Recovering Data from a Dead HDD Recognized by Bios but not OS

Bokononist

Commendable
Jan 6, 2017
10
0
1,510
So I am in a little bit of a nightmare scenario at the moment as shortly after finding that my existing backup was corrupted and would need to be reimplemented, an old drive containing many memories and my entire (quite extensive) ebook collection died. The result is that I have no extant copy of any of the data that was contained on this 2TB Seagate drive. (Which was mostly full.) It is currently in a Media Server build running Ubuntu 16.04, on a Supermicro X11SSH-LN4F motherboard, a Xenon E3-1230 v5 processor, and 32GB of ECC RAM. Both the internal NVME Ubuntu installation and the Ubuntu Live USB I tried using are unable to detect the drive in disks or in gparted, while running lsblk in the terminal fails to list it as well. I swapped all the cables between the various drives in the machine and each time the rest of the drives are detected without incident and the problem drive goes unlisted.

It was working perfectly fine a few days ago, however I turned the server off one night for the first time in a few weeks and then the next morning when turning the computer on Ubuntu failed to mount it, and simply opted not to list its existence in every location it lists drives and partitions. The drive in question is formatted for Windows as an NTFS drive. The plan up until I discovered my corrupted backups predicament was to replace it with a new higher capacity drive I have on hand as part of a Zraid that would have constituted my home media server. Once I discovered the backup issue I postponed those plans but then almost immediately the drive failed.

dmesg appears to list the drive as an active sata connection to the board (ata3), but fails to identify it as it does the other connected drives, reporting "both IDENTIFYs aborted, assuming NODEV". I've included what seemed like the most relevant portions of the dmesg output here (the full output violated the character limit for a post) in case anyone can make more sense of it than I can:

