So I want to access files from my old hard drive...[ACCESSED]

Snake · Wed 03/02/2010 16:42:27

Yeah, I know, another one of these threads by me.

I'll try and get to the point and not drag on like I usually do:

I've got a Maxtor (now they call themselves Seagate) hard drive that I want to access my old files on.

I've hooked it up to the computer as the primary slave, changed jumper settings and BIOS and started it up. Slow as all hell while it's recognizing the drive and so on, not a problem - I've got some patience left over in my reserve.

I click on it and every time it wants me to format it. Grrreat.

So I did some googling and found that sometimes the computer will give "removable" drives the same letter as one already installed and that may cause a problem. So I renamed it, like it said in the document, to Z instead of F from within Data Management.

This didn't seem to do anything. At first it says that the drive cannot be found, but then it finds it. Then the same routine with it wanting to be formatted.

Now, from within Data Management, it shows that the drive is healthy and that it is active. Why does it want me to format it? I want to get files off the drive, not erase them.

The drive:
It is a Maxtor n256 with 60GB.
Windows ME installed (I'm thinking this is where some problems are occuring?)
I have also experimented and changed the jumper to cable select and that didn't do anything either.

I'm thinking the drive is simply damaged or I'm not setting it up right to view the files.

Any help out there?

Calin Leafshade · Wed 03/02/2010 17:40:57

A linux LiveCD might be useful in accessing those files.

Knoppix in particular contains lots of drive rescue tools

Snake · Wed 03/02/2010 18:04:38

I'll try out Knoppix. It never worked on my Win98 computer, but I'll try it on this one.

Thanks, Calin.

\\--EDIT--\\

Alright. I can't find the CD I made and now I'm having a miserable time trying to find a knoppix download... any help?

Calin Leafshade · Wed 03/02/2010 21:03:30

Quote from: Snake on Wed 03/02/2010 18:04:38
Alright. I can't find the CD I made and now I'm having a miserable time trying to find a knoppix download... any help?

loser

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html

I'd recommend using Bit torrent.. way faster for stuff like linux distros

poc301 · Wed 03/02/2010 21:15:34

Just a quick comment/idea which would explain the problems you're having.

Windows ME can't read the NTFS file structure. If this drive was used in an XP system or something, and has the NTFS file system on it, you'd get these kinds of errors / requests to format.

-Bill

Calin Leafshade · Wed 03/02/2010 21:26:24

thats a very good point and very very likely your problem..

knoppix reads NTFS though

Snake · Wed 03/02/2010 22:24:02

I like it when you call me a loser, Calin

Heh, I know I haven't posted in the McCarthy thread yet, but I'll get to it, okay? I will!

I did find a Knoppix download a little bit after posting anyway. I'm going to try tomorrow. It's version 6.2. Is that good enough?

And yeah, Poc, it is a drive with WinME installed on it and the system I am trying to read it on is WinXP Home. Sorry I forgot to mention that.

Thank, guys, I'll post some time in the morning when I try out Knoppix.

Khris · Wed 03/02/2010 23:13:54

If the drive has ME on it and you're trying to access it on XP then it's not about the file system. XP can read NTFS or FAT16/32 perfectly fine. Only trying to access an NTFS drive on WinME/98 requires a bit more fiddling.
In order to use cable select, you need an HD cable that supports that, so leave the jumper on master/slave.

You might also want to make sure that the BIOS gets the size right. If the BIOS and the sticker on the HD say it's 60GB, that's also not the problem.

A recovery tool is your best bet.

Snake · Wed 03/02/2010 23:22:42

Quote from: KhrisA recovery tool is your best bet.

I'm thinking it might be too. While I was waiting for Knoppix to download, I found a recovery tool and downloaded that. It read it okay and I was able to see some of the files. The thing that sucked was that until I tried to recover some of them once they were found, I didn't realize it wasn't a free product. I've got to pay a little closer attention. But anyway, it did give me a little glimmer of hope.

