Secondary Harddrive Broke Need Serious Help!

Arily · 22 Jul 2018

Windows 10 64bit fully updated...I have a 256GB SSD and 1TB Hard Drive...The 256GB SSD has the OS while I use the Hard Drive for Storage and Games that take a lot of space.

This morning I turned on my computer to hear a funny sound...Like the discs of the Hard Drive were trying to spin I'm not sure...I was able to access the drive but I ran a diagnostic test and the Hard Drive failed on the Short and Long Test.

So ok, I need a new Hard Drive...no problem...I thought however I would run a check disc on the drive just to see if it would help. It checked and repaired for errors, I got a confirmation that it was done and ready. However the computer was freezing and I thought maybe I should restart the computer because maybe it needs a restart... The computer hung and hung and hung and was on a black screen and wouldn't boot and wouldn't boot. I was sweating bullets. I hit the power button to turn the computer off, opened the case...unplugged the Hard Drive and turned the computer on again...it did an automatic repair thing and booted just fine to the OS. I plugged the Hard Drive back in while the computer was going because I figured it I could just get my stuff off...then fine whatever I'll figure it out. However the Hard Drive is now not showing up on the computer...Not in "This PC" not it "Device Manager" not in "Disk Management"...

I desperately need the files off the drive...and not ALL the files just the important stuff...I have ALL my kids baby pictures and home videos...That's ALL I need...please how can I recover my files when the Drive in not even showing up on the computer? Please!

I currently have the Drive unplugged from the computer waiting for instructions on what I can do next...PLEASE! I'm really desperate!!!

dalchina · 22 Jul 2018

Sorry to hear of this. Unfortunately hardware does fail, and that's why making backups is so important.

When a hard drive fails as dramatically as yours appears to have, I would guess your only option would be to send it to a professional data recovery company - which is a very expensive procedure.

It is strange that removing the hard drive caused an automatic repair procedure- if the OS was installed in the normal way, that shouldn't have happened. (Hard drive should have only contained data, I believe).

There are some strange options you can find on the internet e.g. youtube about freezing hard drives (beware condensation!) in the hope of getting some response from them. I cannot recommend that, and of course it depends exactly how yours has failed.

Please learn from this- start using disk imaging routinely as we so often urge users to do. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + large external storage for disk image sets. That means you can restore your OS and any imaged disks to 'as was' relatively easily.

Arily · 22 Jul 2018

I was able to access it completely fine until that darn error checking thing ran. Instead of hitting fix errors on next boot I just did fix errors now because I had figured it was the secondary drive.

Is there any software I could use to recover the data? Or does the drive have to be recognized by the computer? If I plug it in now it shows nothing.

dalchina · 22 Jul 2018

There are plenty of recovery programs. I suppose if you were very lucky, the partition table has been damaged. But you mention noises and it failing tests, highly indicative of a significant failure.

You can try:
a. Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) - install on your SSD. If it can read certain info from your disk, it will give a quick clear assessment of its state.

b. Minitool Partition Wizard (free)
- Partition Recovery

Secondary Harddrive Broke Need Serious Help!-untitled.png

This may allow you to recover your partitions.

However, all depends on how much damage has been done.

c. If any of that works, then you can try accessing any data that can be read usefully and copy that to an external drive.

d. Data recovery - e.g. Recuva (free) - use the deep scan option.
The partitions need to be visible.

Arily · 22 Jul 2018

Thank you, I'm going to try these and cross my fingers...so upset I really just want my pictures and home movies...everything else is replaceable.

EDIT: The Hard Drive doesn't appear on either program...Only the SSD

Does this mean something?

Secondary Harddrive Broke Need Serious Help!-hd.png

dalchina · 22 Jul 2018

If the failure is catastrophic there's nothing you can do...

Those are files from C:\Windows\Boot\EFI

- how did you get that display? Recuva?

Arily · 22 Jul 2018

Yes Recuva

So this drive is dead and nothing I can do? No way to make it show up?

dalchina · 22 Jul 2018

Just to check - you've tried Hard Disk Sentinel and Minitool P W, have you? That was very quick..

If those couldn't see the disk at all,
When you ran Recuva, what did you choose here by way of a drive?
I'm guessing you left it as C: - you'd need to be able to choose a drive letter corresponding to the problem disk.

Secondary Harddrive Broke Need Serious Help!-1.jpg

dalchina · 22 Jul 2018

There is one very good company whose program (trial) you could try, but if the disk is inaccessible nothing but a professional data recovery company can help - e.g. by taking the disk apart and accessing the platters by other means.

Active@ Partition Recovery restores deleted disks. Freeware Data Recovery Software Toolkit

Arily · 22 Jul 2018

with Recuva I picked I'm not sure because the drive letter was not showing up.

The other two programs you suggested didn't show the drive either...

I have the drive plugged in now...it's still making that noise but it will not show in the computer at all.

EDIT: This is what it shows

Secondary Harddrive Broke Need Serious Help!-hd2.png

I literately need it to pop up for a few minutes just to get my pictures =\
I'm so upset as it's not even showing up but it's getting power I can still hear it trying to spin...
How could Error Checking and Repair completely wipe it out? I don't understand...I was able to access it perfectly fine until I did that.