When Harddrives fail - recovery software

[neogramps]

In the past couple of months, I've managed to ruin the file system on backup HDD (partition merge went awry and "lost" 2 partitions), and my portable HDD died a death. But thanks to some handy recovery tools, I haven't lost a single bit of data.

GetDataBack for NTFS - managed to restore the lost partitions and all data inside them. But it couldn't get anything off my portable drive despite being able to image the drive and find all the indexes etc.

Nucleus Kernel for NTFS - managed to recover everything off my portable drive even though it was showing as RAW data and HDTune detected 75% of drive had errors.

So how about you guys - any restore programs which have saved you? Anything worth keeping handy for the inevitable failures?

[DAve]

Testdisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
photorec http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

Also, one or two of the linux/windows liveCDs have been invaluable over the past few years:
http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd - list of all the progs on the CD. Most of them are invaluable, some of which are above :)

[neogramps]

Nice list Dave - i'll definitely look into these for work. Always feel bad when I turn up nowt for hysterical students with lost dissertations.

[neogramps]

well i'll be able to road-test these tomorrow as I have a broken HDD coming to see me. w00t!

[Uuurrahh]

Actually had a windows install shit up on me a few days ago, had to format the drive and partitions. Pretty much 100% recovery of all my shit [think the sector containing windows went tits up] from the drive using 'Active Partition Recovery'. Details on how to buy it have been sent via PM.

cough

[DAve]

well i'll be able to road-test these tomorrow as I have a broken HDD coming to see me. w00t!

the main thing that I've been told is to take an image of the b0rked HDD and use that to recover the files. If you use the hard disk in the computer "live", then you just risk losing the data.

[neogramps]

4 days later, and success!

Strings FTW!

I tried: HDD Recovery, Spinrite, NUcleus Kernel for NTFS, File Scavenger, GetDataBack for NTFS, Active Partition Recovery, Restoration, Ultimate Data Recovery, Photorec and testdisk - all returned nothing, corrupted files or junk (temp internet files/cookies etc).

Tried a prog Strings gave me called "EasyRecovery Professional" - a full raw scan (which took more than 30 hours to complete thanks to a power cut on the first attempt!) got nothing, but an advanced scan found loads after only 20 minutes - recovered all the users photos, music and hopefully all the Uni work she was looking for - all working, non-corrupt files! Hurray!

And to think, PC world quoted her £900 for a Forensic data recovery service - scoundrels! Am feeling quite chuffed with myself!

[Bluepixie]

Nice one! *high five!*

[DAve]

And to think, PC world quoted her £900 for a Forensic data recovery service - scoundrels! Am feeling quite chuffed with myself!

Well done! good news on the recovery :)
I'm a bit surprised that the undelete software that worked retails for around $800, but it's aimed at businesses I suppose. PC world traditionaly aim at the stupid and lazy PC buyer, but this time I'm going to defend them -- the time involved in recovering the files is easily a week's worth for a technician and that's the bulk of the time involved. 40 hours at £20 an hour is about the going rate :D


Well done on getting the files back though. Make sure you back up next time too, it's a lot easier :)

[Strings]

4 days later, and success!

Strings FTW!

I tried: HDD Recovery, Spinrite, NUcleus Kernel for NTFS, File Scavenger, GetDataBack for NTFS, Active Partition Recovery, Restoration, Ultimate Data Recovery, Photorec and testdisk - all returned nothing, corrupted files or junk (temp internet files/cookies etc).

Tried a prog Strings gave me called "EasyRecovery Professional" - a full raw scan (which took more than 30 hours to complete thanks to a power cut on the first attempt!) got nothing, but an advanced scan found loads after only 20 minutes - recovered all the users photos, music and hopefully all the Uni work she was looking for - all working, non-corrupt files! Hurray!

And to think, PC world quoted her £900 for a Forensic data recovery service - scoundrels! Am feeling quite chuffed with myself!

Hehe, the power cut made it all the more challenging :)