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my computer hates me.

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
i am really really pissed off right now.

last night, i noticed an error on my external Seagate drive, saying it couldn't write the P:\$Mtf file and data was lost. i rebooted and the OS recognized the drive, and i was able to access my data. like an idiot, i didn't back up the non-backed up data, assuming that this error message was related to the RAM issues i've been having. i turned the PC off last night.

i turn it on today, and got the same error, something along the lines of a 'write delayed error' or somesuch. bottom line is that no data was shown on the drive, except for the top-most directory; on one reboot i was able to see all of the folders, and i was psyched because i was gonna back 'em up, but all the folders were empty.

i figured i could run the GetDataBack recovery utility, since that worked well on the WD500 that died about 3 weeks ago. nope. i get some exception error, as the program is trying to locate the damaged drive. it picks up my other drives, but not the one i care about, so i can't try to retrieve the data.

what are my options? should i bite the (probably expensive) bullet and send it to some data recovery service? my photos from Mexico are on there, and i'd really like to have those. there's a bunch of other stuff too (including i think the Neurosis and Mastodon RAW files), and a bunch of ripped music that i can get back.

basically, i have had THE worst luck...first the WD drive dies, then my RAM and/or MoBo slot goes wonky, now this...what the hell is going on?????

:plthumbsdown:

any helpful advice is much appreciated.
 

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
File Scavenger. All of my data from my XP machine would have been lost if not for this. Works better than any of the others I checked out.

http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm

READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.



Somehow I think all of your probs must be connected. Bad PSU? Bad mobo? who knows.


If the data is there, it will get it back.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
well i was optimistic that GetDataBack would work, as it did the trick for the other drive.

i just checked and the rest of my gig shots are safe on another drive, but i am really worried i'll lose my vacation shots. i had some great ones. :( i am really pissed off at myself that i didn't back them up last night when i had the chance, but i assumed that write delay error was caused by my RAM issue, so i powered the machine down thinking it wouldn't be affected anymore, and i popped in the old tried-and-true RAM when i got home from work today.

the music i don't care about, i can reload off my DVD backups. but it will still be a lot of time.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
after powering down the disk for a while, and having a phone discussion w/ a data recovery service, i was all set to bite the (expensive) bullet and get my hard drive sent in.

i then had a good idea to check my existing cards from vacation and see what i could salvage; two hadn't been touched aside from one being reformatted, and while GetDataBack wouldn't work, ZeroAssumptionRecovery did (which is what i used a while back to retrieve images from a formatted CF card which hadn't been written to after formatting). using ZAR on the remaining cards allowed me to get about half of my RAW files from my vacation. :)

since both data recovery aps gave different results, i decided to give H8R's recommendation a try, at least using the demo version which would check to see what data was recoverable (you need the license to actually get the data back, but $60 is a lot cheaper than the disc recovery service fee).

so i plug my faulty drive back in, and voilá! i can see the data! :dancing:

so i grabbed it all and dumped it to another hard drive, letting it work overnight.

this morning i get up, the data is safe on the other drive, and the faulty drive is giving me the same 'delayed write failure, unable to save $Mtf file' error. the drive is going back to seagate for a warranty claim, and i'm convinced that something about my PC is fubar so i am on the hunt for a replacement.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Wow... You seem to be getting hosed on computer hardware lately.

I just pieced together a screamer of a computer for about $1k.

I wonder if your motherboard or PSU is causing issues? Do you have any power problems in your house, i.e. dirty power that fluctuates?
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
I wonder if your motherboard or PSU is causing issues? Do you have any power problems in your house, i.e. dirty power that fluctuates?
i don't think i do, but syadasti had forwarded a few helpful links for new machines...i am 99% sure i will have a new machine in less than 3 weeks.
 

$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
just this morning i had "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" on my work laptop (corrupted boot.ini).

glad i had an xp disc lying around: checkdsk /p -> fixboot -> winnar!