HDD (partition?) issue

[dude1]

I got called out to work on the computer, that stopped working last night
its a HP laptop with a 500gb hitachi drive running windows 7
it fails HP's built in the hard drive test, It's bios is not specific but I pulled the drive and I see it in my BIOS on my Lenovo laptop I use in the field
booting a windows install cd DISKPART can see disk 0 and recognizes a 500 gig hard drive, however fixMBR and other bootrec commands come back with error "a device attached to the system is not functioning"
other programs like SpinRite or the Hitachi Drive Fitness test don't see the drive at all including Linux-based recovery tools like Acronis or Gparted.
I'm guessing because I'm not hearing any noises that it's just the partition table and/or MBR that is dead but I'm unsure the best way to fix it

If you have any recommendations please let me know cause I'm kind of stumped on this one, but I feel like it's something I shouldn't be stumped on.
Im hoping it is fixable because im doing the fix as a favor for a firend that works reception at a local machinist shop and ofcouse its the offices main PC and is treated like a there business's server with all there client data and there is no backup :/

 

[Kitten Kong]

Immediately clone / image the disc, then work directly on the image.

Especially with it being a business critical drive - machine.

It sounds to me as if the drive could be failing. You could check it with crystal disc. But image it before you do ANY more testing on the drive.

Then upsell some form of backup solution. Giving the scenario you have posted, what would they do if the drive is completely gone, with no data and no backup?

Explain to the client how many man hours would be lost, attempting to rebuild the data.

 

[glennd]

Some punctuation would be good.

 

[OaksLabs]

It might be the SATA controler in the machine. As suggested above, make an image of the drive (I'd do this in a USB-to-SATA dock). It could be that the firmware on the drive is faulty (or the circuit board [aka a PCB] is damaged) . You'll normally see this when the drive says it's some crazy size, or like you're describing, when the drive spins but "nobody's home."

 

[dude1]

the main suggestion im hearing so far is image the drive, I completely agree with that normally i would use acronis to image but seeing as that isn't seeing a drive, what else would you recommend trying?

Yesterday i did try a zalman usb2sata adapter but it wasn't seeing it on my machine that is when i got desperate and actually put the drive into my laptop and saw that it could be found via diskpart and such but not the other programs mentioned.
I have another usb2sata dock that il be taking with me just incase because the zalman is usually one i use for loading ISOs as a virtual cd rom so i rarely use it in HDD mode and maybe its finicky.

this morning im going to try clonezilla, il admit so far i haven't but with how no other linux based tools found anything im not the most hopeful.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Dude, you shouldn't be trying to fix a drive you haven't already imaged, as Nige has mentioned. It might be about to completely die any second now and you could just push it over the edge by trying to write to it. Especially when it hold vital information for which the customer has no back-up. My advice would be to stop doing anything more to it, and send it to a DR specialist.

When you do image a drive be sure to use ddrescue or a hardware imager, to minimize the strain on the drive. Once it's imaged, set the original drive aside and try to recover the user's data from the clone using R-Studio or Get Data Back.

 

[nlinecomputers]

My advice would be to stop doing anything more to it, and send it to a DR specialist.

+1. Not seeing the drive properly is almost certainly a major hardware problem. Short of special equipment you are NOT likely to be able to recover any data and you can do considerable harm just attempting. Places like @300DDR can probably retrieve it for you.

 

[Markverhyden]

@dude1, your descriptions don't really say much other. What tools did you use? Diskpart and "such". Never heard of a program called such. You need to boot from something like partedmagic to grab a drive image. If you are unable to grab a drive image stop messing around as you are probably making things much worse. Find a data reco service and engage them. The link below has a number of them, including some who are members of this forum.

https://www.technibble.com/forums/resources/professional-data-recovery-labs.19/

 

[lcoughey]

I got called out to work on the computer, that stopped working last night
its a HP laptop with a 500gb hitachi drive running windows 7
it fails HP's built in the hard drive test, It's bios is not specific but I pulled the drive and I see it in my BIOS on my Lenovo laptop I use in the field
booting a windows install cd DISKPART can see disk 0 and recognizes a 500 gig hard drive, however fixMBR and other bootrec commands come back with error "a device attached to the system is not functioning"
other programs like SpinRite or the Hitachi Drive Fitness test don't see the drive at all including Linux-based recovery tools like Acronis or Gparted.

You are very fortunate that these programs were not able to recognize the drive...unless your goal is to destroy any chances of recovering your client's data. Never, ever, ever try to write anything to the drive from which you are trying to recover and the first step should always be to clone the drive.

I'm guessing because I'm not hearing any noises that it's just the partition table and/or MBR that is dead but I'm unsure the best way to fix it

No, my guess is that the hitachi drive has at least one damaged head....the more you try, the worse it is going to get.

If you have any recommendations please let me know cause I'm kind of stumped on this one, but I feel like it's something I shouldn't be stumped on.

