[SOLVED] software to identify the hard drive problem?

[fuzzysig]

is there a software that can identify what exact problem the hard drive has?
whether its physical damage or bad circuit board or surface damage etc?

that way I can actually use correct method to recover files

 

[SkyNetRising]

Every HDD has SMART https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T..
If there is some hardware problem, SMART will usually show it.

You can view SMART data with various software. HDtune - for example. https://www.hdtune.com/

 

[fuzzysig]

im talking about a damaged hard drive.
I have a stack of drives that for one reason or another stopped working.
I need to get files off them

I don't want to send them in because they have personal info and other sensitive info because I know those recovery companies peek through the files even though they say they dont

 

[fzabkar]

PC3000
MRT Lab
SeDiv
WDMarvel (WD only)
SHTR (Samsung only)

 

[Alabalcho]

You don't have that many options if the computer does not recognize them.

As for proper disposal - a drill press with couple of holes will make your data almost non-recoverable. A friend of mine uses them for shooting practice, too. For complete protection - disassemble them, get the plates out, and smash them any way you want.

 

[fuzzysig]

some of them are recognized
some are in and out
one is on its way out and its unstable

they have a lot of my photos from cellphone and vacation photos but also my personal info and bank info and

 

[fuzzysig]

which one is best
how much more effective is the hardware tool like the pc3000 you mentioned vs software only?



also im more interested in first identifying the problem and then trying to fix the hard drive so I can recover as much data as I can

I don't want it to power up and continue degrading without knowing what the problem is

so I want to see if I need to find a new controller board or the surface is damaged or whatever it is that's causing the issues

 

[hang-the-9]

To identify where the issue is you first need to see how the drive behaves when you try to use it. A hardware board will be much better than just software if you don't have the experience to narrow down issues based on how the drives sound or act in a computer. Read this, it's older but a nice overview about the hardware products https://www.techrepublic.com/forums...overy-tool-pc3000-udmaunveil-the-mask-of-ace/ They are not really cheap nor for beginners. That is why proper data recovery from failed drives costs a lot, as people say about divorce, it's expensive because it's worth it. For personal data that you don't need to run a billion dollar company, spending the money on your own hardware solution and training is probably not worth it.

You have a stack of bad drives, but did not start to do backups of the files after the first one failed? Probably a good idea to start keeping files in more than one place.

 

[fuzzysig]

2 of them are the backup drives.
one of them is nas drive that supposed to handle constant loads for many years. failed after 2 years

failed within 2 days and I lost access to it
its been unplugged since then so it doesn't get worse