Hard drive crash

[bode2011]

Hi,

Last night I heard a sudden crunching sound, the computer froze and would not boot into Win Home Prem 64. I thought something had overheated, so removed the carpet of dust from inside the computer and hoped all would be well after a cool down.

I get a continuous beeping alarm coming from the MB. I've tried all the system repair tools, but I've now realized that the HD has most likely failed without warning.

The HD is not present in the bios and I can see all the other files from my external drive when I tried to install drivers, so it must be the HD?

What makes things difficult is that it's impossible to remove the HD from the case... I can't access the screws!

Question:

So if I get a new computer (need one asap) with a new version of Win 7 or Win 8, is it possible to simply load my windows image back up onto the new install?

Can an image be loaded onto any laptop to try and rescue my old files?

 

[ss202sl]

if your hard drive has truly died, it will be nearly impossible to get an image, or pull files from it. There are recovery services that may be able to help, but it isn't always 100%, and it can be expensive. You will need to restore your files from your backup.

 

[dingo07]

assuming you have a backup image...

with a new drive, yes, you can image the new drive with your backup using another computer, then install the newly imaged drive in the laptop and all should be good

 

[bode2011]

Yes I back up, but I shouldn't have relied on the system image method, because I've nowhere to restore it to.

I assume that the bios boot up in f12 cannot see an external drive? I will need to get the repair shop to put in a new internal HD since I cannot get to it.

When I get the new HD, do I need to re-install windows from a disc and then do an image restore, or will that system image back up contain everything?

 

[dingo07]

you should try and take the drive out yourself... but you need to get the new drive and connect it to the computer that you will restore the backup from

here's what i suggest... look up the specs of your laptop and see if it has a SATA 2 or 3 connection for the hard drive, and based your purchase of the new drive on that

when you get the new drive, connect it to your computer and restore the image to the new drive

then you can either install the drive yourself, or bring it with the laptop to have it installed

 

[bode2011]

I tried something else....connected the external drive with the back up image to the laptop. I went into Disk management and attached the .vhd file and was able to view the files in Win 7. Good job until I realized that Windows was only backing up system files and not my work. The Users files were empty! So all my work is trapped in a dead drive.

Does this freezing trick work? Am I going to risk damaging the hard drive when I should being trying to rescue the files professionally?

Is there good software available so that I can attempt this myself, or should I get it done properly?

 

[dingo07]

...Am I going to risk damaging the hard drive when I should being trying to rescue the files professionally?

YES - every second you have the drive powered on, you are potentially destroying data.

Send it to a professional data recovery service like these guys - http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/

 

[bode2011]

I found a hidden screw for the hard drive once I ripped off the front plastic panel of the Packard Bell tower unit, so I managed to replace the drive. It was a Seagate 500GB Barracuda 7200 which died after 18 months.

Installed new drive, used system repair disc to restore the .vhd back up image.

Happy ending because all my work files were on the back up! It seems that you cannot view Users files when you mount the image to a foreign computer, only the system files can be accessed. Heart attack over. Thanks for the assistance.