 For many people, thinking about their hard drive failing is like contemplating their own mortality. Some never give it a serious thought, while others obsess over the reasons and the timing. And unfortunately, it's a matter of when, not if. Coping with a hard drive disaster doesn't need to be a traumatic event; a little planning and foresight can help mitigate the amount of damage you incur.
 Why Hard Drives Fail
Hard drives fail for a number of reasons. Manufacturing flaws take their toll, as do environmental factors such as poor airflow in your computer case. Sometimes drives fail when they are dropped accidentally or when your computer's power supply fails to properly regulate the electricity powering the drive. Regardless of the reason for the failure, a hard drive crash doesn't need to be the end of your irreplaceable data. Depending on the severity of the crash and the size of your wallet, you can usually retrieve your data with a little patience, luck, and know-how.
Don't Forget Your Backups
Although backing up your computer is considered a given by many computer professionals, the average consumer typically doesn't devote as much attention as he should to backing up his computer. Unfortunately, it seems as if there's a karmic relationship between backing up your computer and the likelihood of a drive crash. After reading this article, the first thing you should do is back up your computer. It may be a tedious task, but like any insurance, when you need it you'll be thankful you invested the time and effort.
Early Warning Signs
The first symptoms of a failing drive can be quite subtle. Sometimes you'll restart your computer, only to be greeted by a cryptic message telling you that there is "No Fixed Disk Present" or "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER." Other times you'll hear the drive "spin up" but quickly "spin down" during the boot process. You may also have files that mysteriously disappear. The worst symptom is usually a clicking or grinding noise. Each of these is a sign that you need to take immediate action to preserve the data on the drive. Unfortunately, when a drive fails, your options are limited to salvaging as much data as possible off the drive before it becomes completely inaccessible. If there's a Golden Rule for coping with hard drive problems, it's probably "Don't Procrastinate."
Diagnosing the Crash— Physical Failures
The first thing to do when you're experiencing any of the above symptoms is determine whether you're experiencing an incipient problem with the hard drive's physical components or whether the problem is more critical. Physical problems can manifest themselves in many ways, while still allowing the drive to function in a degraded fashion. If you hear abnormal sounds from your hard drive, such as clicking or a rough gravelly sound, one of your hard drive's components is probably failing. |
Today's hard drive is a wonder of engineering that we rely on to hold our most important data.
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A clicking sound usually indicates that one of the actuator arms or read/write heads is striking a platter on the drive. Ignoring this will eventually result in a catastrophic loss of data. Platters usually spin at velocities of over 4,200rpm, and any metal striking the platter at that speed will quickly wipe out any data on the platter.
If you hear a rumbling, gravelly noise from your hard drive, the bearings in the drive motor or the motor itself is probably failing. This won't necessarily damage the data on your drive, but if the motor fails completely, you won't be able to retrieve this data without the expensive services of a company like DriveSavers. (See the "DriveSavers" sidebar.)
Sometimes the failure is so severe that your computer won't be able to boot from your hard drive. This is usually indicated by a message from the BIOS (basic input output system). The text varies according to the BIOS vendor, but "Hard Disk Failure" or "Hard Disk Controller Failure" are two of the more common error messages.
Coping With Physical Failures
If your computer won't boot, the first step is to try and boot the system again. Listen carefully for any of the aural clues we described, and watch for any error messages that may be displayed on your monitor. If you get one of the BIOS errors we described, unplug your computer and make sure that the power and data cables for your hard drive are properly connected. Due to its design, it's rare for a power cable to become disconnected, but the ribbon cable carrying your data is not as securely connected. After checking these connections, try to reboot your computer again. If the symptoms persist, you might try replacing the ribbon cable as well as using an alternate power cable. Finally, you can try connecting the ribbon cable to a different IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) or SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) connector on your computer's motherboard.
After exhausting these options, you may still be faced with a drive that won't boot. Essentially, your computer simply can't read data from the drive. This means that System Restore and other applications that take a snapshot of your hard drive won't work, since they rely upon access to your failed hard drive. Your next course of action depends on both your budget and your proficiency with hardware. If the data on the drive isn't essential, you may simply want to replace the drive and reinstall Windows and your applications. Be sure to contact your vendor if your computer is still under warranty.
If you can't afford to lose the data on your drive, you have several options: freezing your hard drive (see the "Freeze Your Drive" sidebar), using a company such as DriveSavers (see the "DriveSavers" sidebar), or attempting to revive the drive with an aftermarket tool such as IBM's Drive Fitness Test (www.storage.ibm.com/hdd/support/download.htm). This tool will conduct a series of diagnostic evaluations to try and determine what ails your drive. Although the tool is limited to evaluating IBM (now Hitachi) drives, most PC vendors can provide similar tools to assist you in troubleshooting your drive. |
Phoenix FAT & NTFS will scan your damaged drive and list files that can be retrieved.
