4. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    yep. I am on a whole new Win 7 running on a completely different drive.

    I got that Hirens Boot CD. Went through a bunch of stuff and nowt helped.

    Its like, ney its not like it IS... My drives have been completely wiped and I can not understand it at all. There are not partitions. No volumes. Nothing.

    Been through my DVD collection and its bad. Upto 2013 there are lots of discs with all my files on, after that nothing. So it has been three years of not backing owt up....

    Downloading all my fav software and finding all the serials can be done but will take time.

    There are a lot of pics, music, documents etc gone for good...

    Well I hang my head in shame......:weep:
     
  5. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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    got MiniTool on the job now...

    it has scanned one of my drives and sees files.... Which is nice...

    A long way to go yet though..

    fingers are crossed
     
  6. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Question.
    When you decide to recover those files, where exactly are you going to recover them to ?
    If I remember correctly it can not be the source drive.
     
  7. Hadron-Curious

    Hadron-Curious MDL Guru

    Jul 4, 2014
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    That is the most important question after being able to recover the files. He better use a different system with external USB-connected to the disks with the issue and recover files to the system.
     
  8. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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    I have half a dozen spare HDD I have acquired over time.

    the size of the one of the broken drives is only 500GB. I have two 250GB drives along side the broken drive and booted into the recovery disk.

    Having never done this I am hoping I will get a choice of where to recover the files to. if indeed it does work.

    I this does go to plan I will then use DISKPART to clean the broken 500GB drive ( on my working PC ) and use three further 160GB drives I have to recover the other 1TB drive to.

    All drives will be cleaned, etc using DISKPART.

    Then I think if all goes well I will invest in some new drives at some point in the near future. ( I never through drives away, you never know when you may need them )

    I am just thinking of calling it a night and getting some kip and getting up early to start the recovery process again.... There is a LONG time to go and I am sleepy...

    Hopefully my little plan will work..
     
  9. Hadron-Curious

    Hadron-Curious MDL Guru

    Jul 4, 2014
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    My little advice on this problem is to always backup your important files to the cloud. If you are among those who doubt the security on clouds you can encrypt them before uploading to your cloud of choice. It can be accessible by you any where in the world where there is internet connection and relieves you of trouble like this one.
     
  10. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Good luck.
    I don't mean to rain on your parade, but you may need to rescan after you get those spare drives connected.
    I seem to remember that tool having a problem finding drives connected to the system after it has started...
    But I could very well be wrong on that.
    I have not used it in nearly a year, memories fade.
     
  11. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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    I have been very very very slack of late at backing my files up. I have to remedy this..
     
  12. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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    The broken 500GB and the two 250GB drives were all plugged in before I booted into the recovery disc. All three drives showed up within the app.
     
  13. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

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  14. Hadron-Curious

    Hadron-Curious MDL Guru

    Jul 4, 2014
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    Some of us have had such case or made such mistake in the past and regretted it. I wish you good luck in retrieving your important files from the disks because it can be very challenging and painful to lose them when you least expected.
     
  15. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Indeed.
    I have a 1 TB drive which was formatted with freenas.
    No longer have that computer or a spare computer which I can boot that drive with and it has files which I would like to recover into NTFS.
    That is a "back burner" project for me at this point.
    <shrugs>
     
  16. Michaela Joy

    Michaela Joy MDL Crazy Lady

    Jul 26, 2012
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    Yep...good ole' MS and autorun. I usually turn it off.
     
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  17. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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