Start by reading this article on How to Triage a Hard Drive
Im hoping it is fixable because im doing the fix as a favor for a firend that works reception at a local machinist shop and ofcouse its the offices main PC and is treated like a there business's server with all there client data and there is no backup :/[/QUOTE]
Ouch!!! You are over your head on this one. This is not the time to take unnecessary risks. Send it to a trusted data recovery professional before it is too late. Here is a list of Professional Data Recovery Labs.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Exactly!

DO NOT DO ANYMORE! Recommend they go to data recovery. If they don't want to do this, you need start up with parted magic and use ddrescue to get a complete image of the drive.

ONLY DO ANY REPAIRS ON THE CLONE. If their data is of any value, advise them they need to take it to professional data recovery.

If the won't do that, boot off a parted magic cd/usb and follow the guide below.

https://www.technibble.com/forums/resources/advanced-guide-to-ddrescue.10/

Since HP's diagnostic fails, I would treat it as the drive is a dead man walking. Use that guide to help, specifically, get a new drive that is bigger than what they have and use the section about copying directly to a new drive.

However, data recovery would be the better option, but if they won't do that ddrescue is probably the safest bet. Do everything off the clone. You don't want to finish their drive off and be held responsible.

 

[lcoughey]

the main suggestion im hearing so far is image the drive, I completely agree with that normally i would use acronis to image but seeing as that isn't seeing a drive, what else would you recommend trying?

Yesterday i did try a zalman usb2sata adapter but it wasn't seeing it on my machine that is when i got desperate and actually put the drive into my laptop and saw that it could be found via diskpart and such but not the other programs mentioned.
I have another usb2sata dock that il be taking with me just incase because the zalman is usually one i use for loading ISOs as a virtual cd rom so i rarely use it in HDD mode and maybe its finicky.

this morning im going to try clonezilla, il admit so far i haven't but with how no other linux based tools found anything im not the most hopeful.

I missed this post by you when going down the list. Please, please, please stop doing anything and outsource it to a data recovery professional before it is too late...unless you really don't like your friend and their employer. Everything you are doing is killing any chance that they will see their data again. If they already told you that their business data isn't worth $300 and that professional data recovery is out of the question, then go crazy.

 

[dude1]

I dont want to do more harm then good so i recommended to send it a professional data recovery location.
the first place checked by my receptionist friend quoted starting prices of over $900
so being price sensitive i mentioned nlinecomputers recommendation and suggested 300dollardatarecovery.com

he said he would keep me informed, honestly i just wanted to avoid the work being passed off to my former employer who is a local glorified pizza tech, honestly id like to think im better than that but ive still got alot to learn especially about data recovery.
when my normal clone & recovery tools dont work i feel lost, so far though all this experience has done is hurt my pride.

thanks to everyone for there suggestions

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Do check out ddrescue. That link I gave you is a good guide for it. I've cloned failing drives using that when Acronis and other programs wouldn't work and gotten the system up and running looking like before. But data recovery here is your safer option.

As far as Acronis, I have an older version I don't use anymore. Check this program out.

http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html

It's similar in function to Acronis, but I like it better, and I think it's free for business use if memory serves. It also can do dissimilar hardware restore If I remember right. Check it out, hard to beat the price. But they also have server and technician versions I think to.

 

[altrenda]

Somebody is about to learn an expensive lesson.

Critical business data/server on machine used as workstation?
No backup?
Business critical repair given to inexperienced tech doing job for free as a favor?
Balking at paying for recovery of "critical business and client data"?
(Nothing wrong with 300DDR, they are my local shop and use them all the time) but this will cost more than $300.

How long can they do business without this data? How long has it been already?
When they decide they don't want to pay the full price for recovery, how much time and money will be spent to recreate it?

 

[Kitten Kong]

Very good points made by @altrenda. Which is what I referred to in my initial post.

@dude1 no offence here, but as the song goes.

Know when to hold em, and know when to fold em.

It's times like these when it's out of your known area of expertise. There is no harm in sending the drive off for professional recovery. You will be held in higher esteem by your brethren, rather than attempting to repair the broken drive yourself, or attempting to do data recovery when you do not know what your doing. You can do far more harm than good.

Especially when it's mission critical such as this machine appears to be.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I agree with Cadis on this. IMHO, part of being a good tech is knowing what you are capable of and knowing what you are not capable of. IE know your limits and stick to them until you have time to test and push your boundaries a bit.

 

[A/CPC]

^. And, Data Recovery is a specialized field. Not only is there no shame in sending it out, it is the mark of professionalism to know when to give it to a specialist and in the client's best interest to do so. Even as a favor, the best interest of the recipient is paramount. Believe me, If the client gets his data back, he not only won't care that it had to be sent out, he will definitely think of you when his next emergency occurred because you got the job done.