there goes my last hope to get my data back

[ratcreature]

I managed to get a decent screwdriver, and got the disk out of its metal frame and connected to another computer, but the desktop doesn't even recognize the thing as a hard disk. I mean, not just that it can't read the file system, but it doesn't recognize what manner of thing hangs onto its USB port. So short of CSI-level data recovery technomagic, which I can't afford, I won't get anything on that disk back. Waaaahh.

Comments

[red_eft]

Aaack, I'm sorry. That sucks a lot.

[ratcreature]

Yeah. Maybe now that data loss isn't so theoretical anymore I'll be better about remembering back ups for everything.

[sholio]

Oh man, I'm so sorry! That must be devastating.

[ratcreature]

It definitely sucks. I should have been better about backups, especially knowing how old that laptop was. I just never had a hard disk die on me like this, so while I knew theoretically that it happens, my last data loss was 1998, and that happened because I ill advisedly messed up a dual boot system and corrupted the file systems without backing up all my data, the disk didn't suddenly crap out on me.

Though "devastating" is probably a bit strong, because most files I lost are more inconvenient than essential (unless further down the line I'll think of a seldom used file that I'll miss horribly), and I did backup my digital fanart and my icon art, and most of my media. I lost some non-fannish mail (which upsets my inner hoarder, even though I probably wouldn't have opened any of it again), some saved fanfic and fanart that's not around online anymore, but mostly lots of little files with notes I keep making as they occur to me, likr some unfinished posts, recs, and one SGA thematic list I had started to compile (about ordinary jobs on Atlantis), also my todo file which among other things had all the fanart ideas I scribbled down as well as list with books that my flist and other places recced that I wanted to check out eventually. But still.

Not having a laptop anymore is worse.

[jt93.livejournal.com]

don't give up yet.
if it's a usb external drive, most of these are just standard ide drives in the case. might just be bad usb parts (unlikely, but it could be).
you could try popping the drive out of the usb enclosure and see if it can be directly hooked to ide / sata. then you will have better diags / tools to use.
and it might not work at all

[jt93.livejournal.com]

lol, just caught the earlier post, so never mind.

i have seen some nutso recovers by ppl though. new ide controller chips put on the drive and stuff like that.

[ratcreature]

The data loss is annoying but not so bad that I'd go this far in effort. I mean, there's a bunch of half written posts, my todo list, and some stuff like that, some fanfic I saved that's not online anymore, some old mail, and I'd have liked to have this back, but I miss having a laptop more than the stuff that was on it, so any further money investment will go toward that goal.

[ratcreature]

The damaged drive was the internal one from my laptop. The laptop stopped booting, telling me it couldn't find the operating system, so I took out the HD from the laptop, hooked it up to an IDE to USB converter to connect it to my desktop. I guess I could try connecting it directly to the IDE of my desktop somehow, but I'm hesitant to open up and mess with my only currently working computer, who is old and finicky too.

[annvole.livejournal.com]

some people have just bought an identical drive and replaced the electronics parts (usually just plugs to undo). also an external drive case for a disk usually used internally might be a better way to hook it up (if you are using something different)

[ratcreature]

I don't think I still could find an identical drive, what with this one being six years old. Well, it'll hopefully teach me to be better about backups of all my stuff, rather than just the files I find most important.

[lynx212.livejournal.com]

*HUGS ON YOU*

That so blows babe! I don't know if you have a FaceBook but toss your problem out on there if you have one one of your Friends might have some advice/Knowledge on the matter...worth a shot.