Hello everyone, quick introduction: I am an idiot!! I could completely avoid this doing a simple backup..

The system (win 10) froze on shutting down and I had to turn it off by force. From that moment on there has not been any way to access the drive (a 320gb SATA Maxtor). I would like to recover the data if possible. Up until now, I have had no luck accessing the drive.

Here the drive specs:


The first few times after the failure the driver was still able to run win 10 recovery tools menu but, aside from being slower than the norm, every tool I tried have been of no use: each one of them gave me back either i/o error or disk write protected. I tried with CHKDSK from cmd but it saw the drive as RAW.

This is what I receive every time I now turn on the pc and choose to boot the drive.



I tried with several other recovery software. Most of which simply didn't detect it or gave back an i/o error. One of those or maybe the only one able to scout the sectors is GetDataBack. These are some of the errors it was giving.





Based on the type of errors I showed would a PCB swap be of any help?
I would really like to have access on the data again.. please help!! Thank you

Your drive is actually a Seagate drive, branded as Maxtor.

Your problem is 99.999% nothing to do with PCB.

It looks like media issues (bad sectors) to me, possibly with some firmware problems as well but we’d need a terminal output to give us more information.

If your data is at all important, then my advice is to take it to a PROPER data recovery place (NOT a regular PC store or “PC Guy”). It shouldn’t be “too” expensive AT THIS STAGE.

However if your data isn’t very important and you are willing to risk losing it with DIY attempts then you could try cloning it with something like “hddsuperclone” or “ddrescue” (search on this forum for more details) and then try and recover the data from the clone. You may need to use recovery software if the file system is damaged.

Please be aware that DIY solutions carry an element of risk and could damage your drive BEYOND RECOVERY, even for a pro.

Good luck!

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There are some DIY options to improve your drive's stability, but you will need a USB-TTL adapter (US$5) to apply them.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Thank you guys!! Yes, it's now become Seagate. Data are important enough to try some DIY, hopefully avoiding the worst if that is something whiting my control.
I'll be looking for what you advised asap and post back if I have more doubts. Could you post any link? Thanks again

See https://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=34631

Seagate F3 commands :
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3

How to connect the TTL Adaptor to a Seagate drive :
http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=193

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Just to be sure: what is the difference, if any, between these three TTL adapters?
First one appear to be cheaper.
Last one is not simply an USB jack ending with pins, I presume..

Thank you

All 3 appear to be 3.3V TTL-serial converters. Take your pick, but make sure you get an additional cable for the first two.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

I ordered all three of them. I received the first one and here I am again getting ready for action more terrified than ever

I intend, as you suggested, to make a clone using “hddsuperclone” or “ddrescue”. Checking the the link about F3 commands I realized I know nothing, but I will go through all forum to have a better idea on how to proceed.

In the meantime though it would be very helpful to know which steps to follow or more links about the topic.

1. Connect HDD to PC (powered off) through TTL?
2. ??

Thank you

I've been reading around for a couple of hours now. Not quite as terrified as before considering that there is no way I am going to feel ready to do it for a while . It seems not exactly everyday stuff..

Still a small generalized help about the steps to follow or some guide will be so very much appreciated. In this guide I've read you might need to run the cloning software repeatedly and in a certain way to make sure to read as many sectors as possible, and here is where I feel I need some experience I do not have. I've read that hddsuperclone is based on ddrescue but more recent and somehow improved. I haven't yet found any guide except the manual in the producer site.

Ok ... Let's see ---

First of all read here : - http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2750 - this shows the importance of doing thigns correctly THE FIRST TIME.

Now let's scare you off. Read here : - http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1427 - this is what happend when you do mess it up.

Now let's read a little more about your drive - Seagate F3 "Junk" : - http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2521 ...

Assuming that DATA is of value you have cheap alternatives to DO-IT-YOURSELF like my services. Firmware fix service : - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Seagate-Hard-D ... 3023689172 and you will get for free the data extraction service - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Logical-Data-R ... 3016948382 (as i'm feeling happy and generouse today).

But goes without saying you want a do-it-yourself sollution anyway so ...

Now that i did publish some advertize to myself here we go ...

Connect your drive to TTL like this :

http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=193

You have a F3 ARCH drive as your FIRMWARE version doesn't have a dot (.) separating the first number of the firmware like on ST-10 ... so .... power the drive on with the terminal connected and POST the LOG that the drive output to TTL/terminal software at power up ... Goes without saying open the terminal first and power the drive later.

If you do have a log that doesn't show any major problem and if there is no need to correct for example DOS table you can go directly to attempt to apply congen commands but you must be aware that translator might be damaged, etc ... so it's important to know the log of the drive first and to know if the drive is stuck on BSY with vitoria or if full LBA space is accessible and detected, etc .....

You can try to apply the following commands : - http://www.hddoracle.com/viewtopic.php? ... =80#p14731 - many of them will be invalid for your drive. Power off the drive and on again. Enable READ cache with victoria. Attempt to clone the drive with hddsuperclone.

If you manage to clone the drive then extract the data out of the clone using DMDE or R-STUDIO, etc ...

Good luck !

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You are based on Italy, correct ?

@michael chiklis do have a MRT unit and he is based on Italy ...

Most likely he can extract your data at a cheap price ....

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=21477

How about PM him ?

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I can do that, i do diagnosis for free.

Thanks millions @Spildit. I will keep your offer into account and I will also contact @michael chiklis.


That's why I want to be sure I can do it. I've already hammered the drive enough; before it could slowly run the windows recovery, now it lost it. I think I am going to try on another drive first.

Better to double check on this.
What do you mean with "terminal"? Is that my PC?
Do I have to set the boot from USB in BIOS?

To recap:

1. Connect HDD via TTL-USB with PC off
2. Turn PC on
3. Power on HDD immediately after?
4. LOG is shown?

Before you dive in can I suggest you check the smart attributes. In my opinion that is the first thing you should do!

I would use Victoria and look to see if there are any reallocated and pending sectors.
Don't try scanning the media at this moment!

You can plug the TTL even with PC already ON and running.

What i'm saying is that you do have to plug the TTL, open the terminal software like Hyperterminal with the correct settings, then when the terminal is already running APPLY POWER to the HDD under test and see what log is displayed on the terminal software. But I agree with the other posts, you should test with Victoria as well to get the S.M.A.R.T. status and see if the drive does ID with correct capacity and model. If so a very quick scan at the start, middle and end of the LBA space should show if the drive is clonable at all without further messing with terminal commands ...

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AGREE !!!

With the only observation that if the drive show correct capacity you can truy a scan/verify for a few moments at the start, middle and end of the LBA space to see if the drive is readable at all. Check and post S.M.A.R.T. status.

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I still do not get what you mean by "terminal". Could it be that window you open typing ctrl+alt+t in Linux? Are we working with Linux, right?
Since I haven't created a bootable USB yet, do you think I can find the right tools if I use KNOPPIX? (I just read they were speaking well about it in the previous link)

This one will be my GPD (Guinea Pig Drive )



An old half failed Seagate. Perfect to mess with..


Never heard about it, but I see that both Hyperterminal and Victoria are for windows.

Sorry, I didn't mean to kill you enthusiasm with my "think out loud ignorance"

I run Victoria. SMART: unkn

Make sure you use an up to date version as is here: http://files.hddguru.com/download/Softw ... ia473b.zip

If that doesn't work then try with the drive installed in a usb connected external enclosure.

Or you can set the sata port to compatibility/ide mode in the motherboard bios.

One question though....did Victoria see the drive in the passport tab even though you couldn't run the get smart command?