Computer crashed...i have a question.

[stevem]

My computer crashed and like an idiot, I didn't have any of the files backed up. I've been told the files may be able to be retrieved and put on my new one, but I don't need anyone going through all the wetting photos I have. Any ideas? Do I just forget about it and toss it? I would really like my files back.

[ŧ§hØΣ™]

you can try something like this. http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...SBENTB&cat=CSE. it turns your internal hard drive into an external. just hook it up and pull your files off. thats what i did. this will only work if your hard drive crashed because the data was corrupted. if the hard drive itself acctually failed, you're probably screwed.

[gastonnc]

ask pissedmyself he is very smart when it comes to this sort of things........

[prawnboy]

Depends how computer savvy you are

A USB external caddy will let you access your old hard drive (provided its a SATA) with relative ease. You can also leave your old hard drive in the computer, install windows on a new hard drive and access your old hard drive from there.
Depending on which windows you are running there are some startup repair options on your install discs which can be helpful.
If your hard disk appears completely dead and its a seagate, it could be revived.

[Peevert]

It depends on the amount and type of damage. First step is to set it up as an external drive. Aside from a slight speed increase, I'm not sure of any real reason why SATA would be more effective than USB (as someone suggested).

Then copy / paste what you can. What cannot be found may be retrievable using data recovery software.

If there's actual mechanical damage to the hard drive, then the only hope is hardware recovery, which usually isn't affordable.

PS: "A USB external caddy will let you access your old hard drive (provided its a SATA) with relative ease."

Now i see the point. When buying an external case or docking station, make sure it matches your drive's interface (either IDE or SATA).

[2prnot2p]

I know this doesn't help you, but this is precisely why it's best to store your pics and movies at a free file hosting site. There are many. Or, better yet, you can store them on a flash drive in the future. They also call 'em thumb drives. It's small, easy to conceal, and a very discreet way to keep your files.

Storing anything important to you on your hard drive alone is really not a good idea. I hope it all works out for you.

[xxxxx]

Now i see the point. When buying an external case or docking station, make sure it matches your drive's interface (either IDE or SATA).

To tell the difference look at the cables that plug into the back of the old drive. If it's a roughly 2" wide, flat, grey cable, it's IDE (sometimes referred to as PATA). If it's a much narrower, red cable it's SATA. As said, if you get an external hard drive enclosure, you need to make sure that is of the same type as your old drive or it won't fit :P

IDE / PATA (older) looks like this. SATA (newer) looks like this: this.