Dead HDD data recovery is important when your hard drive stops working and you risk losing important information. Hard drives can fail for many reasons, like mechanical issues, software problems, or physical damage.
It is important to recognize the signs of a failing hard drive and know how to fix it. This guide will show you how to check, connect, and recover data from a non-working hard drive.
We’ll use tools like Disk Drill to back up and retrieve files, helping you get back your valuable data as smoothly as possible.
Causes of Hard Drive Failures and Their Symptoms
Hard drives can stop working due to various issues, and it’s crucial to recognize the signs of failure to protect your data. Here are some typical causes and symptoms of a failing hard drive:
- Electric Issues: If your hard drive turns on but fails to spin, it could mean the spindle motor has malfunctioned. Replacing the motor with one from a similar drive might resolve the issue.
- Physical Wear: Sounds like clicking, grinding, or screeching when the drive is active could indicate that the read/write heads are damaging the platters.
- Virus Infection: Malware can alter or damage the operating system files or infect the boot sector, causing the system to fail to boot up properly. Other symptoms like overheating can also signal a failing drive.
Additional signs that a hard drive is failing include:
- Disappearing files or folders.
- Delayed response when accessing files or folders.
- System freezes.
- Errors detected by S.M.A.R.T. monitoring.
- Odd noises coming from the drive.
- Sudden blue or black screen errors.
Ways of Dead HDD Data Recovery
Following are different ways of dead hdd data recovery:
Method 1: Connect the Hard Drive to Your Computer
The first step in recovring data from a non-working hard drive is to connect it to your computer. If it’s an internal hard drive, use a SATA cable to connect it directly to the motherboard. You can find the SATA port location in your motherboard’s manual.
Alternatively, you can place the internal hard drive in an enclosure and connect it to your computer using a USB cable, where it will appear as an external hard drive.
Method 2: Make a Complete Backup with Disk Drill
To safely recover your data and protect the original hard drive, it’s a good idea to create a full disk image. Here’s how to do this using Disk Drill’s to recover data:
Step 1. Download and install Disk Drill from its website.
Step 2. Launch Disk Drill and select the ‘Drive Backup’ option from the left menu.
Step 3. Choose the hard drive that isn’t working.
Step 4. Click on ‘Byte-to-byte backup’.
Step 5. Pick a location on another drive to save the disk image. Make sure there’s enough space available.
Step 6. Let Disk Drill run until it has finished creating the disk image.
Method 3: Recover Files from the Backup with Disk Drill
The disk image acts like a complete copy of your hard drive, including every byte. This means you can recover lost files from the disk image instead of the actual hard drive. Follow these steps to scan the backup using Disk Drill:
Step 1. Open Disk Drill.
Step 2. Choose the ‘Attach disk image’ option.
Step 3. Find and select the disk image you created earlier, then click ‘Open’.
Step 4. Select the disk image now visible in Disk Drill and click on ‘Search for lost data’.
Step 5. Allow Disk Drill to complete the scan.
Step 6. Once the scan is finished, click on ‘Review found items’.
Step 7. Pick the files you wish to recover and click ‘Recover’.
Step 8. Choose a location to save the recovered files and press ‘OK’.
Method 4: Make Your Hard Drive Recognizable
After connecting your hard drive to your computer, it should automatically be detected. If not, here are some steps to help your computer recognize the hard drive:
Connect to the Motherboard’s USB Port
Sometimes, connecting through a USB port on the computer’s case doesn’t work well because of a faulty USB hub or issues with the case’s USB port. Instead, plug the hard drive directly into a USB port on the motherboard, usually found on the back of the PC.
Update the Hard Drive Drivers
Updating the drivers of your hard drive can also help make it recognizable:
Step 1: Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run command.
Step 2: Type devmgmt. msc and press Enter.
Step 3: In the Device Manager, expand the ‘Disk Drives’ section and right-click on your hard drive.
Step 4: Select ‘Update Driver’.
Step 5: Choose ‘Search automatically for drivers’.
Step 6: Let Windows find and install the latest driver for your hard drive.
Conclusion
Recovering data from a dead hard drive is feasible with the right approach and tools. By understanding the common causes of hard drive failures and their symptoms, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your data.
Methods such as connecting the drive correctly, using Disk Drill for comprehensive backups, and ensuring your drive is recognized by your system are essential.
With patience and careful execution of these steps, you can successfully retrieve valuable files from a failed hard drive, minimizing data loss and stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Data be Recovered from Dead HDD?
Data recovery from a non-functioning hard drive requires a systematic approach.
Is it Possible to Recover Data from a Broken HDD?
When the issue is logical, like file corruption or file system damage, you might be able to restore files using data recovery software at home.
Can you Recover Data from a Burnt Hard Drive?
Yes, recovering data from hard drives that have suffered fire damage is achievable.
How Much Does it Cost to Recover Data from a Dead Hard Drive?
The cost to recover data from a dead hard drive can vary a lot, from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on how bad the damage is and how much data you need back. Always ask for a price estimate first.
