How to Get Lost Data Off a Bad Backup Hard Drive

Cleaning the connections solves many hard drive problems.

Hard drive backups are a necessary part of keeping any computer disaster-proof. So it is especially infuriating when it turns out that the backup itself is having problems. Being able to get lost data off a bad backup hard drive can mean the difference between getting a computer up and running again, and having to start over from scratch. Fortunately, the majority of bad backup problems can be solved with the application of time and file recovery software.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Compressed air canister

Instructions

Internal Backup Hard Drives

1. Turn off your computer. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the machine. Remove the screws holding the case on the machine, using a screwdriver. Remove the case. Locate the backup hard drive in the machine. Remove the power and data cables from the back of the drive.

2. Remove the screws holding the drive in place. Slide the drive out of the computer. Clean the connections on the back of the drive by spraying them with the can of compressed air. Clean the connections on the power and data cables by spraying them with the compressed air can.

3. Slide the drive back into the computer. Reconnect the power cable. Reconnect the data cable. Align the screw sockets on the drive with the sockets on the side of the drive housing. Replace the screws holding the drive in place. Put the case back on the computer. Replace the case screws. Plug the computer back into the power cable. Turn the computer back on.

External Backup Hard Drives

1. Un-mount the drive on the computer. In Windows, this is done by right-clicking on the external hard drive's icon in "Computer" and selecting "Eject" from the pop-up menu. For Macs, drag the hard drive's icon to the "Waste Basket," which will turn it into the "Eject" icon.

2. Disconnect the USB cable from the back of the hard drive. If there is a power cable attached, disconnect that also. Clean the sockets on the back of the drive by spraying them with compressed air. Clean the connections on the USB and data cables by spraying these with compressed air as well.

3. Disconnect the USB cable from the computer. Check the USB cable for damage on both ends; hard drive and computer. Replace the cable if it is damaged, as this may be making the drive appear faulty. Reconnect the USB cable to the computer and the hard drive. Reconnect the power cable, if one is present.

General Data Recovery

1. Turn on the computer, or reboot it if it is already running. Many hard drive problems are due to loose or faulty connections, so cleaning and re-connecting the drive will fix these. Log into the computer and attempt to access the drive. If the drive is now functioning, copy the necessary data from it using drag and drop.

2. Run "Scandisk" on the drive if using Windows, or "Disc Utility" if using Mac OS X. Check the drive for errors using this program and repair any errors found. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on drive size, speed and the severity of the damage to the drive. When the repairs are finished, copy the necessary data from the drive using drag and drop.

3. Run file recovery software on your bad backup drive, such as Activate! File Recovery, File Salvage or Data Recovery Wizard. Scan the hard drive using this software to identify files that have been lost due to drive problems. Select the files you want to recover and click "Recover." Select a location on another drive to save the files.

Tips & Warnings

• If the hard drive is failing, rather than having simple connection problems, it is often possible to temporarily revive the drive by cooling it sufficiently so that it begins to work again. Place the drive in the freezer for five minutes, then connect it to your computer. The lower temperature will allow you to recover data around half the time. This can also irreparably damage the drive, however, so only attempt it if nothing else works.

• Physical damage to the drive is often irreparable, so no manner of tricks and software will be able to recover data. Although it is sometimes possible to repair a damaged hard drive by replacing the broken parts, this is a highly skilled technical job that should only be attempted by people who know what they are doing.

References

• Geeky Projects: How to Recover Data From a Broken Hard Drive
• Make Use Of: How to Get Data Off A Dead Hard Drive