What happens if your hard drive fails with your operating system and data on?
- Thread starter Tomhueb
- Start date
Solution
photonboy
Titan
- Jun 20, 2006
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You could potentially recover some data but that's it unless you pay thousands of dollars to have a lab take your drive apart.
At HOME, it would have to be working well enough for data recovery software to enable copying of data, despite the file allocation table being broken (takes hours to scan for files).
And, NO you can't recover data from a broken drive with nothing to copy it too. (in theory you rebuild the tables but you said "hard drive fails" not simply corrupted tables which is a different thing. physically failing means copy the data to another drive if you can)
*It's basically like a book where you rip out the table of contents so can't find stuff. If you can open the book to say a page of PICTURES then data recovery can copy that to another book (drive) where it builds a proper table of contents.
At HOME, it would have to be working well enough for data recovery software to enable copying of data, despite the file allocation table being broken (takes hours to scan for files).
And, NO you can't recover data from a broken drive with nothing to copy it too. (in theory you rebuild the tables but you said "hard drive fails" not simply corrupted tables which is a different thing. physically failing means copy the data to another drive if you can)
*It's basically like a book where you rip out the table of contents so can't find stuff. If you can open the book to say a page of PICTURES then data recovery can copy that to another book (drive) where it builds a proper table of contents.
photonboy
Titan
- Jun 20, 2006
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I should add that it's a very good idea to have a BACKUP of your C-drive or at least your critical files to another drive.
I use Acronis True Image, though for just a folder you can use SyncbackSE Free and setup a mirror. I have both running and automated.
I use Acronis True Image, though for just a folder you can use SyncbackSE Free and setup a mirror. I have both running and automated.
photonboy
Titan
- Jun 20, 2006
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1. Buy another drive (at least the size of the data to be recovered)
2. Use recovery software such as EASEUS makes. It will create a boot USB or DVD.
3. Boot to the recovery program, let run for hours until complete, then COPY all or some of what it finds (or it may say it can't find any data, or even can't find the drive) to the new drive
4. Unhook both drives
5. Install OS to a new drive (maybe an SSD)
6. Hookup the drive with data copied to it...
Other:
If you had W7, W8.1, or W10 previously installed you can use a W10 Install media to install Windows 10. Simply install to a blank drive and do NOT enter a key (it will make one for you).
ms media creation tool-> on a different PC choose "other PC" etc but this is probably too much info for now.
2. Use recovery software such as EASEUS makes. It will create a boot USB or DVD.
3. Boot to the recovery program, let run for hours until complete, then COPY all or some of what it finds (or it may say it can't find any data, or even can't find the drive) to the new drive
4. Unhook both drives
5. Install OS to a new drive (maybe an SSD)
6. Hookup the drive with data copied to it...
Other:
If you had W7, W8.1, or W10 previously installed you can use a W10 Install media to install Windows 10. Simply install to a blank drive and do NOT enter a key (it will make one for you).
ms media creation tool-> on a different PC choose "other PC" etc but this is probably too much info for now.
- Mar 16, 2013
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On the same system, there is no issue with a new drive.
At worst, you call MS and walk through the phone robot. I've had to do that once or twice.
Recovering from an image made with one of the current tools that do that? Again, no problem. It's still the same system.
photonboy
Titan
- Jun 20, 2006
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1. MS media creation tool: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10
2. make sure it matches your version of Windows (i.e. HOME). It may now create a combo disc so choose the appropriate one when installing to match your W7/W8.1 or W10 version you had.
3. hookup only the SSD or HDD for Windows
4. boot to W10 media
5. DELETE partitions if they exist already (be sure you got any data off them if you need it. can use a different computer)
6. do NOT enter a key
7. Finish install, updates, add programs, antivirus etc.
2. make sure it matches your version of Windows (i.e. HOME). It may now create a combo disc so choose the appropriate one when installing to match your W7/W8.1 or W10 version you had.
3. hookup only the SSD or HDD for Windows
4. boot to W10 media
5. DELETE partitions if they exist already (be sure you got any data off them if you need it. can use a different computer)
6. do NOT enter a key
7. Finish install, updates, add programs, antivirus etc.
- Mar 16, 2013
- 179,122
- 21,714
- 184,590
Regarding drive images and backups:
I have my system set to create a full image of the C drive every night at 2 AM. Approx 1.5 hours from now.
In the unlikely event of my C drive going to meet its maker, I simply connect a new drive, boot from the Macrium Reflect Rescue DVD that I made (or USB), point it at the most recent image I want, and the new drive, and say "Go".
30 mins later, done. Exactly as the C drive was at 2 AM yesterday.
I have my system set to create a full image of the C drive every night at 2 AM. Approx 1.5 hours from now.
In the unlikely event of my C drive going to meet its maker, I simply connect a new drive, boot from the Macrium Reflect Rescue DVD that I made (or USB), point it at the most recent image I want, and the new drive, and say "Go".
30 mins later, done. Exactly as the C drive was at 2 AM yesterday.
smorizio
Titan
- Jan 22, 2010
- 30,980
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from working at emc and micro center you have to ask yourself how bad do you need the data and what are you willing to pay to keep it safe. on paying for data it not just hardware and software but also of time to reinstall or recover your data. say your work from home and have a year worth statements on your pc. dont have a back up and there a fire and all the data on the pc is gone plus hard copies. how much time and money going to be lost trying to rebuild data of the company because there was no backup plan. for a home user. level one would be small raid or clone/back up drive in the same pc. cost would be one or more drive and some software. level two would be a ext drive or network drive. something that can be moved or replaced that not to costly. level 3 would use a set of dvd/large usb sticks/tape drive. with newer usb stick make two or more copies one would be placed inside fire proof safe onsite or off site. top end would use iron mnt or other comp. have a clound back up and off site backup. if there a fire you could pull from online cloud to any pc the data you need to run.
as ssd and newer tech going to be replacing hard drive the better it will be for home user as ssd life is longer than hard drives no moving parts. one word of warning dvd and tapes do go bad from age also with backup your screwed if you back up virus and trojans onto your backup. so the pc should be scanned and be known clean. if not you can back up and recover virus on new pc.
as ssd and newer tech going to be replacing hard drive the better it will be for home user as ssd life is longer than hard drives no moving parts. one word of warning dvd and tapes do go bad from age also with backup your screwed if you back up virus and trojans onto your backup. so the pc should be scanned and be known clean. if not you can back up and recover virus on new pc.
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