Retrieving information from hard drives...

[PCBoy]

hey guys, if your motherboard doesnt read the hard drive thats plugged into the primary IDE slot, is there any way of retrieving the information that was on the hard drive? maybe with a software program ?

much appreciated...

PcBoy

[Catweazle]

Nope. Software needs to be able to access the drive. A professional data retrieval service could probbaly get it back by removing the platters and fitting them to another drive case, but it'd be awfully expensive.

[Thong_Ispector]

Dont give up hope quite yet...

What error message do you get? Does the drive spin up?
Have you tried a new data cable?

Did this drive ever work in this machine or did you just now plug it in.
If it has never worked in this machine you need to check the jumper settings

If it was working then you need to check the cmos to make sure it has the correct info for your hard drive. Try to manually enter it if it is wrong.

You can also try the trick of putting the hard drive in the freezer and get the temp down. Sometimes a drive that is chilled down will work long enough to get a backup done.

Setting it on a block of blue ice etc to extend the lower temp will also help.

Good luck, the drive is most likely toast...
Do Not Go Quietly Into That Good Night... Try everything twice...

[Catweazle]

Refer you to this topic, Thong man:
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread26820.html

PC boy, I've already merged two of your topics which related to this same problem. Could you PLEASE restrict your discussion of the incident/problem to the thread you originally started? This is the sort of confusion which occurs when you split it up.