Laptop disk failure

chalkwellstu · 21-01-2008, 03:29 PM

Pretty sure the disk has failed on a Dell latitude 510. won't boot up even from CD.

Seems that it had some 'imperative' info on it. what's the best way/chance of getting at the data. if there is a way!!

CS

21-01-2008, 03:33 PM

If it won't even boot from CD, it suggests something other than the HDD. Have you tried removing the HDD and installing it in another laptop - to see if you can get the data

chalkwellstu · 21-01-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerrymoralee9280

If it won't even boot from CD, it suggests something other than the HDD. Have you tried removing the HDD and installing it in another laptop - to see if you can get the data

Thanks Kerry. trying to do that now actually. trying to work out how to get at it without taking the whole thing to bits

mac_shinobi · 21-01-2008, 03:37 PM

Not a great idea to take the hard drive from one laptop to the next because of windows xp's HAL ( Hardware Abstraction Layer ) which will BSOD on you ( at least it does most of the time ) unless you are going to use a linux live disc or a bart PE disc or something of the sort.

Short of that you can get a hard drive kit that allows you to connect hard drives and laptop hard drives externally via USB to another machine ie a laptop or desktop and retrieve the data off of the drive that way.

chalkwellstu · 21-01-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gecko

Not a great idea to take the hard drive from one laptop to the next because of windows xp's HAL ( Hardware Abstraction Layer ) which will BSOD on you ( at least it does most of the time ) unless you are going to use a linux live disc or a bart PE disc or something of the sort.

Short of that you can get a hard drive kit that allows you to connect hard drives and laptop hard drives externally via USB to another machine ie a laptop or desktop and retrieve the data off of the drive that way.

Mmmmm dont know about HAL or BSOD? like the idea of a USB kit though. where can i get one of those?

21-01-2008, 03:57 PM

You can pick a 2.5" USB HDD chassis up for pennies (try eBay). If you wanted to do it the way I suggest at first, it'll be fine as long as you put it into the same model laptop (if you have another somewhere).

chalkwellstu · 21-01-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gecko

Not a great idea to take the hard drive from one laptop to the next because of windows xp's HAL ( Hardware Abstraction Layer ) which will BSOD on you

teach me for being blonde ... just realised what you mean by BSOD. Sorry ...walks away with his head hung low

unclebunny · 21-01-2008, 04:28 PM

Never had a problem with a hard drive being transferred causing a BSOD, but we always transfer between equivalent models if there's a fault. Those USB kits work quite nicely as well. And failing anything else there's always the old freezer trick which might get you a few minutes of use, but that's a last resort.

chalkwellstu · 21-01-2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclebunny

Never had a problem with a hard drive being transferred causing a BSOD, but we always transfer between equivalent models if there's a fault. Those USB kits work quite nicely as well. And failing anything else there's always the old freezer trick which might get you a few minutes of use, but that's a last resort.

tried it in the same model with he same error. Can't seem to find a USB kit tho any pointers? Failing that its the freezer. any specific length of time and do you bother de-frosting?

Midget · 21-01-2008, 05:51 PM

DO NOT FREEZE IT!

right......
1. try it with a 2.5" USB caddy (unless it's SATA in which case, just plug it into a desktop with SATA)
here is a nice cheap one that'll work

2. If it is clicking. DO NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT DRIVE. 9-1 that it is mechanically failed and the only way to fix it would be to open it up and replace mechanical componants (something you will fail at if you try to do it yourself)

3. Freezing will only work for old style ball baring motors, where the motor has seized and freezing it shrinks the balls enough to make it move again. This rarely works on new drives, and the motor won't be seized unless the laptop has been dropped about 6 feet (or ~2feet when running)

sahmeepee · 21-01-2008, 07:30 PM

My laptop drive started issuing dire warnings about SMART errors so I plugged in a large external USB drive, booted from Ultimate Boot CD, used a free imaging tool to image onto the external drive, then swapped the troubled HDD out for a new one and imaged the data back.

I would try using a bootable CD rather than trying to boot from the HDD to reduce the potential for extra damage. Most of the widely available ones have a range of cloning and repair tools on them.

chalkwellstu · 22-01-2008, 08:59 AM

thanks all. i'm off to get an ide to 2.5 hdd adpapter this am. will see if can rip any data off via a desktop.

