[stuzeeuk]

A few weeks ago i dropped my laptop. After that I had a fatal error on my hard drive and could no longer boot the machine up. It would initally power up then show an error message (rundll32 error of some kind).

I sent it off to local repair centre who installad a new Hard Drive. I have since rebuilt the computer all is working fine.

However there is some data on the old HD that I would like to access (honeymoon photographs and various other data files). I have the Hard Drisk in my possession. Is it possible to access it?

If so, how would i go about doing it ?. Can i add it as external to my current set up via a USB port etc etc ?

[zerocool]

You can buy an external laptop hard drive enclosure
http://www.morecomputers.co.uk/extra.asp?pn=USB-HD2.5
Not a bad price, you might be able to directly access your old files or you may need to run some recovery software on the drive, there are a few that are free going about online.

[serverguy]

Or you could just stick the drive in a Desktop and run the Recovery Software from there.

I have yet to find any free recovery software... Most is shareware.

[stuzeeuk]

Originally Posted by serverguy Or you could just stick the drive in a Desktop and run the Recovery Software from there. I have yet to find any free recovery software... Most is shareware.

What recovery software is best ?

[serverguy]

This will give you some options
http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

I have a copy of this
http://www.windowsdatarecovery.com/

I think you can download a copy for free that will tell you what files it will be able to recover.

[stuzeeuk]

Chaps (and Chapeses),

I have now got an external drive case and when i plug it into my USB port. Its shows 3 drives, however when I double click them it states 'drive is not formatted do you want to format' obviusly i click no.

Before I do so can you confirm that this is normal and I should run some recovery software on it.

Or, is there something i should be doing before or instead of using recover software ?

[MJM]

Personally I believe O&O to be the best and it has only failed me once.

Something you can try is using your windows boot cd and the recovery console to fix the hdd file table

What's the command again?
fixmbr DRIVE?
I believe "map" gives you a list of drives and yes, USB drives are usually recognised.

[stuzeeuk]

Basically the damaged HHD is now in an external casing. It plugs in via the USB, powers up and spins, but it wont let me read it.

When i click on 'my computer', I am offered 3 extra drives but when i select them it tell me the drive isn't formatted and asks if i want to format them ?. I have for obvious reasons selected no.

Is there anyway to open the drives in the HDD to get my honeymoon photographs back ? or at this stage do I need to buy and run the recovery software and run it on the disk?

[MJM]

Like said, you could try to fix the MBR, EZ Recovery (?) I believe does it.

As for free reovery apps: http://www.softwarepatch.com/tips/ho...-recovery.html
They won't be the best though. You can just get a trial version and run it to see if the files are even recoverable.

[thingie2]

Some computer shops offer a disk recovery, however it can be fairly costsly from that I have heard, as what they do, is they romove the magnetic disks, and put them into a new casing, with new reading head, which then attempts to get all the data off the drive, this is not allways possible though, it depends if its the heads or the disks that are damaged