Clarification of cans and can nots with HDD recovery

[mel]

Hello,

I have a few questions that I would like clarification on regarding external HDD recovery. I have been unable to find a concrete answer and am hoping someone here might know.

I have a 320 GB external mini HD (it's 3.5') usb 2.0
There are no noises so I am hoping it is simply a logical error.
Xp recognition/detection is sporadic and when it does connect a few minutes later it will disappear again.

1. While recovering the data is it possible to pause the recovery process then return to it (basically recovering in sections)?
2. If I am able to get an iso from the drive can I upload that to an online storage file.
3. If unable to locate the drive in my computer or disk management how can I find it?
4. Should I attempt to run a fit test before recovery and will it tell me as close to exactly what has caused the failure?

I would greatly appreciate any info or advice you can give.
Thank you!

[pinkST]

Hi mel,

There is something wrong.

You should only do tasks which are based on there being something wrong.

Your current work is based on there being nothing wrong, This is wrong.

You need to find out what is wrong and then apply tasks which are suited to the fault.

You do not know the fault and no one here could correctly diagnose the fault.

You need some tools to carry out some testing to establish the fault.

The fault could lie with the circuitry of the casing.

The fault could lie with the connections between the casing and the PC.

The fault could lie with the hard drive itself.

If the fault lies with the hard drive it could be one of a number of faults.

You need to establish the fault before you carry out any further tasks.

Once you have established the fault correctly you could then apply a process
which would best ensure the recovery of your data.

You should not carry out any data recovery work on the drive itself.

Good practice in any recovery business (in most cases) would be to make a duplicate of the original drive
to a good working and then and only then carry out the task of data recovery software to get the files.

Hope this helps.

[chinopk]

1). yes it is possible to pause the recovery, but only with special tools, you can store sessions and then continue further

regarding your problem, may be your usb box had problem, if you have no warranty you can pull your hdd out from usb box and try connecting it directly into your mother board, then check does bios recognize your drive ?

4). No test would be beneficial unless your bios/windows recognize the drive

[pinkST]

chinopk,

4). No test would be beneficial unless your bios/windows recognize the drive

This is what most people believe. Experts here will tell you this is very bad and very wrong.

[chinopk]

pinkST,

I am impressed with your detail answer to the post, but you forget to answer the basic questions, thats why I feel to answer few,

I agree, doing wrong stuff can lead to permanent data loss, and I did't encourage anyone on this forum to do stuff like that, unless I am sure what I am telling.

I just answer the question...

oridinary user of computer, they don't have special tools, all that they expect or do is play with different softwares, in this context my answer is correct, I hope, please correct me if i am wrong..

[pinkST]

Hi chinopk,

Your answer is not good because you helping him to perform the wrong tasks.

If Mel used MHDD, which he can get here, he will find out that MHDD works
with the drive without BIOS detection, this is better and NO WINDOWS, very important.

Windows and other OSs are very unforgiving to a fragile and failing hard drive,
MHDD is more friendly and direct.

If Mel used MHDD he could ,for example, do a partial quick scan of the drive and report here.
There are experts here who might advise him on his report.

My point - don't give advice on wrong procedures.

[mel]

Thank both of you for the information.

My questions are not based on my belief that there being nothing wrong. I apologize for not explaining my reasoning for the questions.

The unit in question is a drive that has only been disconnected from my computer a total of 4 times since I got it October of last year (eliminating improper disconnection related issues). However it is used on a daily basis extensively.

Although I can't be 100% positive, I believe the fail is somehow connected to the other issues that I have been having with my computer. I haven't been able to pinpoint what is the root cause for these issues.

OS: Wxp (sp3) Home
Windows firewall
Avast Antivirus
Wireless internet run through a combo router/modem
Linksys wireless adapter
Western Digital portable usb drive (320GB)
Firefox

I frequently run Photoshop/PS Elements/Acrobat and Office.
Bc of the size of these programs I have a secondary hard drive that is dedicated to music and a portable hard drive that is dedicated to graphics, documents, Photoshop tools, and all my photo’s.

Symptoms:
• Error Msgs start
• Wireless Internet issues start (intermittent signal/freezing/dropped connections/extremely slow downloading)
• Constantly repairing connections.
• FF starts randomly switching to offline mode.
• Internet Tech visits (3xs)
Conclusion 1: Linksys adapter switched to a Belkin USB adapter. Worked fine for a few days then started with almost no signal and unable to connect.
Conclusion 2: Resets everything and checks line/modem/router. No issues detected. Tested the Linksys adapter just out of curiosity and worked fine so switched back to this adapter.
Conclusion 3: Replaces modem and router with a single combo unit.
*(Weak signal issue is not related to proximity, I moved everything to within 3 ft of the modem/router and it is still doing the dropped connection.)

