So I have gotten the dreaded "Slave Hard Disk: S.M.A.R.T. status BAD, backup and replace" message when I power up my desktop. Here's the thing, this is by storage drive, my D: drive. It is not running my OS. But it has all of my family photos on it. I NEED those files. I don't give a crap about anything else on the drive, but I want my photos. So I need to get into this drive.

So when I power up, I get the S.M.A.R.T. message that my drive is bad, then I press F1. It goes to the Windows loading screen, loads for a minute, then stops without booting to Windows itself. The drives cycle when I power up, but once it gets to that spot, they pretty much stop. I tried going into Safe Mode, same thing, I can't onto my desktop.

I am fine with the drive dying, it is about 8 years old anyway, but I need those files. Please help me out.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

Master HDD: WD 160gb
Slave HDD: 250gb
OS: Windows XP Media Center Edition

Try thuis:

1: disconnect slave drive
2. Try to power on windows
3. If windows will not boot after this the problem is not in the slave storage drive but your master drive.

You need to first determine which one of the two drives is bad. From what you are explaining you are having boot issues with the master drive. If you need to get into either one of them it is still possible to get into both of them right now I think. But it will not be on that system you are on right now. You will need to use another machine.

But before guessing all of this do as I said. Take off the D drive and unplug it and only boot from the Master C drive. Tell me if it still boots the same. If it does you have issues on C not D. Then we can go from there. It still might be possible to clone C but will check on this one later on.

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Iorana Haraharaini

If I disconnect by D:, C:(OS) boots.

Right now what is happening is I can get into Windows, but Windows doesn't recognize my D: as my storage drive, it thinks it is a new drive and is trying to get me to format it. But if I boot with Ubuntu, it recognizes the drive and files, but stalls when I try to transfer.

Seems 'only' a logical problem due to bad blocks in the worst place...

I agree with BlackST on this one. Right now it seems like a logical problem on this one. But if you can not clone the HDD using DDrescure in Linux then you will need to find a person in your area to do this one for you. Right now if you do not mess around with this HDD too much then this price should not be so expensive for you on this one. But if you do mess around with it then the price will be more I am sure of this one.

This will need a professional imager to do this for you.

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Iorana Haraharaini

I'm not familiar with DDrescue. Haven't had a problem like this before. I just don't get why this drive is causing so much trouble in Windows.

What do you all think is a fair price? I've looked online and see prices from $200-$800 and that confuses me. What's the minimum I should expect to pay?

Thanks for all of the help so far, everyone!

Until your drive is NOT diagnose (professionally) of course, it is just guessing, and it is not professional

Have it seen and then decide. Note : due to bad attitute of customers it is not uncommon now for diagnose NOT to be free anymore so no wonder if it happens (but you can always discuss it BEFORE asking for it !)

Thanks, BlackST, you're right, it hasn't been diagnosed professionally. I'm just trying what I can before I attempt that route and having to maybe pay $100 or a lot more. My IT friend suggested getting an external enclosure and try that before I take it to a professional. He said that's what he does and has had luck with it. Went to Best Buy because they had the Dynex he suggested to me in stock on their site. Half hour later when I got there it was gone. Gonna have to wait until tomorrow.