After a couple of years of running my main 160GB SATA  "C" Hard drive faultlessly, this afternoon it has suddenly decided to disappear without a trace!...

..it no longer appears in my Computer list of installed Drives!

The Computer no longer boots up the main Hard Drive with my Windows 7 32 bit Op System, via BIOS, (and all my zillions of programs are lost!).

It is/was a 160GB SATA Drive and I suspect that the drive mechanism is faulty? and the BIOS Boot-up search fails to detect the Drive!
(It doesn't appear in the BIOS list of drives).

At the moment I am using my spare (second) 80 GB SATA Hard Drive, in the same computer,to connect to the 'Net via Windows XP Pro.

The main HDD C Drive is no longer detected automatically, and I am wondering if it can be forced to detect by inserting my Win 7 disk in the CD ROM drive?

Its a real nuisance as all my years of Programs, including all my Flight Sim programs, pay-ware and free-ware, are all on the main "C" Hard Drive!

I don't know if its possible to recover the programs, as the drive is no longer detected...(the BIOS, etc, search fails).

Any suggestions Chums?

Paul...Drive-less...and life-less...in a very weepy mood... ...!

Paul, no backups of your files?   

Hard drives are like tires (er, tyres) ... when the time comes, they fail.

One thing you can try, and I know this works because I used the technique once before with success, no matter what the techheads may say. Put the hard drive in the freezer. After 12 hours, mine was able to run for a little more than 15 minutes before it permanently seized up. I was able to copy off some important files. But, this probably won't work if the drive's electronics are kaput.

My sympathies. 

It might be possible to do a recovery of all the data Paul, however software would need re-installing on a new HDD to work. Okay so is the drive spinning up? If you take the panel off the side of the PC can you hear/feel it trying to spin up?

My advice would be to install the new drive - then try to extract the data from the old one.

It's not hard to do necessarily. I've done it a couple of times. 2x OK - once the drive was smoked. If the drive is recognised when you plug it in (you will need an internal HD - USB connector)  then it should be OK. I use a program called PC Inspector Smart Recovery .. with mixed results. Although it says SD car - it has also worked on a HD for me. There are many other disc recovery software out there if this doesn't work

There is a lot of info out there on this.

..the REALLY BIG problem is..

..the main Hard Drive is not being detected at all, (it doesn't exist, even in the BIOS DOS), even from my 2nd HDD running Win XP Pro, so I cant access any of the Data on the main Hard Drive...no Icon to click on!!

....either the electronics is faulty, the Boot Data is corrupted, or the disc mechanism is faulty....
...or ALL!

Without being able to access the HDD Icon from Windows, it doesn't seem possible to recover any data!
No HDD Icon to click on!

It looks like another new HDD from Maplin, and start all over again.
...and its holiday time..shops closed..
..arse...!

Paul.... ...!

P.S...having a peek on U-Tube for recovery... ...!

Paul, I've got toys that'd stun you. But then I do work for an IT company in their support dept.
Drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do to help

My Western Digital 160 GB SATA (C) Hard Drive is totally totaled, even after freezing it in my 'Fridge and attempting to gain access to the files...
It is a deceased Hard Drive, it is no more*...

Just popped into my local PC World and purchased (£50) another 500 GB SATA HDD.
Installed Win 7 Home Edition (32 bit...for all my old stuff!).
Now busy re-installing all my important files, including my Flight Sims and its bits and bobs, freeware and payware...all over again!

..so...I may be some time Chums.. ... ...!

Paul.... ...!

* It was impossible to get my faulty drive to be recognized on my computer.

Bass wrote on Jun 4^th, 2012 at 10:20am:


It's a long struggle, but I'm gradually getting everything back together again, (FS 2004), on my new Hard Drive.
Fortunately I have all my most important "stuff", including some payware, and my most important FS 2004 programs which are no longer available; (FS Navigator, LAGO FSE, etc), saved on various CD ROMs.
Its just the time it takes to find them, and install them all over again!
The "problem" ones, are downloaded registered programs from sites such as; Flight 1, etc, which have to be downloaded all over again, with the usual difficulty in getting them authorized again!

Still...my trusty FS 2004 is gradually looking as beautiful again as it was previously...

...which is nice!... ...!

I'll soon be back up into the air again, with the Lads in Multiplayer!... ...!

I'm a bit happier than I was yesterday, when the sky fell on my head!.. ...!

Paul... ...!

jetprop wrote on Jun 4^th, 2012 at 4:45pm:


The big problem I found was trying to cram all the data onto 640? MB CD ROMs!
..and many of the Files will need to be re-installed again, (not drag-and-drop).

Got most of my bits and bobs back where they belong again... ...!

The BIGGEST headache (every time!), is downloading, re-installing, and validating, my Flight 1 purchased programs...REX FS9...Ultimate Terrain USA FS9 + FSX, GE Pro FS9, FS Panel Studio FSX, etc,...that is far too complicated, and takes longer than anything else! It reduces me to tears, every time!
There is a lot to be said for purchasing CD Versions of the programs, if possible!

...all back up and running again..ready for some more Multiplayer Madness!... ...!

Paul...FS 2004...FS Navigator...and a spanking new (almost empty!) 500 GB SATA Hard Drive!...Woo-Hoo!... ...!

UnkieDude wrote on Jun 4^th, 2012 at 9:02pm:


Hello Unkie... ...!

I did make some inquiries regarding that....
But it does involve considerably expense....between £500 and £1,000, with no guarantee that it would be successful at the end!... ...!

The "stuff" I've got on my Hard Drive isn't worth Tuppence!.... ...!

The only other option is some software installed on the computer, that automatically saves your data to an external Server, at regular intervals, for subsequent retrieval following a crash...
PC World showed my such a piece of software yesterday when I got my new HDD, after explaining my difficulty..(and tried to get me to buy it)... ...!
(...businesses use it, for storing important (customers, etc) data)*

When I come to think about it...My computer is switched on for 18 hours a day, 7 days per week, and constantly used, so my HDD is constantly spinning and searching for data every minute, so that is bound to wear it out after a time...
...even I wont last forever... ...!

Paul...I was having a hard time.. ....but I'm OK now!... ...!

* it stores the data..NOT the customers!.. ..!

... ... ...!

My PC is on 24/7...
...If,of course,it doesn't crash or restart itself during the night...Wich it usualy does...

Oh and Fozzer:your end will only be when the world is withouth gravy.

A WORLD WITHOUT GRAVY!?[b]

Heresy!

And you guys ain't right.  Just ain't right.

The Bad Unkie Replieth![/b]

Alonso wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 12:50am:


Never fear, Alonso...
...I am now into day 5 of re-installing all my lovely FS 2004 freeware and payware programs back into my new 500GB SATA HDD..
Its looking better and better each morning when I run my FS 2004.
It looks so magnificent already... ..., that I don't think I will bother re-installing my FSX all over again..(I don't need any more additional pain!... ...)!

Paul...back up into the blue with the fluffy stuff again!... ..!

My trusty little paper note book always comes in handy with all its payware purchase details, registration details + keys, forum names and passwords, etc, etc, dating back to 1995!... ...!

Bass wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 9:23am:



..written in Cyrillic script, on Papyrus paper...

A true work of art.

(..and quite useful in times of Computer crashes!)... ... ...!


Paul... ... ...!