[SOLVED] Computer Assumed Wrong Hard Drive During Boot -- Checked for Errors, Now Data Erased?

liceisnice

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Sep 4, 2012
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Hi Everybody,
I currently use internal hard drives as storage for projects as they are complete. I have a hot-swappable internal hard drive reader to copy files from my primary drive to a storage drive. This is the first time this has ever occurred, and I'm hoping I can reverse whatever happened.

After my computer was off, I inserted a new hard drive and turned the computer on. My computer mis-identified the inserted hard drive as a different storage hard drive and said it needed to check for errors. I saw that the drive was reading as the wrong number (I have them named by number) so I hoped by checking for errors it would fix itself. Well....I did the error check, and when I opened the hard drive on My Computer, half of the data is missing.

1 ) Is this data recoverable? If so, what would be the best procedure?
2) Is this a symptom of a failing hard drive?
3 ) How can I ensure this doesn't happen again?

Please help! :)
 
Solution
For instance:

QNAP TS-451D2-2G 4 Bay - $390
https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-TS-451D2-2G-Hardware-transcoding-Celeron/dp/B08JQZS1MZ
4x Toshiba 8TB - $175 each
https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Performance-Gaming-Internal-Drive/dp/B085RV9B1N
32TB space

QNAP TR-004 - $200
https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-TR-004-Enclosure-Attached-hardware/dp/B07K4RC7X9
4x Seagate 14TB - @$275 each
56TB backup space

Total - $2400

The QNAP OS can backup to the TR-004 on whatever schedule you desire, all automated.
Add another TR-004 and drives in a couple of years.


There are multiple other options and number of bays sizes for the NAS.

liceisnice

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Sep 4, 2012
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Thank you for your reply. Dang....I hate to hear that. I don't suppose any of my lost material is recoverable? Also....your signature image made me smile through my tears (jk)

Unfortunately I am going through 2 TB worth of hard drives each month. I am storing large video files with the project files and putting them into a storage container in-case they are needed in the years to come.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
If you can afford to go through 2TB per month, you can afford to go through 4TB per month.
2TB real, 2TB backup.

Yes, that's the way it works...:(

Also, just storing them away for year is not really a viable solution. Pull one out in 4 years...and HOPE is still works.
 
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liceisnice

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Got it -- I appreciate your guidance. I know I might be reaching, but can you recommend a safer solution for someone burning through that much data? Right now, I just copy them to a 1tb hard drive and store them away. Every once in a while I'll get a project out and re-link assets, or grab a few files.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Got it -- I appreciate your guidance. I know I might be reaching, but can you recommend a safer solution for someone burning through that much data? Right now, I just copy them to a 1tb hard drive and store them away. Every once in a while I'll get a project out and re-link assets, or grab a few files.
A NAS box. QNAP or Synology.
4-8-12 bay. Fill it up with whatever size drives fit your budget.
Copy your projects to space on that.

And...saving them to 1TB drives almost certainly wastes some of that 1TB space. A large volume on the NAS is not restricted to 1TB chunks.
Bonus, they are all online and readily accessible.

What might be an actual budget you could stump up for this?
A 1 time purchase of $1500-$2000 could probably get you the NAS, drive space, AND a second drive space for the required backups.
 
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liceisnice

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Good deal -- That does sounds like it would work! You are right on wasting space -- I typically leave 10-30gb on each drive. Right now, I am on hard drive 63...so that is a TON of data.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
For instance:

QNAP TS-451D2-2G 4 Bay - $390
https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-TS-451D2-2G-Hardware-transcoding-Celeron/dp/B08JQZS1MZ
4x Toshiba 8TB - $175 each
https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Performance-Gaming-Internal-Drive/dp/B085RV9B1N
32TB space

QNAP TR-004 - $200
https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-TR-004-Enclosure-Attached-hardware/dp/B07K4RC7X9
4x Seagate 14TB - @$275 each
56TB backup space

Total - $2400

The QNAP OS can backup to the TR-004 on whatever schedule you desire, all automated.
Add another TR-004 and drives in a couple of years.


There are multiple other options and number of bays sizes for the NAS.
 
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Solution

liceisnice

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Sep 4, 2012
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Hi USAFRet -- This information is MUCH appreciated. Thank you for being a helpful voice on this forum and lending a hand to a stranger. I will definitely be purchasing the setup you have listed here.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Hi USAFRet -- This information is MUCH appreciated. Thank you for being a helpful voice on this forum and lending a hand to a stranger. I will definitely be purchasing the setup you have listed here.
Good luck!

As said, that was just a representative example. Price can go up or down, depending on specific need and slightly different parts.

My QNAP TS-453a has been absolutely rock solid for coming up on 4 years, 24/7 ops.
The TR-004 for almost 2 yrs.

Much much safer than a stack of 1TB drives stashed in a box.
 
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