Don't drop your laptop!

[Tim Schoon]

Two days ago my craptop fell off my kitchen table..
It's a HP DV9000 with 2 harddiscs.

Everything seemed to be working fine, until I wanted to open a file in photoshop..
The second storage HD was gone from the menu! I thought wtf :\ and I rebooted.
While I was rebooting the 2nd HD made some sounds, like if it was spinning and trying to read something but got stuck.
I took the HD out, put it back in, but it was still the same.

Its the HD I use for my administration and I keep my designs on there, so I'm totally screwed if the files will be lost.

I've contacted a PC repair shop, but they said they don't do this kind of stuff.. :bah:

Does anyone have any idea what I can do?

I've been told a pro data recovery company will charge around $2k..

 

[Dave]

Recuva - Undelete, Unerase, File and Disk Recovery - Free Download

Try this out perhaps? Good luck!

 

[Tim Schoon]

thanks for the link, the problem is that I cant access the HD, my computer cant find it at all.. so software wont work.

 

[Kate]

It could be the cables too. Do you see the hard disk in BIOS ?

 

[Tim Schoon]

It could be the cables too. Do you see the hard disk in BIOS ?

nope its disappeared from my pc's hardware list, it cant find or identify it at all.

 

[RazorNF]

Like sdsinc suggested, it could be that the cable to the second hd became loose, or maybe even a pin got broken when the laptop was dropped. You might want to consider buying an external usb chassis for the hd, and try accessing it that way.

 

[yilduz]

I don't do HP (in fact, I'll never purchase another one based on recent experiences. Yes, experiences, plural - more than one hardware failure they refuse to help with), but I am an Apple tech support agent so this is what I do. Based on the information you've provided, Toilet Monster (the sound of it spinning but getting stuck), I'd say it's the hard drive itself that is damaged, not a cable. Does it have a rhythmic clicking sound?

It's true that you're not going to be able to recover the data with software because the hard drive itself is not being recognized. My only recommendation would be to call all the computer stores in your area to see if any of them have the equipment for data recovery. It likely will be expensive, but you might be able to find someone that can do it for less than you're expecting.

 

[bizwiz]

Try buying a IDE to usb converter, you can check if the laptop hardriev is still working using another computer so you can at least recover your files.

 

[Tim Schoon]

I don't do HP (in fact, I'll never purchase another one based on recent experiences. Yes, experiences, plural - more than one hardware failure they refuse to help with), but I am an Apple tech support agent so this is what I do. Based on the information you've provided, Toilet Monster (the sound of it spinning but getting stuck), I'd say it's the hard drive itself that is damaged, not a cable. Does it have a rhythmic clicking sound?

It's true that you're not going to be able to recover the data with software because the hard drive itself is not being recognized. My only recommendation would be to call all the computer stores in your area to see if any of them have the equipment for data recovery. It likely will be expensive, but you might be able to find someone that can do it for less than you're expecting.

yea it makes a rithmic clicking noise, I'll drop it off at a pc store today. This laptop has had more hardware issues before, like the touchpad for the sound buttons. I'll certainly go buy a mac next time!

 

[liquidcherry]

yea it makes a rithmic clicking noise, I'll drop it off at a pc store today. This laptop has had more hardware issues before, like the touchpad for the sound buttons. I'll certainly go buy a mac next time!

Regarding your HDD, you suffered a head crash what is basically bad but sometimes the data can be recovered even from a HDD with your symptoms but....only from professionals with the right equipment!, since you have your company data on this file just google "data recovery", make sure you chose a company with a class 100 clean room, most of them offer a diagnosis for free

Regarding your DV 9000, i just redirect you to HP Lies: The nVidia Defect, you are doomed with this Laptop sorry to say that...have fun reading

Cheers

Liquid

 

[enlytend]

yea it makes a rithmic clicking noise,

Ouch! Hope you can get your data back without TOO much expense/hassle!

Lesson to be learned from this thread:

Backup Important Data Frequently.

 

[dgridley]

My advice as well..

Good luck!

Like sdsinc suggested, it could be that the cable to the second hd became loose, or maybe even a pin got broken when the laptop was dropped. You might want to consider buying an external usb chassis for the hd, and try accessing it that way.

 

[yilduz]

yea it makes a rithmic clicking noise, I'll drop it off at a pc store today. This laptop has had more hardware issues before, like the touchpad for the sound buttons. I'll certainly go buy a mac next time!

A Mac isn't going to be any less susceptible to hard drive failures. That's one thing that always bugs me about my customers. They have a hardware failure, then call me complaining about it, "I thought Macs don't have problems." Oh well.

Anyway, a rhythmic clicking sound is almost always a hard drive hardware failure. I hope you can find someone to recover the data.

 

[theSun]

What you should do is learn to keep a habit to BACKUP all files in a $5 4GB USB which will save you from a $2k fee in the future. Further, you may try ask back your clients for files, they should still have them, or from FTP where you have uploaded your work.

 

[dgridley]

All good advice.. tho I can recall when 4gb USB drives were MUCH more than $5! Now mthey give them away as promo items!

What you should do is learn to keep a habit to BACKUP all files in a $5 4GB USB which will save you from a $2k fee in the future. Further, you may try ask back your clients for files, they should still have them, or from FTP where you have uploaded your work.

 

[andr69]

I can recommend you to buy a new one, because the thing which has already been broken can cause some problems with its usability.