Notebook HD problems

My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking sounds
and would not boot past the bios into XP.

Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought a
new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore of
both the OS and the data partitions.

However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access the
recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I had
tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT it just
could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could do to
briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent backup of
the data partition?

Thanks.

--
Jeff

Jeff Malka

Sorry. I sent this accidentally to the wrong group.

My apologies.

--
Jeff


Jeff Malka wrote:
> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking
> sounds and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>
> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I
> bought a new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started
> the restore of both the OS and the data partitions.
>
> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to
> access the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the
> new HD I had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which
> succeeded BUT it just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts
> as to what I could do to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I
> can make a more recent backup of the data partition?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Jeff

Jeff Malka

Hi
It might be that the drive is damage to a level that it can not be
recognized by regular system any more.
However you can buy this,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817816001
Boot with the New HD and plug this with the old drive to the USB Port, you
might be able to read the drive and copy all the files that you need.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

"Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
news:...
> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking sounds
> and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>
> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought a
> new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore of
> both the OS and the data partitions.
>
> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access
> the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I
> had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT it
> just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could do
> to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent
> backup of the data partition?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Jeff
>
>

Jack \(MS, MVP-Networking\)

Ontrack EasyRecovery has saved me twice in a year.

You can try their product:
http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/d...ery-downloads/
The trial ver lets you read the data but won't let you recover anything
unless you pay.

"Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
news:...
> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking sounds
> and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>
> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought a
> new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore of
> both the OS and the data partitions.
>
> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access
> the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I
> had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT it
> just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could do
> to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent
> backup of the data partition?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Jeff
>
>

John

Good idea. Thanks.

--
Jeff



Jack (MS, MVP-Networking) wrote:
> Hi
> It might be that the drive is damage to a level that it can not be
> recognized by regular system any more.
> However you can buy this,
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817816001
> Boot with the New HD and plug this with the old drive to the USB
> Port, you might be able to read the drive and copy all the files that
> you need. Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>
> "Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking
>> sounds and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>>
>> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I
>> bought a new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started
>> the restore of both the OS and the data partitions.
>>
>> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to
>> access the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying
>> the new HD I had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which
>> succeeded BUT it just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts
>> as to what I could do to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I
>> can make a more recent backup of the data partition?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff

Jeff

Thanks. Will try it too.

Despite using PCs for decades (since the Aplle 2E days) this is the first
time I had a HD crash making the HD unrecognizable .... I knew it had to
happen some time and i guess things could have been worse. At least I have
backups even though the last one was 1 month old.

--
Jeff



John wrote:
> Ontrack EasyRecovery has saved me twice in a year.
>
> You can try their product:
> http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/d...ery-downloads/
> The trial ver lets you read the data but won't let you recover
> anything unless you pay.
>
> "Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking
>> sounds and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>>
>> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I
>> bought a new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started
>> the restore of both the OS and the data partitions.
>>
>> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to
>> access the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying
>> the new HD I had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which
>> succeeded BUT it just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts
>> as to what I could do to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I
>> can make a more recent backup of the data partition?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff

Jeff

Jack, I just had to write and thank you.

I bought a HD USB enclosure locally and tried the bad HD that way. No
matter what I did, the clicking persisted and the drive could not be read at
all. Having nothing to lose I put it in the freezer for an hour and tried
again via the USB enclosure. Still nothing.

So, I decided that is all there was to do and I should remember to backup
more frequently.

Then - having "really" nothing to lose now, I put the bad HD back into the
enclosure and connected the USB cord. Of course it clicked and the drive
was unreadable. But, every now and then the LED light came on. So,
thinking I was ruining or scratching the drive beyond any use (but it did
not matter now anyway) I just left it connected and clicking away and went
to do some thing else. 1 hour later, I came back and the connection light
was on, the clicking was gone, and all partitions on the drive fully
readable!!!! So I quickly backed up all the data files to my external HD,
twice.

Lesson learned: sometimes it may pay to just leave these drives clicking
away
for very long and they may suddenly become readable again. I thought that
might scratch the drive further, but apparently it does not.

Now I will wipe the bad HD and trash it. (It's readable after all). Or
maybe I will take it apart to see what it looks like inside ........

Thanks for suggesting the USB enclosure.

