How to Repair Hard Drive Crashes

Over time, computer hard drives may fail or crash. One of the common causes is a computer virus that may have corrupted or broken your computer system. There are ways to remedy the situation and to repair a hard drive that has crashed.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Operating software installation or build CD
• Boot-up disc
• System restore CD
• Backup tape

1. Look for tell-tale signs that your computer is about to crash or fail. Extreme slowness, repeated blue screen and noise or clicking are sometimes signs that your computer hard drive is about to crash. When you hear the sound of clicking, scraping or grinding, immediately turn off or shut down your computer. Doing so will prevent any loss of data.

2. Power down and then power up. Sometimes, hard drive crashes can be easily recovered by doing a power shutdown of the computer. Then, after waiting for a couple of minutes, power it back up again. The initial hard drive crash may not be too serious, but if it happens often, start performing a full system backup, if you haven't been doing so, to be able to recover your data should the inevitable happen.

3. 
   PC cable or component connection

   Ensure that your hard drive and other internal components are seated properly. If Steps 1 and 2 do not work, you may need to open your computer's CPU to check on some of the drive connections. Sometimes connections get dislodged, especially if you move your computer box often. The symptom will manifest as if the hard drive has crashed, giving you a "disk error" when you try to boot up your computer. First, turn off your computer and unplug it. Then remove the case of your computer box. Press on each connector to connect it properly. Put the cover back again, plug the computer and power it back up.

4. 
   Boot from CD drive with a boot disc

   Insert your boot disc and try to boot up your computer using the disc. Once you are able to do so, you can reinstall your operating system. After installing your software, proceed to perform data recovery using your ghost CD or backup.

5. Use an emergency repair disc to get your computer to work again. Then restore from the last known good configuration.

6. Reinstall your operating system using the installation or system restore CD that came with your computer when you first purchased it. It will take you through a series of steps that include formatting your hard drive, which will then erase your data. Do this as a last resort.

7. Recover your data by using a restore and recovery software or using your most recent backup after you have reinstalled the operating system in the previous step.

8. Reinstall your applications that did not come with your computer when you bought it. Some examples would be Adobe Photoshop, anti-virus software and movie-making software.

Tips & Warnings

• Call technical support if you are unsure of what to do. They can walk you through the important steps. You can also take your computer to a PC technician who, for a fee, will do a system restore and data recovery for you.
• Make it a habit, even if your computer is healthy, to do a complete backup so your important data will not be lost.
• Never attempt to open your computer without first powering it off to avoid being electrocuted.
• Do not open your hard drive case; the components are so sensitive that even a single speck of dust may erase your data.