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Thread ID: 96420	2009-01-10 01:48:00	Worth it to call in the 'pros'? (geeks on wheels etc)	utopian201 (6245)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
736853	2009-01-10 01:48:00	Hi My friend has a notebook which I normally fix. I consider myself reasonably capable in terms of sorting out computers which aren't working properly. The problem with my friend's notebook is that the hard drive has failed (determined using seagate's seatools program). The notebook fails to boot into windows XP safe mode and when using the recovery console, I'm unable to list the contents of the hard drive; it says unable to list directory enumeration. chkdsk /r reports there is an unrecoverable error. Seatools goes to say further that when I do the long test, it says the drive failed to respond to commands and to try reseat the drive. At this point, is it even worth considering the typical computer repair shops to see if they can recover the data on the hard drive? Am I correct in determining that the hard drive has failed? :) It is mainly photos that would be recovered. I don't want to shell out $100 (which is typically the minimum fee), only to have them do exactly what I have done and say "yes, you're right, the hard drive is dead"	utopian201 (6245)
736854	2009-01-10 01:53:00	Connect it to a desktop see if you can get into it	Speedy Gonzales (78)
736855	2009-01-10 02:02:00	thanks, what steps would I need to take? It is a notebook sata 2.5" drive, but my computer only has desktop 3.5" IDE connectors. Would you agree that the hard drive is basically dead, or on its last legs? My next course of action was to install a new hard drive into the notebook, then put the old drive into an external enclosure, and try it out (or is this what you meant?). If that didn't work, I'd try freezing the enclosure for several hours and try again. But after that, what would the 'pros' do?	utopian201 (6245)
736856	2009-01-10 02:06:00	You cant then, the desktop needs a sata connection If it had one, all you do is connect it to a spare connector, and boot into windows And see if you can get whatever off it	Speedy Gonzales (78)
736857	2009-01-10 02:35:00	Would you agree that the hard drive is basically dead, or on its last legs? Yes . Others may be able to advise but you should be able to buy an adaptor to connect the laptop HDD to your PC to see if you can get the data off it .	FoxyMX (5)
736858	2009-01-10 03:24:00	You would need one of these cables here (www.ascent.co.nz) just remember to plug it into a rear usb and not a front one I made that mistake and sent back the first one I bought saying it didn't work, they sent me a new one and told me to not plug into the front and so I plugged it in the back and it works	gary67 (56)
736859	2009-01-10 03:26:00	I use Linux live cd in cases like this put it in the drive boot up see what it finds. As to distro go for ubuntu	beama (111)
736860	2009-01-10 03:30:00	True I do that too and then copy to a usb stick although I just switched from Ubuntu to Puppy linux as it needs less overheads to run	gary67 (56)
736861	2009-01-10 03:35:00	I got a customers OLD XP home HP laptop in the workshop right now from yesterday , says the HDD is knackered ( which it is) its connected to one of my workshop PC's as a slave and you can see the data fine to transfer off . Booting from any of the rescue CD's wouldn't see the drive - I may be lucky that the workshop PC is reading it as a slave - Took about 20 minutes to boot with the drive attached, I dare not turn it off in case I lose the Connection - BTW the main OS is Vista - XP wouldn't read it . Each Case can be different - yours may be able to be rescued - then again it may not .	wainuitech (129)
736862	2009-01-10 04:23:00	And tell you friend (and every one else you see) that they should have backed up their photos to a memory stick or CD rom. I have been telling people this for the last 20 years. You can buy another PC, but you cant get take the photos again !	Digby (677)
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