Machine unbootable corrupt hard disk

[crab16]

Hey all just wondering if my hard disk is still recoverable as.

I ran a windows xp repair install (bootable) and when i did this about at 47% it crashed as the hard disk is corrupt.

I ran the repair install so that then i could boot up and backup everything but i didn't get this far so is it possiable to recover all the files still ?

Cheers, Crab16

[Kwitko]

If you've got a spare drive, or you can borrow one, that might be the better route. The less wear and tear on the bad drive, the better chance of recovery.

[crab16]

Ok then so it is possible if you pulled the hard disk out put it into another computer and it mounts as a slave hard disk and then you backed everything up that then it will do the trick ?

[Thrax]

Ok then so it is possible if you pulled the hard disk out put it into another computer and it mounts as a slave hard disk and then you backed everything up that then it will do the trick ?

Generally speaking, yes.

[crab16]

thats good then because i was anxious that i could have lost everything completely...


ermm so what problems could i encounter do you think...

[Thrax]

A non-existent file system, with all your files trapped in limbo as the OS has no idea how to get to them. File corruption if there are bad sectors, copy/CRC/access errors if there are bad sectors.

[crab16]

there was 5 or 6 bad sectors

and thats why the repair crashed i think

[Thrax]

You'll find that if there are files on those bad sectors, they won't copy. Generally speaking, you should be able to retrieve most of what you want, if not all. 5-6 bad sectors is pretty pedestrian as far as bad sectors go.

[crab16]

ahh ok sound good well i guess the sectors that are corrupted are system ones as it won't boot on startup...

[ArSeNiK]

one thing about hard drives i do, tht is if you dont mind losing everything and have an os reinstallation cd, is to zero fill the hard drive, from a floppy or a bootable cd, it works for me, but its really looooong, plus the corrupt bits of the drive are ignored, so u MAY have memory reduction, i didnt

[crab16]

yes but their is stuff on the hard disk that is important + i do reset the drive back 2 zeros when i reinstall..

the system files are screwed and wouldn't let me boot thats why i posted this up....

[zero.counter]

Spinrite may be able to fix the problem if the drive just has bad sectors, and not major physical defect. The other option is to try the Salvation HDD SHDD Scan and Repair softare that is included with the UBCD...
http://www.salvationdata.com/hsr3.0_detail.htm

This is the freebee I have recommended and has worked where applicable, once again, assuming that the drives physical condition (logic board and read/write heads) are still good, only physical sectors being the factor here.

[Thrax]

The problem with bad sectors is that they're cascade/systemic. You get one, even if you fix it, you'll get more, as the symptoms have just been treated, not the cause.

[hyperstriker]

Try using SPINRITE........ it takes a loooooooooooooooooong time, but if the DATA is priceless, why not trying?

[zero.counter]

The problem with bad sectors is that they're cascade/systemic. You get one, even if you fix it, you'll get more, as the symptoms have just been treated, not the cause.
My recommendation was for his initial request, which was file recovery. Definitely not for and end "all fix" to the situation.