[ 0.000000] Linux version 4.10.0-28-generic (buildd@lgw01-12) (gcc version 5.4.0 20160609 (Ubuntu 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ) #32~16.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jul 20 10:19:48 UTC 2017 (Ubuntu 4.10.0-28.32~16.04.2-generic 4.10.17)
(...)
[ 4.519989] scsi host0: ahci
[ 4.520302] scsi host1: ahci
[ 4.520662] scsi host2: ahci
[ 4.520800] scsi host3: ahci
[ 4.520943] scsi host4: ahci
[ 4.521115] scsi host5: ahci
[ 4.521213] scsi host6: ahci
[ 4.521307] scsi host7: ahci
[ 4.521356] ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d100 irq 32
[ 4.521357] ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d180 irq 32
[ 4.521358] ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d200 irq 32
[ 4.521359] ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d280 irq 32
[ 4.521362] ata5: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d300 irq 32
[ 4.521367] ata6: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d380 irq 32
[ 4.521373] ata7: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d400 irq 32
[ 4.521377] ata8: SATA max UDMA/133 abar m2048@0xdf61d000 port 0xdf61d480 irq 32
[ 4.540560] checking generic (de000000 1e0000) vs hw (de000000 1000000)
[ 4.540560] fb: switching to astdrmfb from EFI VGA
[ 4.540570] Console: switching to colour dummy device 80x25
[ 4.540864] fbcon: astdrmfb (fb0) is primary device
[ 4.586585] Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 240x67
[ 4.588871] pps pps3: new PPS source ptp3
[ 4.588872] igb 0000:04:00.0: added PHC on eth3
[ 4.588872] igb 0000:04:00.0: Intel(R) Gigabit Ethernet Network Connection
[ 4.588873] igb 0000:04:00.0: eth3: (PCIe:2.5Gb/s:Width x1) 0c:c4:7a:99:64:83
[ 4.588992] igb 0000:04:00.0: eth3: PBA No: 012700-000
[ 4.588992] igb 0000:04:00.0: Using MSI-X interrupts. 4 rx queue(s), 4 tx queue(s)
[ 4.590238] igb 0000:01:00.0 eno1: renamed from eth0
[ 4.640779] ast 0000:07:00.0: fb0: astdrmfb frame buffer device
[ 4.646067] nvme0n1: p1 p2 p3
[ 4.659646] igb 0000:03:00.0 eno3: renamed from eth2
[ 4.663342] usb 1-10: new high-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 4.671484] [drm] Initialized ast 0.1.0 20120228 for 0000:07:00.0 on minor 0
[ 4.695639] igb 0000:02:00.0 eno2: renamed from eth1
[ 4.719550] igb 0000:04:00.0 eno4: renamed from eth3
[ 4.817193] usb 1-10: New USB device found, idVendor=18a5, idProduct=0302
[ 4.817194] usb 1-10: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 4.817194] usb 1-10: Product: STORE N GO
[ 4.817195] usb 1-10: Manufacturer: Verbatim
[ 4.817195] usb 1-10: SerialNumber: CE005A8624FB5C50
[ 4.819673] usb-storage 1-10:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 4.820144] scsi host8: usb-storage 1-10:1.0
[ 4.820193] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 4.821127] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
[ 4.832853] ata5: SATA link up 6.0 Gbps (SStatus 133 SControl 300)
[ 4.832871] ata3: SATA link up 6.0 Gbps (SStatus 133 SControl 300)
[ 4.832885] ata8: SATA link down (SStatus 4 SControl 300)
[ 4.832905] ata7: SATA link down (SStatus 4 SControl 300)
[ 4.832926] ata6: SATA link down (SStatus 4 SControl 300)
[ 4.832954] ata1: SATA link down (SStatus 4 SControl 300)
[ 4.833063] ata3.00: both IDENTIFYs aborted, assuming NODEV
[ 4.833610] ata5.00: ATA-9: WDC WD40EFRX-68WT0N0, 80.00A80, max UDMA/133
[ 4.833611] ata5.00: 7814037168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32), AA
[ 4.834474] ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
[ 4.837342] ata4: SATA link up 6.0 Gbps (SStatus 133 SControl 300)
[ 4.837356] ata2: SATA link down (SStatus 4 SControl 300)
[ 4.924570] usb 2-5: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 5.043413] usb 2-5: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=0301
[ 5.043414] usb 2-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 5.043415] usb 2-5: Product: USB3.0 Card Reader
[ 5.043416] usb 2-5: Manufacturer: Realtek
[ 5.043416] usb 2-5: SerialNumber: 201006010301
[ 5.052971] usb-storage 2-5:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 5.053642] scsi host9: usb-storage 2-5:1.0
[ 5.058891] ata4.00: ATA-8: ST2000DM001-1CH164, CC24, max UDMA/133
[ 5.058895] ata4.00: 3907029168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32), AA
[ 5.060485] ata4.00: configured for UDMA/133
[ 5.060934] scsi 3:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA ST2000DM001-1CH1 CC24 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[ 5.071468] usb 1-12: new high-speed USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd
[ 5.095791] sd 3:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
[ 5.096156] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] 3907029168 512-byte logical blocks: (2.00 TB/1.82 TiB)
[ 5.096157] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] 4096-byte physical blocks
[ 5.096184] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
[ 5.096185] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 5.096222] scsi 4:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA WDC WD40EFRX-68W 0A80 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[ 5.096262] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 5.111892] sda: sda1
[ 5.113204] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
[ 5.135555] clocksource: Switched to clocksource tsc
[ 5.147700] sd 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
[ 5.147963] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] 7814037168 512-byte logical blocks: (4.00 TB/3.64 TiB)
[ 5.147965] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] 4096-byte physical blocks
[ 5.148014] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
[ 5.148015] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 5.148097] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 5.192805] sdb: sdb1
[ 5.193092] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI disk
[ 5.211637] usb 1-12: New USB device found, idVendor=0409, idProduct=005a
[ 5.211638] usb 1-12: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 5.212139] hub 1-12:1.0: USB hub found
[ 5.212215] hub 1-12:1.0: 4 ports detected
[ 5.331347] usb 1-14: new high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[ 5.471959] usb 1-14: New USB device found, idVendor=0557, idProduct=7000
[ 5.471960] usb 1-14: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 5.472510] hub 1-14:1.0: USB hub found
[ 5.472618] hub 1-14:1.0: 4 ports detected
[ 5.555268] usb 1-12.4: new full-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[ 5.575246] random: fast init done
[ 5.715778] usb 1-12.4: New USB device found, idVendor=0557, idProduct=8021
[ 5.715779] usb 1-12.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 5.716265] hub 1-12.4:1.0: USB hub found
[ 5.716498] hub 1-12.4:1.0: 4 ports detected
[ 5.815207] usb 1-14.1: new low-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[ 5.841039] scsi 8:0:0:0: Direct-Access Verbatim STORE N GO 5.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 5.939650] usb 1-14.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0557, idProduct=2419
[ 5.939650] usb 1-14.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
[ 5.942704] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[ 5.942704] usbhid: USB HID core driver
[ 5.943535] input: HID 0557:2419 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-14/1-14.1/1-14.1:1.0/0003:0557:2419.0001/input/input3
[ 6.003548] hid-generic 0003:0557:2419.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.00 Keyboard [HID 0557:2419] on usb-0000:00:14.0-14.1/input0
[ 6.003607] input: HID 0557:2419 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-14/1-14.1/1-14.1:1.1/0003:0557:2419.0002/input/input4
[ 6.003952] hid-generic 0003:0557:2419.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.00 Mouse [HID 0557:2419] on usb-0000:00:14.0-14.1/input1
[ 6.019208] usb 1-12.4.1: new full-speed USB device number 7 using xhci_hcd
[ 6.078561] scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access Generic- USB3.0 CRW-CF/MD 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 6.092692] scsi 9:0:0:1: Direct-Access Generic- USB3.0 CRW-SM/xD 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 6.106726] scsi 9:0:0:2: Direct-Access Generic- USB3.0 CRW-SD 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 6.120809] scsi 9:0:0:3: Direct-Access Generic- USB3.0 CRW-MS 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 6.134985] scsi 9:0:0:4: Direct-Access Generic- USB3.0 CRW-SD/MS 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 6.140969] usb 1-12.4.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0557, idProduct=2213
[ 6.140970] usb 1-12.4.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 6.140971] usb 1-12.4.1: Product: GCS1104 V1.3.121
[ 6.140971] usb 1-12.4.1: Manufacturer: IOGEAR
[ 6.153597] input: IOGEAR GCS1104 V1.3.121 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-12/1-12.4/1-12.4.1/1-12.4.1:1.0/0003:0557:2213.0003/input/input5
[ 6.211508] hid-generic 0003:0557:2213.0003: input,hidraw2: USB HID v1.00 Keyboard [IOGEAR GCS1104 V1.3.121] on usb-0000:00:14.0-12.4.1/input0
[ 6.218937] input: IOGEAR GCS1104 V1.3.121 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-12/1-12.4/1-12.4.1/1-12.4.1:1.1/0003:0557:2213.0004/input/input6
[ 6.219076] hid-generic 0003:0557:2213.0004: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.00 Mouse [IOGEAR GCS1104 V1.3.121] on usb-0000:00:14.0-12.4.1/input1
[ 6.288651] sd 8:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
[ 6.293777] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] 15118312 512-byte logical blocks: (7.74 GB/7.21 GiB)
[ 6.296941] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
[ 6.296941] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 23 00 00 00
[ 6.299344] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page found
[ 6.299604] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through
[ 6.319533] sdc: sdc1
[ 6.331730] sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 6.331765] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 6.331942] sd 9:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[ 6.332147] sd 9:0:0:2: Attached scsi generic sg5 type 0
[ 6.332301] sd 9:0:0:3: Attached scsi generic sg6 type 0
[ 6.332411] sd 9:0:0:4: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 0
[ 6.359702] sd 9:0:0:4: [sdh] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 6.454722] EXT4-fs (nvme0n1p2): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)
[ 6.486365] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 6.488997] sd 9:0:0:1: [sde] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 6.491981] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdf] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 6.494641] sd 9:0:0:3: [sdg] Attached SCSI removable disk

