Computer Troubles: Harddrive Shot?

[dannyzmom]

My computer died last night
DH says he thinks the harddrive is shot.
Won't know til has has some time to work on it later today...

 

[DebbieJ]

Ugh! That sucks!!!

You have a back up, right?

I keep waiting for mine to fail. It happened to my last laptop, so it's bound to happen to this one too.

Maybe I'll go back up right now....

 

[dannyzmom]

I have most stuff backed-up. One PP order is not backed up because the computer crapped out right after i entered that one...but I can get it from the host later today

 

[DebbieJ]

Oh, good!!!!

 

[Chefgirl2]

That is crazy! I thought you just bought a new laptop?

 

[jrstephens]

Mine crashed about a month ago. I stayed on the phone with Dell for an hour and they got it up running. I had PP backed up but I had not written my photos to cd's in about a year! I was FREAKING about that!! That was the first thing I did when it got back up and running. Now I write to cd eevry time I upload them.

 

[janetupnorth]

PREFACE: Don't laugh...

Put it in a ziploc bag (the HD only) in the freezer for awhile. If it is not a mechanical break...this will cool it shrink down the parts and get it to spin enough to get your data off. Pull it out of the freezer after about 15-30 minutes, put it in the computer and try again.

I've saved MUCH data on many systems that way...

 

[MissChef]

Our main drive crapped out about a year ago! We lost almost everything! My hubby is an artist and lost a lot of pics that he had scanned and most of our family pictures! PLUS, both his work files and all my PC files were lost too! Thank God PP was on another drive! He had some of our pictures backed up on CD's and I had a few of our pics in my emails! Ones I had sent people, so I was able to have those!
I'm sorry Carolyn! That's all you need on top of not feeling well! I hope you are doing better and I hope your computer can be fixed without too much stress~!

 

[MissChef]

PREFACE: Don't laugh...

Put it in a ziploc bag (the HD only) in the freezer for awhile. If it is not a mechanical break...this will cool it shrink down the parts and get it to spin enough to get your data off. Pull it out of the freezer after about 15-30 minutes, put it in the computer and try again.

I've saved MUCH data on many systems that way...

WOW! Seriously!!! I need to show my hubby this! Wonder if anything could help our situation!

 

[jenniferknapp]

These are the reasons why everyone should have an external harddrive to copy all of their files to at least once a month.... You can get huge external hard drives for $100 and under these days.... family pics, documents, etc....all things to have backed up!

 

[DebbieJ]

I backup to my external drive once a week.

 

[janetupnorth]

WOW! Seriously!!! I need to show my hubby this! Wonder if anything could help our situation!

Yes, seriously, I've done it numerous times...just seal it in a bag good so no moisture gets in while in the freezer. Like I said, if the failure it not due to an actual "break" in the physical metal, that will shrink the parts back down and usually get it running long enough to get your data off.

I can't count anymore how many times I've done it, shown peers at my current company who have used it with success and talked to other techs throughout the US who have done it.

I hope it can work for you to get some stuff....

 

[janetupnorth]

These are the reasons why everyone should have an external harddrive to copy all of their files to at least once a month.... You can get huge external hard drives for $100 and under these days.... family pics, documents, etc....all things to have backed up!

External HD, CDs, DVDs, some backup. I admit I don't follow ALL backup rules with personal stuff and someday it will be my fault if I lose somethings but I do backup some things and everything can have its failure, including external HDs but if you have a duplicate, you are less likely to lose all...

 

[janetupnorth]

WOW! Seriously!!! I need to show my hubby this! Wonder if anything could help our situation!

By the way, do you still have the drive? You may want to try it...you may get it to run even without the freezer. Also, when you try, if it doesn't fire up at first, rotate your PC 90 degrees...if laying down flat, stand it up. Sometimes a position change will get it to go for awhile...

OK, I know KG is going to chime in with a joke here soon...talk about computers long enough and one joke or more are bound to show up.

 

[GourmetGirl]

Carolyn I hope you can "rescue" your hard drive! Sorry this had to happen

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

The three most important words in data processing are:

1. Backup
2. Backup
3. Backup

That is all.

 

[janetupnorth]

The three most important words in data processing are:

1. Backup
2. Backup
3. Backup

That is all.

Well, I could argue that is 6 words...back up back up back up.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Start--> All Programs--> Accessories --> System Tools--> BackupDoumentation has to match the application in order to not confuse the user.(Any worse than they're already confused.)

 

[GourmetGirl]

Thanks TKG... I'm in the process of backing up as we speak!

 

[janetupnorth]

Carolyn - any luck recovering anything?

 

[dannyzmom]

Carolyn - any luck recovering anything?

So far, no.