CS

Andrew_C · 22-01-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalkwellstu

thanks all. i'm off to get an ide to 2.5 hdd adpapter

Here's one from CPC!

chalkwellstu · 22-01-2008, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_C

Here's one from CPC!

Thanks Mr C.

chalkwellstu · 24-01-2008, 12:01 PM

Ok took delivery of my disk caddy this morning and duly plugged said disk. however, it then tried to boot from the disk rather than read it as a data disk. how do i get round this. running xp pro.

Stu

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21-01-2008, 03:29 PM	#1
chalkwellstu Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leigh on Sea Posts: 140 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	Laptop disk failure Pretty sure the disk has failed on a Dell latitude 510. won't boot up even from CD. Seems that it had some 'imperative' info on it. what's the best way/chance of getting at the data. if there is a way!! CS

21-01-2008, 05:51 PM	#10
Midget Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: In a Server Room cutting through a forest of Cat5e Posts: 1,024 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts Rep Power: 8	DO NOT FREEZE IT! right...... 1. try it with a 2.5" USB caddy (unless it's SATA in which case, just plug it into a desktop with SATA) here is a nice cheap one that'll work 2. If it is clicking. DO NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT DRIVE. 9-1 that it is mechanically failed and the only way to fix it would be to open it up and replace mechanical componants (something you will fail at if you try to do it yourself) 3. Freezing will only work for old style ball baring motors, where the motor has seized and freezing it shrinks the balls enough to make it move again. This rarely works on new drives, and the motor won't be seized unless the laptop has been dropped about 6 feet (or ~2feet when running) Last edited by Midget; 21-01-2008 at 05:56 PM..

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Laptop disk failure

21-01-2008, 03:33 PM	#2
kerrymoralee9280 Guest Posts: n/a	If it won't even boot from CD, it suggests something other than the HDD. Have you tried removing the HDD and installing it in another laptop - to see if you can get the data

21-01-2008, 03:37 PM	#4
mac_shinobi Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,694 Thanks: 11 Thanked 31 Times in 30 Posts Rep Power: 15	Not a great idea to take the hard drive from one laptop to the next because of windows xp's HAL ( Hardware Abstraction Layer ) which will BSOD on you ( at least it does most of the time ) unless you are going to use a linux live disc or a bart PE disc or something of the sort. Short of that you can get a hard drive kit that allows you to connect hard drives and laptop hard drives externally via USB to another machine ie a laptop or desktop and retrieve the data off of the drive that way.

21-01-2008, 03:57 PM	#6
kerrymoralee9280 Guest Posts: n/a	You can pick a 2.5" USB HDD chassis up for pennies (try eBay). If you wanted to do it the way I suggest at first, it'll be fine as long as you put it into the same model laptop (if you have another somewhere).

21-01-2008, 04:28 PM	#8
unclebunny Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Surrey Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	Never had a problem with a hard drive being transferred causing a BSOD, but we always transfer between equivalent models if there's a fault. Those USB kits work quite nicely as well. And failing anything else there's always the old freezer trick which might get you a few minutes of use, but that's a last resort.

21-01-2008, 07:30 PM	#11
sahmeepee Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 644 Thanks: 8 Thanked 23 Times in 23 Posts Rep Power: 11	My laptop drive started issuing dire warnings about SMART errors so I plugged in a large external USB drive, booted from Ultimate Boot CD, used a free imaging tool to image onto the external drive, then swapped the troubled HDD out for a new one and imaged the data back. I would try using a bootable CD rather than trying to boot from the HDD to reduce the potential for extra damage. Most of the widely available ones have a range of cloning and repair tools on them.

22-01-2008, 08:59 AM	#12
chalkwellstu Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leigh on Sea Posts: 140 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	thanks all. i'm off to get an ide to 2.5 hdd adpapter this am. will see if can rip any data off via a desktop. CS

24-01-2008, 12:01 PM	#15
chalkwellstu Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leigh on Sea Posts: 140 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	Ok took delivery of my disk caddy this morning and duly plugged said disk. however, it then tried to boot from the disk rather than read it as a data disk. how do i get round this. running xp pro. Stu

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