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Hard Drive Failure (HELP)

SuperPichuSuperPichu
edited September 2011 in Technology
Got home from school, went downstairs to play some rock of ages. Hit Resume. It crashes. Then I notice Steam isn't running, then I realise my second hard drive isn't showing up in windows. OK turn off computer. turn back on hard drive starts to spin up then starts clicking and spins down. This was about 400GB worth of data is there any way to get it back. I have an external drive I could copy it to.
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Comments

  • RymRym
    Spinrite. If that fails, give up.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    edited September 2011
    Try Spinrite. I think the trial should be fine.

    Edit-Ninja'd (ironically)
    Post edited by ninjarabbi on
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Do you have any idea what is wrong with it hardware wise? Just wondering because right now I'm not so sure what to type into google.
  • AprecheApreche
    Y U NO BAK UP?

    WE SAY 100 TIME, BUT U NO DO!
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    I found a torrent of SpinRite. Doesn't even realise its there. Is there anything else I can do?
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    Cry. There's always the freezer trick.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Cry. There's always the freezer trick.
    I will do the former if/when the latter fails
  • CaseyJParkerCaseyJParker
    Y U NO BAK UP?

    WE SAY 100 TIME, BUT U NO DO!
    Nobody does ... and the freezer trick works wonders on clicking drives. Bear in mind you have sharply limited time to work with it after the freeze.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    Sensitive documents go to encrypted solid-state storage, everything else goes to the cloud. Even my save games go to the cloud thanks to Steam.
  • RymRym
    Sensitive documents go to encrypted solid-state storage
    Are your backups also encrypted?

    More importantly, what are sensitive documents? Despite all my knowledge of security, there is no document on any PC on own that is worth encrypting.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    edited September 2011
    Sensitive documents go to encrypted solid-state storage
    Are your backups also encrypted?

    More importantly, what are sensitive documents? Despite all my knowledge of security, there is no document on any PC on own that is worth encrypting.
    Well, banking-related documents and stuff. However, I don't have any of those presently, so yeah: nothing worth encrypting right now. However, in about eight years I'll be using encrypted backups for pretty much everything I need to archive regarding my job.

    Define "backup," though. I only bother to make backups of documents; it's trivial to reinstall Windows, now, and I usually just keep a list of programs to install in the event of a crash. Because of Ninite and the streamlined Windows install process, I don't even bother with full-drive backups.
    Post edited by WindUpBird on
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    I have most of the shit on my storage backed up to an external, and some stuff like documents in the cloud. I'm going to put all my music in google music so that will be nice as a backup too. I encrypt some stuff with Truecrypt for snooping roommate reasons, but otherwise I really have no sensitive documents or anything like that.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Well freezer trick failed. Time to cry. Actually its not like my life is over or anything, all my music is on google music,games all on steam, and documents on GDocs and DropBox. All I really lost were some programs and settings. Oh and however much money its going to cost to replace the thing.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    Actually its not like my life is over or anything, all my music is on google music,games all on steam, and documents on GDocs and DropBox. All I really lost were some programs and settings.
    Cloud computing: saves yer ass.
  • AprecheApreche
    Well freezer trick failed. Time to cry. Actually its not like my life is over or anything, all my music is on google music,games all on steam, and documents on GDocs and DropBox. All I really lost were some programs and settings. Oh and however much money its going to cost to replace the thing.
    U LISTEN! MIRACLE!
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    On a somewhat related note, does anyone know either:
    A) How I can set up a software RAID 1 configuration when I am dual-booting ubuntu and windows
    B) What I need to buy in terms of a hardware solution.

    I have 2 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s drives on their way from Newegg. Also Ubuntu and Windows are on a separate drive that hasn't crashed (yet).
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    Most motherboards worth their salt have integrated RAID controllers now.
  • TechparadoxTechparadox
    edited October 2011
    On a somewhat related note, does anyone know either:
    A) How I can set up a software RAID 1 configuration when I am dual-booting ubuntu and windows
    You don't. If you're dead-set on doing any kind of local RAID storage you let the motherboard or RAID controller handle that and have the RAID for your data as completely separate volume from your OS. That way you don't have to dick around with loading extra drivers when you're initially setting up your OS. Once the OS is loaded, THEN you load the OS-specific RAID drivers and set up your storage array.
    B) What I need to buy in terms of a hardware solution.
    See what WUB said - any motherboard worth a damn these days has the ability to set up one or more RAID arrays. They're weak, but usable in a pinch. Barring that, get yourself a controller card (a la an Adaptec 1220SA) and use it to handle your RAID 1 needs. If you're dead serious about keeping the RAID up and running you'll also want to get a third drive to use as a spare, unless you plan on upgrading the drives to something larger once one of them goes tits-up.
    Post edited by Techparadox on
  • AprecheApreche
    Most motherboards worth their salt have integrated RAID controllers now.
    Never use those. They are bullshit.
    On a somewhat related note, does anyone know either:
    A) How I can set up a software RAID 1 configuration when I am dual-booting ubuntu and windows
    B) What I need to buy in terms of a hardware solution.
    Sounds like you need a NAS. By making the storage accessible over the network instead of internal to the PC, everything is way easier.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    It doesn't necessarily have to be RAID I just need a way to keep those 2 drives in sync in both OS's
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    It doesn't necessarily have to be RAID I just need a way to keep those 2 drives in sync in both OS's
    Norton Ghost will keep it in sync based on a schedule.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    This?
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    I actually just found something that should work prefectly. Syncrify
  • AprecheApreche
    edited October 2011
    I actually just found something that should work prefectly. Syncrify
    I don't get it. It implements rsync over http, but why would you ever need rsync over http? Just use rsync straight up. You are really solving your problem in a very roundabout way.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    I don't get it. It implements rsync over http, but why would you ever need rsync over http? Just use rsync straight up. You are really solving your problem in a very roundabout way.
    I figured this would be easier than making rsync work in windows on a schedule automatically.
  • AprecheApreche
    I don't get it. It implements rsync over http, but why would you ever need rsync over http? Just use rsync straight up. You are really solving your problem in a very roundabout way.
    I figured this would be easier than making rsync work in windows on a schedule automatically.
    Even so, rsync, or any kind of sync, is not the best solution to your problem.
  • CaseyJParkerCaseyJParker
    I don't get it. It implements rsync over http, but why would you ever need rsync over http? Just use rsync straight up. You are really solving your problem in a very roundabout way.
    I figured this would be easier than making rsync work in windows on a schedule automatically.
    Even so, rsync, or any kind of sync, is not the best solution to your problem.
    He's going to use the most complicated, braggable answer. Not the best one.
  • RymRym
    Honestly? In the modern age, you can use rsync for a lot of things. But any time you find yourself saying "rsync is the best solution to this problem," you're probably wrong.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    How would I go about setting up rsync?
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    edited October 2011
    $ man rsync
    Alternatively, here. Also, I guess there are all these other things.
    Post edited by YoshoKatana on
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