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If you're able to boot your computer, but your drive is exhibiting the abnormal behavior that we've described, take prompt action to avoid losing your data. First, back up your system if possible. Try to minimize the number of times you restart your computer because your drive experiences the most stress when it is first turned on and its motor spins up.
To back up your entire drive, you'll want to use a tool like Norton's Ghost ($69.95; www.symantec.com). Ghost can create an exact copy of your drive. You'll need a second drive to store this copy, but you can temporarily store it on a home network if you don't have a second drive available.
Another option if you don't need to back up your entire drive is to copy the data from the failing drive to a network share, a removable hard drive, or to CD or DVD. Regardless of the final destination, you don't want to delay backing up your system. If you're uncomfortable with backing up your system, most computer stores will transfer data from your old drive to a new one for a fee. Although prices vary depending on the store, you should expect to pay from $50 to $100 for this type of service. If your computer is still under warranty, your vendor may replace the drive, but the company may require that you return the defective one. Before doing so, make sure that you've retrieved as much data from the drive as possible.
Software Solutions
You may also encounter a situation in which your drive is functioning mechanically, but some or all of your data is unavailable. Drives store data about your data (metadata) in files that can become corrupted or damaged. Windows uses this metadata to find a specific file it needs for booting or when you try to open a file. When this occurs, your best solution is to try one of the many data recovery tools such as Stellar's Phoenix FAT & NTFS ($149; www.stellarinfo.com) programs. Phoenix FAT & NTFS can often retrieve lost data from your drive. You can also download a free evaluation version of Phoenix. (You can't recover lost files with the evaluation version, but you can use it to see if your data is retrievable before investing $149.) |
Desktop PC burned in a fire? Notebook crushed by a truck? Don't give up hope, your data may still be recovered.
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Phoenix is designed to recover data from a damaged or defective drive and transfer it to another. To use this type of utility, you must first install the damaged drive as a second or slave drive on a working computer and then install Phoenix on the working computer. In addition to Stellar's Phoenix program, there are numerous other applications, such as ERD Commander (www.winternals.com), that are aimed at professional users. Although these applications are powerful, they may be too complex for the typical user. With the high price of such utilities, it's worth checking with your local computer store to see what it would charge for a similar service. The important thing to keep in mind is that your drive is on its last legs; don't delay moving your data to a new drive.
Inevitable But Not Unbearable
It's not unusual for a hard drive to run properly for years or even decades. Today's drive manufacturers have managed an incredible engineering feat in creating the spacious, speedy drives that we take for granted. Yet even the best mechanical devices eventually fail, and hard drives are no exception. Fortunately, when your drive begins to show its age, salvaging your data need not be a daunting task. 
by Chris Jackson
DriveSavers
To find out how durable hard drives are, we spoke with John Christopher at DriveSavers (www.drivesavers.com). DriveSavers specializes in retrieving data from computers that have had catastrophic failures. These can range from a simple drive failure to a laptop that was destroyed in a house fire.
DriveSavers doesn't promise that it'll be able to retrieve data from any drive, but the company's success has been remarkable. They can even retrieve data from CDs and DVDs that have been broken into pieces.
Unfortunately, there is a steep price tag associated with DriveSavers' work. According to Christopher, the average price for data recovery from a hard drive is $1,000. This depends on the size of the drive and the urgency of the salvage operation. If your hard drive contains invaluable data and you've exhausted all other options, DriveSavers—or a similar service—may be your data's salvation. |
Freeze Your Drive
One of the more interesting remedies for a hard drive that is unreadable is placing the recalcitrant drive in your freezer. As crazy as it sounds, this treatment has an underlying rationale that makes sense. As components in your hard drive drop in temperature, they contract slightly. This change in size may permit your drive to function properly for a brief period, perhaps just enough time to allow you to retrieve your valuable data.
To use this strategy, remove your hard drive from your computer and place it in a sealed Ziploc-type bag. Next, place the drive in the freezer overnight. Reinstall the frozen drive, and if it's accessible, quickly copy your data to the backup medium of your choice. Remember, as the drive warms, it will begin to revert to its failed state. |
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For many people, thinking about their hard drive failing is like contemplating their own mortality. Some never give it a serious thought, while others obsess over the reasons and the timing. And unfortunately, it's a matter of when, not if. Coping with a hard drive disaster doesn't need to be a traumatic event; a little planning and foresight can help mitigate the amount of damage you incur. 
