HELP: How to re-install Windows in a damaged drive ?

[shingatsu]

Okay so two days ago my new H.D.D. broke up when I took it out of the case to see if a sound was from the drive or from the processor thing is that the SATA data cable disconnected while it was still connected it all started to go wrong after that... luckily it still gets detected but I can't do anything cause the system is unstable, very laggy, it freezes just on the desktop screen with no programs opened...
The disk makes "clicking sounds" and the Windows seems to be corrupt (since it appears infinite error-charts of a Windows file missing or corrupt) but I'm lucky enough that the drive still gets detected so I'm having it right now as a secondary drive and I'm moving data to my old drive.

So now what should I do? I just found the papers to have a replacement at the store... but I'd prefer not since I'd have to download 2tb again, Windows installations, etc. Can I fix it? If I reinstall Windows will it be enough?
Is it possible to install Windows when it's a secondary drive? If I manage to fix it will the HDD still have a permanent damage ?

 

[RolandJS]

I hope your data folders and files copied from the problematic HD to the other stable HD is great condition. I'm at school and am not following your post as I should -- which is the present primary OS containing HD? And which HD is to soon receive Windows? Sorry for not understanding!
The one thing I probably can tell you so far -- the HD making the clicking noise is on the way to failure; I don't think that can be fixed - except at much expense by a data recovery company.

 

[androbourne]

"Is it possible to install Windows when it's a secondary drive? If I manage to fix it will the HDD still have a permanent damage ?"

It's possible but a really bad idea. If the drive is still functional but has corruptions in specific sectors. You could try running a check disk and having it lock out and move those sectors from being used. Which means only the good sectors would be open for reinstallation. This doesn't always work as it really depends on the type of damage to the drive and what sectors are corrupted/bad.

Honestly its not worth the investment in time. Get a new hard drive and perform a clean install on the new drive. I would manually move the data from the old drive back into the new one (like you are doing now, making it a secondary drive).

In the future I would recommend you purchase a 3.0 USB Slim External drive and use something like Veeam Agent for Windows to perform daily backups too. (which is completely free and awesome backup solution) This will prevent problems like this as you could have just done a full restore to a new hard drive and not had to change a thing.

 

[beethof]

I agree with the bad idea on trying to fix a hard drive with noises. If not with noises I did do a install and a reinstall on a damaged hard drive. But since it's making noises and you didn't really touch it well I would agree that the hard drive is on his last leg. If it wasn't the noise situation I would tell you how I reinstall not only Windows 7 for free then upgraded to Windows 10 all for free. Shout out to the excellent support at HP even when my warranty expired a long time ago excellent support HP.