Jeff

"Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)" <> wrote in message
news:upZkb$...
> Hi
> It might be that the drive is damage to a level that it can not be
> recognized by regular system any more.
> However you can buy this,
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817816001
> Boot with the New HD and plug this with the old drive to the USB Port, you
> might be able to read the drive and copy all the files that you need.
> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>
> "Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking sounds
>> and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>>
>> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought a
>> new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore
>> of both the OS and the data partitions.
>>
>> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access
>> the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I
>> had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT it
>> just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could do
>> to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent
>> backup of the data partition?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>

Hi
Glad ii was solved.
Do not be tempt to use this drive even if it is seems to work at the moment.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

<> wrote in message
news:...
> Jack, I just had to write and thank you.
>
> I bought a HD USB enclosure locally and tried the bad HD that way. No
> matter what I did, the clicking persisted and the drive could not be read
> at
> all. Having nothing to lose I put it in the freezer for an hour and tried
> again via the USB enclosure. Still nothing.
>
> So, I decided that is all there was to do and I should remember to backup
> more frequently.
>
> Then - having "really" nothing to lose now, I put the bad HD back into the
> enclosure and connected the USB cord. Of course it clicked and the drive
> was unreadable. But, every now and then the LED light came on. So,
> thinking I was ruining or scratching the drive beyond any use (but it did
> not matter now anyway) I just left it connected and clicking away and went
> to do some thing else. 1 hour later, I came back and the connection light
> was on, the clicking was gone, and all partitions on the drive fully
> readable!!!! So I quickly backed up all the data files to my external HD,
> twice.
>
> Lesson learned: sometimes it may pay to just leave these drives clicking
> away
> for very long and they may suddenly become readable again. I thought that
> might scratch the drive further, but apparently it does not.
>
> Now I will wipe the bad HD and trash it. (It's readable after all). Or
> maybe I will take it apart to see what it looks like inside ........
>
> Thanks for suggesting the USB enclosure.
>
> Jeff
>
> "Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)" <> wrote in message
> news:upZkb$...
>> Hi
>> It might be that the drive is damage to a level that it can not be
>> recognized by regular system any more.
>> However you can buy this,
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817816001
>> Boot with the New HD and plug this with the old drive to the USB Port,
>> you
>> might be able to read the drive and copy all the files that you need.
>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>>
>> "Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking
>>> sounds
>>> and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>>>
>>> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought
>>> a
>>> new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore
>>> of both the OS and the data partitions.
>>>
>>> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access
>>> the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I
>>> had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT it
>>> just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could do
>>> to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent
>>> backup of the data partition?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jeff
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>

Jack \(MVP-Networking\).

Of course not. Whew!

Just finished successfully wiping it clean.

Jeff
"Jack (MVP-Networking)." <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hi
> Glad ii was solved.
> Do not be tempt to use this drive even if it is seems to work at the
> moment.
> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>
> <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Jack, I just had to write and thank you.
>>
>> I bought a HD USB enclosure locally and tried the bad HD that way. No
>> matter what I did, the clicking persisted and the drive could not be read
>> at
>> all. Having nothing to lose I put it in the freezer for an hour and
>> tried
>> again via the USB enclosure. Still nothing.
>>
>> So, I decided that is all there was to do and I should remember to backup
>> more frequently.
>>
>> Then - having "really" nothing to lose now, I put the bad HD back into
>> the
>> enclosure and connected the USB cord. Of course it clicked and the drive
>> was unreadable. But, every now and then the LED light came on. So,
>> thinking I was ruining or scratching the drive beyond any use (but it did
>> not matter now anyway) I just left it connected and clicking away and
>> went
>> to do some thing else. 1 hour later, I came back and the connection
>> light
>> was on, the clicking was gone, and all partitions on the drive fully
>> readable!!!! So I quickly backed up all the data files to my external HD,
>> twice.
>>
>> Lesson learned: sometimes it may pay to just leave these drives clicking
>> away
>> for very long and they may suddenly become readable again. I thought that
>> might scratch the drive further, but apparently it does not.
>>
>> Now I will wipe the bad HD and trash it. (It's readable after all). Or
>> maybe I will take it apart to see what it looks like inside ........
>>
>> Thanks for suggesting the USB enclosure.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>> "Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)" <> wrote in message
>> news:upZkb$...
>>> Hi
>>> It might be that the drive is damage to a level that it can not be
>>> recognized by regular system any more.
>>> However you can buy this,
>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817816001
>>> Boot with the New HD and plug this with the old drive to the USB Port,
>>> you
>>> might be able to read the drive and copy all the files that you need.
>>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>>>
>>> "Jeff Malka" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> My Toshiba notebook's 120 GB HD just died: it kept making clicking
>>>> sounds
>>>> and would not boot past the bios into XP.
>>>>
>>>> Fortunately I have good image (Acronis True Image) backups. So I bought
>>>> a
>>>> new 160 GB notebook HD, - SATA like the old one and started the restore
>>>> of both the OS and the data partitions.
>>>>
>>>> However my latest backup is 4 weeks old. So it would be nice to access
>>>> the recent files on the old HD if possible. Before buying the new HD I
>>>> had tried booting the notebook with an XP boot CD which succeeded BUT
>>>> it
>>>> just could not find the old dead HD. Any thoughts as to what I could
>>>> do
>>>> to briefly bring back the old hard drive so I can make a more recent
>>>> backup of the data partition?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Jeff
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>