Does anyone have any advice that might help me recover my data from this drive? Is there any way I can somehow attempt recovery from the bios level? The bios even properly identifies the drive in the bootlist as a Seagate 2TB with its correct alphanumeric code listed (ST2000DM001-9YN164). Would a Windows 7 install USB possibly be able to see it, using DOS tools? I don't have one on hand but I could make a bootable one if that might help.
 
Solution
Hmm. You can try some sort of recovery software in hope that it may recognize it and get data off of it, which will work if it's some sort of corruption issue. Here's some options:
https://www.linux.com/learn/get-your-data-back-linux-based-data-recovery-tools

If this is a hardware error though, nothing but professional recovery will help you as you have no idea which if any parts of the hdd failed. That options costs, but I guess is worth it if it's important data you're losing.
There are commercial companies that (for a price) will try to recover your data. But I would suggest checking out a well-known software app called Spinrite at GRC.com. It costs some money but you can use it forever on all your drives for maintenance and recovery.
 
If ubuntu live usb doesn't see it, I don't have much hope that a windows 7 install usb will, but considering you can get install iso from microsoft site, you don't lose anything by trying either.
Have you tried plugging your hdd into a different sata port? Just to see if it makes any difference and if the bios is still able to detect it if you switch ports?
Was your hdd making any clicking noises before it failed?
 


Yeah I trust the Linux utils more as well but I figure it's worth a shot. Yes, I swapped the sata cables between all the different drives. Each time the motherboard properly recognizes the drive and its capacity, but the OS fails to see it completely, regardless of Sata port and Sata cable. The other drives are detected fine, including those in the slot initially occupied by the problem drive. Unfortunately my harddrive is an internal drive in a large tower with multiple other harddrives that is a ways away from the computer I use to stream media off it. So I have no way of knowing if it exhibited clicks or other signs of mechanical failure, since you likely wouldn't hear it even while standing next to the (rather loud) case and I'm not typically standing next to it anyway.
 


Currently looking into this. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
Hmm. You can try some sort of recovery software in hope that it may recognize it and get data off of it, which will work if it's some sort of corruption issue. Here's some options:
https://www.linux.com/learn/get-your-data-back-linux-based-data-recovery-tools

If this is a hardware error though, nothing but professional recovery will help you as you have no idea which if any parts of the hdd failed. That options costs, but I guess is worth it if it's important data you're losing.
 
Solution