Hard drive broken!

It depends on how serious the hard-drive failure problem is. If it's more of a software failure, example: if Windows starts (are you using Windows?) to loads in, but "freezes up" upon loading, then chances are all of your data may still be intact and recoverable. In that case (again if you're using a version of Windows), upon booting up try "tapping" the "F8" key repeatedly before the Windows logo appears, and you should be presented with a boot-up menu. choosing safe-mode you can see if Windows still loads and if all of your files are intact. If that's the case, then it's most likely a sofware / driver / virus / etc... type of issue that can probably be fixed, and you still have the chance to save your important files. If you're able to get into safe-mode, you might also try doing a System-Restore and select a checkpoint to before when your computer starting having the problems.


Another possibility is to tempoarily dissconnect your current old hard-drive, get a new hard-drive, format and install the operating-system (example: Windows) on the new hard drive (which would be set as Master drive). After doing so, then you could set your old hard-drive as a "slave-drive" and then you'd be able to copy your files over from your old HD over to the new HD (that's assuming that the files are all still intact and the old HD is not physically damaged).


There are also a conversion box kit you can buy that will turn a standard internal-Hard-Drive into an external USB Hard-Drive (I have one such device).


If the hard-drive itself is physically damaged, than that's a much harder thing to recover data from. Some companies have services to recover data from physically damaged hard-drive, but such services are usually very expensive.


I know all of this advice sounds a bit "techie", but I'm just giving some quick advice here late at night when I should be sleeping ;)


I do a little bit of freelance "computer tech support" on PC's using Windows based operating systems (I have some formal training as a Computer Tech), so if you're using a PC with a Windows based system, still stuck and wanted some help trying one of the above mentioned options, and if you think it's more of a software problem rather than a hardware problem, then I may be able to drop by and take a look at it and see if I can help you. You could give me a call at my HK mobile number: Don: 6104-9558, or email: lonewolfdon@yahoo.com

and we could work out the details.


Though, if the Hard Drive in question is physically damaged, then it's beyond my ability to do anything with it (in that case it would most likely require a specilized computer tech service that has specific tools for that).

How old is the PC ? Win 98/2000/or XP ? can help if required.

A4XGR would seem to be referring to a linux live-cd. Ask around and find someone who knows what you mean when you say linux, and see if they can give you a cd that will boot the machine from the CD (if the hardware isn't too old and the bios will allow you to boot from a CD). You can then test if the data on the hard drive is still there, and copy off critical files if necessary. Your "explanation" of what happened and the current state are pretty slim. BigDon might be correct - a broken XP/98 OS does not mean a broken harddisk, and if that is the case, an install may be just what the harddisk ordered. On the other hand, there are no doubt lots of companies and experts that would like to take your money - and if you want to spend it, bring your computer down to Hanoi and I will check it out for you! ;^)

Ah yes, among lifes little disappointments are the folks who ask for help and then disappear. My guess is that it would be easy to find a copy of a Linux live-cd and see if the harddisk is toast. Getting and figuring out how to use a diagnostics cd (especially unnamed ones) could be a bit more challenging. ;^)

if hard drive is physically damaged,i would try to get a hard of same make and model,one that still works, and take the platen out of the broken hard drive and put it into the good hard drive. ive never actually done it,and special tools or creativity are required to open up the hard drive. But i beleive in some cases this is what data recovery companies do. or maybe they just replace the broken part. I HAVE AN OLD HARD DRIVE I AM GOING TO PRACTICE ON NOW