Question Using cloning software for a dying HDD which shows only 10% health ?

[Mashuumatics]

Old Toshiba 1TB HDD is around 10% Health and is in critical condition, however I'm not an expert when it come to storage devices.
I wanted to save as many files as I can, tried /scannow at cmd and the result was 13->10%.
From what I've researched that cloning HDD is better and I can have better results, and just recently bought a new HDD.
Do you guys have a good recommendation of a good Cloning Software ? Thanks.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Can you show a screenshot from HDtune health section for the failing drive?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Choose free version 2.55.
https://www.hdtune.com/download.html

 

[Mashuumatics]

Can you show a screenshot from HDtune health section for the failing drive?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Choose free version 2.55.
https://www.hdtune.com/download.html

Got it,

https://imgur.com/a/Ozw9VG5

View: https://imgur.com/a/Ozw9VG5

 

[SkyNetRising]

Got it,

Health seems to be fine ~ 70%.
Not sure, where you got that 10% health number and critical condition warning.
The drive has significant count of relocated sectors though, but there are still enough spare sectors.

Anyway - you should be able to use any cloning software to clone to a new drive.
Macrium Reflect free (their latest free version seems to be time limited).
Minitool Partition wizard free.

 

[fzabkar]

The only tools I would recommend for cloning a failing drive are HDDSuperClone or ddrescue. These tools understand how to work with bad heads and/or bad media. Macrium Reflect and Minitool are both unsuitable. In fact, they will probably thrash the drive to death.

https://www.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide/

HDDSuperClone or ddrescue are multi-pass cloners. They will clone the "easy" sectors on the first pass and then attempt the more difficult sectors on subsequent passes. Windows tools are unsuitable for this task because they thrash each sector for several seconds before giving up.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Pending sectors count is 0.
I see no reason, why regular cloning tools would be unsuitable.

 

[fzabkar]

Pending sectors count is 0.
I see no reason, why regular cloning tools would be unsuitable.

The reallocated sectors count is sufficient reason, as is the read error rate. Regular cloning tools assume that a drive is healthy. Clearly the OP's drive is very sick.

I am merely relaying the advice of data recovery professionals. HDDSuperClone and ddrescue are the only DIY tools that they recommend. Windows tools are to be avoided.

 

[Mashuumatics]

The only tools I would recommend for cloning a failing drive are HDDSuperClone or ddrescue. These tools understand how to work with bad heads and/or bad media. Macrium Reflect and Minitool are both unsuitable. In fact, they will probably thrash the drive to death.

https://www.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide/

HDDSuperClone or ddrescue are multi-pass cloners. They will clone the "easy" sectors on the first pass and then attempt the more difficult sectors on subsequent passes. Windows tools are unsuitable for this task because they thrash each sector for several seconds before giving up.

Got it thanks will try this

 

[USAFRet]

Given a successful clone operation, what then will you do with it?

 

[Mashuumatics]

Given a successful clone operation, what then will you do with it?

Will probably keep the only useful files and try to wipe out the ones that are mostly junks
Then would probably run a /scannow and chkdsk after it? I guess
Although im not sure if ccleaner is good to use after it

 

[USAFRet]

Will probably keep the only useful files and try to wipe out the ones that are mostly junks
Then would probably run a /scannow after it? I guess
Although im not sure if ccleaner is good to use after it

well, a "clone" is used to be a total replacement for a potentially dying source drive.

If it works, with whatever tool you choose...you'd need to boot from it, then hopefully recover/save whatever files you want.

Remember, a clone of the OS drive is a whole bootable thing. Not just a drive with your files on it.

 

[Mashuumatics]

well, a "clone" is used to be a total replacement for a potentially dying source drive.

If it works, with whatever tool you choose...you'd need to boot from it, then hopefully recover/save whatever files you want.

Remember, a clone of the OS drive is a whole bootable thing. Not just a drive with your files on it.

Understood, thanks a lot!
Also saw your reply to an older post after searching on the web about what to do after cloning hdd which gave me a better understanding
Cheers!

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Ddrescue is what you want. Do a clone on another drive and don’t let it reread failing sectors.

 

[fzabkar]

Ddrescue is what you want. Do a clone on another drive and don’t let it reread failing sectors.

Ddrescue is media agnostic. HDDSuperClone (now forked into OpenSuperClone) attempts to determine the "head map" and avoid any head which has been discovered to be weak. These weak heads are attempted during later passes. HDDSuperClone can also make use of a ddrescue log file.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Good to know. May have to look at that.