Calin Leafshade · Thu 04/02/2010 00:11:21

Quote from: Snake on Wed 03/02/2010 22:24:02
I like it when you call me a loser, Calin

I mean it in the nicest possible way

If it makes you feel any better, I call Ben304 a loser on a pretty much daily basis.

SSH · Thu 04/02/2010 01:34:36

I've found that connecting old drives is eqasiest with a USB to IDE adapter cable which are cheap off ebay/amazon, etc. it saves messing around with primary/secondary master/slave, jumpers, etc.

LGM · Thu 04/02/2010 05:39:27

Sounds like you have some bad sectors or a bad master table. Either way, data recovery tools should have no problem recovering what you need. There are data rescue boot CDs out there. I don't know any off hand, but google that phrase and I'm sure you'll find something. You could even try repairing the MFT or scan it for bad sectors. Although the later might ruin the data if it doesn't go so well.

If the data is super important, you might wanna bite the bullet and pay for a data recovery tool. I had to once, it was the only way (but well worth it).

Adrian â€‚ · Thu 04/02/2010 05:51:32

I expect the knoppix disc will work but if not: http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
it has recovery tools and mini verisons of xp and 98 I can't find where it says to buy or download on the site
but I'm sure a pirate could find it for you.

abstauber · Thu 04/02/2010 08:04:53

QuoteThe thing that sucked was that until I tried to recover some of them once they were found, I didn't realize it wasn't a free product.

This one's free:
http://www.pcinspector.de/Default.htm?language=1

Snake · Thu 04/02/2010 13:22:54

Good morning! Good news...

Last night I had a bit more time than I had anticipated and was able to use the computer.

I tried out Knoppix which works really well on this computer and I WAS able to read the HDD, but it wasn't showing anything in there that was mine... like it was a newly installed WinME. At first the WINDOWS folder wouldn't open but after a while it did. I went to the desktop folder where I know a particular folder is, and nothing was there.

Anyway, after a bit of fooling around I rebooted the computer normally and was able to find a free recovery tool, which is coincidentally, PCINSPECTOR - thanks anyway, Abstauber!

I was able to find pretty much everything that was lost on that HDD. This morning I will be going through it and save what I can.
------

So after 4 years of thinking I had lost all my guitar recordings - there are hundreds (at least three years worth) - I finally got them back! I can't explain how excited I am to be able to hear them again. Last night before I went to bed I had listened to 3 of them... it was great. I never thought I'd be hearing them again.
I was honestly near tears, I mean... bah, screw trying to explain. I know there are a ton of guitar players here on AGS, so I think you understand.

So thanks again to everyone that helped, even you, Leafshade

, getting those sounds files back feels like I've won the lottery.

Oh, I almost forgot, there's also a bunch of old AGS projects on there too. I doubt they will work, some of the pictures were garbled and I'm sure some of the data is lost for good, but it's neat to see it all again.

\\--EDIT--\\
One thing that was awful wierd was that before accessing the HDD from Knoppix, Windows kept asking me if I wanted to format it. After I was done trying Knoppix, I tried accessing it from Windows again... and it let me into it!

Any ideas why that would have happened?

HammerBlade · Mon 08/02/2010 06:23:06

Congrats on the hard drive rescue! Also, I didn't know you played the guitar!? I wanna hear some of your work sometime.

OneDollar · Mon 08/02/2010 12:52:56

Quote from: Snake on Thu 04/02/2010 13:22:54
One thing that was awful wierd was that before accessing the HDD from Knoppix, Windows kept asking me if I wanted to format it. After I was done trying Knoppix, I tried accessing it from Windows again... and it let me into it! Any ideas why that would have happened?

Perhaps Knoppix fixed the master file table or something? Good to hear you got your data back.

Leon · Mon 08/02/2010 13:52:26

Did you find "The Life of Marty Shore" there as well? Then I can call off the hunt..