[zyrrahXD]

Is there a way that I can retrieve my files from a hard disk?
My desktop has a problem and I can't access my important files.
So I just wondering if there is a way that I can retrieve it.
I can't wait to get my desktop back to normal.
I do really need it...
Thanks..

[coastie65]

Hi Zyrrah, A little more on what is happening when you try to retreive files would be helpful.

[zyrrahXD]

coastie65, on 30 October 2011 - 05:59 AM, said:

Hi Zyrrah, A little more on what is happening when you try to retreive files would be helpful.

I mean, up to this time I don't know what happened to my desktop. I can't even reach log on screen.
So, I don't know if I can retrieve my files. Im afraid if my desktop turns into worst, and if there is a possibility that my files would be completely erased. I just want to retrieve my files before anything worse happen.

Thanks....

[LincolnSpector]

zyrrahXD, on 30 October 2011 - 04:09 AM, said:

Is there a way that I can retrieve my files from a hard disk?
My desktop has a problem and I can't access my important files.
So I just wondering if there is a way that I can retrieve it.
I can't wait to get my desktop back to normal.
I do really need it...
Thanks..

Three possibilities, in order from the easiest:

1) Try booting into Safe Mode and accessing the files that way.

2) Boot from a Live Linux CD or flash drive. Which Live Linux version should you use? I'd go with PartedMagic, because it comes with a disk diagnostic tool. See The Bootable Maintenance Flash Drive for more info.

Lincoln

[LiveBrianD]

Uhh, Lincoln, that's 2, not 3. Good ideas though.

What happens when you boot up the machine? Does it go through POST? (usually shows the manufacturer's logo for a moment) What happens when it tries to load Windows? What OS do you have? Do you have recovery disks? (or better yet, an actual Windows disc)

[LincolnSpector]

LiveBrianD, on 30 October 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

Uhh, Lincoln, that's 2, not 3. Good ideas though.

What happens when you boot up the machine? Does it go through POST? (usually shows the manufacturer's logo for a moment) What happens when it tries to load Windows? What OS do you have? Do you have recovery disks? (or better yet, an actual Windows disc)

oops.

3) Remove the hard drive and access it from another PC. You can do this by either installing it as a secondary (not booting) drive in a desktop PC, or by using a SATA-USB adapter to turn it into an external drive.

Lincoln

[zyrrahXD]

oh, I like this option 3.. I think this is the easiest way to retrieve my files, isn't it?
An idea came up to me, I had this desktop 3years ago, and maybe I should replace it with the better one. But I do still need the files in my hard disk and follow this option 3.

[coastie65]

Yeah, that would be a good way to retrieve the files as long as the hard drive is still working. If the computer is getting past post, but not booting, that doesn't bode well for the hard drive. It could possibly be something as simple as a loose data cable too.

[LiveBrianD]

We had someone else who's screen was green recently. We had him check different video chipsets, drivers, bad capacitors on the mobo... and it turned out that the video cable was going bad. You never know, the basic stuff fixes the problem half the time.

[zyrrahXD]

i'll try to fix my computer first. And when it goes bad, i'd rather replace it and then buy this sata-usb adapter for retrieving of files.

[LincolnSpector]

zyrrahXD, on 01 November 2011 - 10:11 AM, said:

oh, I like this option 3.. I think this is the easiest way to retrieve my files, isn't it?
An idea came up to me, I had this desktop 3years ago, and maybe I should replace it with the better one. But I do still need the files in my hard disk and follow this option 3.

It's the easiest solution if you have another computer, are comfortable removing and installing drives, and perhaps already have an adapter. But for most people, that's not the case.

Lincoln

[LincolnSpector]

coastie65, on 01 November 2011 - 03:33 PM, said:

Yeah, that would be a good way to retrieve the files as long as the hard drive is still working. If the computer is getting past post, but not booting, that doesn't bode well for the hard drive. It could possibly be something as simple as a loose data cable too.

Right. Two other steps:

4) Check the cables (actually, this would probably be step 2 or 3).

5) Send the drive to a data retrieval service and pay them a large sum of money to restore your data.

This is beginning to feel like Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition routine.

Oh, and I forgot step 0) Back up your hard drive before it dies.

Lincoln

[LiveBrianD]

Have you tried safe mode with the PC? fyi, those USB/sata adapters are good to have around. I bought one for around $10 on amazon. That was mainly so I could use an optical drive a friend gave me (from his broken laptop) with my netbook, but it is also good for hard drives too.

Open the PC, and tighten the HD cables. Then go into the bios, and make sure the HD is set to be the first boot device. What do you get when you boot the PC? It's possible that your Windows install is corrupted, in which case you'll need to reinstall but your files are still intact on the drive. To recover those, use a usb/sata adapter and copy the files off the HD on another PC or burn a Ubuntu CD, boot from it, and it to copy your files from the hard drive to a networked computer or external hard drive.