• Portable drive starts disappearing from my computer, not often about every other week. Unplug/restart corrected the problem.
• Pdrive issue started increasing in frequency.
• Start getting new error code about the recycle bin.
• Restart/unplug is now taking multiple attempts to correct.
• Last weekend pdrive disappears completely. It is no longer viable in disk management or my computer.
• All externals that use a usb connection are functioning fine.

Performed a system restore to a week prior with no success.


Error Messages:
Shortly before the drive disappeared an error message about the recycle bin on the portable drive missing then it asked if a recreate should done. I chose no.
Numerous messages are in the event viewer such as (will provide txt. file if need be)
• System event #'s 7036/7035/57/50/26
• Security event #'s: 513/514/576/615/850/849/515/540/680/518

The drive if unplugged for a long while when reconnected start the auto-play and load. I can see all my files, I can see the drive in my computer and disk management, I can even open roughly half of the folders. Then it will disappear again.

I have performed all the basic trouble shooting options there are for this type of fail.

I have tested the USB ports, the usb connection cord, power supply, loading in safe mode, tested the drive on another computer, run diagnostics with a result of everything is fine.

Connecting the drive directly to the mb internally is not an option. My desktop is a Dell Dimension 1100 and the bios are not compatible with SATA drives which what the portable drive is.

As I said I don't know if they are related but I have a suspicion they most likely are based on the time frame of the behaviors. Unless it is simply a coincidence the drive failed during all of this.

I asked the questions because I am currently working on my masters degree in data recovery. My background is in law enforcement and not computers so I am at somewhat of disadvantage in computer knowledge, but I am also not your "normal user" either. My goal is to duplicate the drive in order for me to experiment with it. If I am able to duplicate the drive with out further damage before turning over to a specialist then I would like to do so.

PinkST can you please explain to me about mhdd?

Thank you again!

(p.s. mel = she)

[chinopk]

I would like to listen Mel on this issue..

[pinkST]

Hi Mel,

OK, Let's divide the topic into 2 main parts :

1. The computer (hardware)
2. The Data (stored on the drive)


If you want to diagnose the computer - do so - without the drive AND therefore without the OS

If you want to diagnose the drive - do so - without the computer and therefore without the OS.

I trust this would explain why I wrote that you are applying the wrong tasks to the perceived problem.

btw. when it comes to basic diagnostics the free MHDD program is a perfect start and quite easy.

Combining the two parts in your tasks involves too many variables of possible faults and therefore the solution path will be very difficult.

Not too worry your chosen route of "testing" is common throughout the IT industry, but very flawed and often leads to a choice of the wrong solution option.

[mel]

PinkST,

Will mhdd tell me what is wrong with the computer? Can I boot it on the same hd that I am checking?

Should I check my computer before or after I check the external drive?

Will it damage the ehd any further when I run mhdd?

Thank you for you help! I really appreciate it!

[zebong]

have you try the drive in other computer ?

[mel]

Yes I have, four of them.

[pinkST]

Hi Mel,

MHDD is a program for basic hard drive diagnostics - MHDD cannot diagnose your computer.

You should never install anything on a hard drive which you suspect as faulty.

You install MHDD on a separate hard drive on a separate working computer.

Once your separate hard drive on your separate computer has started you can run MHDD which is a program
which is best installed and run under MS-DOS.

Once MHDD has started you could connect the suspect drive for basic diagnostics. Direct access no BIOS.

You should find some help before you install and run MHDD - Google.

[pinkST]

Hi Mel,

MHDD is a program for basic hard drive diagnostics - MHDD cannot diagnose your computer.

You should never install anything on a hard drive which you suspect as faulty.

You install MHDD on a separate hard drive on a separate working computer.

Once your separate hard drive on your separate computer has started you can run MHDD which is a program
which is best installed and run under MS-DOS.

Once MHDD has started you could connect the suspect drive for basic diagnostics. Direct access no BIOS.

You should find some help before you install and run MHDD - Google.

[mel]

Ok, I am off to take a crash course in mhdd! lol

Are you able to read the results?

I won't be able to check my computer til this weekend but will do the portable drive before then. Do I post the results here when I am done?

Thank you!

[mel]

Ok, good news is that the portable drive is ok. All the data is still there and ok. Malwarebytes found 2 trojans and a bunch of viruses in the root and reg of the portable drive. I save all dl'ed stuff to the portable drive and not to my computer hard drive. Because the portable drive isn't used for the actual system they weren't showing up in the scans that I was running. Now I have some changes to make and scans to run...fun.

Thank you so much for your help PinkST! Your telling me to separate the two issues is what enabled me to figure this out so thank you!!