Fried Harddrive. What type of files can be salvged? Help!

[Halon]

So a couple of weeks ago my Harddrive fried on my Laptop. I took the laptop to a PC repair guy, and i asked him if he could save my files, even if the Harddrive is broken. What type of files can be rescued?

Can my precious FL Studio, and my FLP (FL Studio Project Files) be saved?

Anyone who could help is much appreciated.

@Phael @Darren

[Phael]

Depending on how bad the drive is damaged it could still be possible to recover some files from it.
Do you mean fried in terms of exposed to massive heat?

Best would be to get an external IDE/SATA Adapter and access the files via that - you can also create a sector 4 sector image of the drive use that for further recovery operations. iE Acronis True Image

[Halon]

Im not shure what really happened, nor did he say what exactly caused the harddrive to not function.

He also mentioned that i need the Windows Recover CD that came with my laptop, which i dont have anymore, so i guess the harddrive is operational to some extent?

Anyway, im really just interested in recovering FL Studio and the FLP files.

I`ll look into those things you mentioned.

Thanks for the reply

[Darren]

When you say fried what do you mean? Can you even hear the disk spin up? A failed drive?

[Halon]

When you say fried what do you mean? Can you even hear the disk spin up? A failed drive?

Well, i remember hearing strange noises from the laptop before the harddrive failed. A couple of weeks later the computer wouldnt boot up.

Im not an expert, so i cant say what the problem is.

[Alex E]

I'm always amazed by people who have important data and don't make backups...

[Darren]

I'm always amazed by people who have important data and don't make backups...

Most don't till they get burnt, just like children with fire. I've been guilty too

[Qwertz]

Hey,

first of all some more Information would be good, what exactly happens when you're trying to boot - any error message ?

Can you enter the BIOS and does your harddrive shows up there...? Incase you don't know what i mean google sometheing like "enter bios [your laptop modell]" - you'll have to press some key rapidly after starting your Laptop. Your Harddrive should be on a SATA-Port.

And NEVER EVER have any imporant data on just one device !!!!

[Halon]

Hey,

first of all some more Information would be good, what exactly happens when you're trying to boot - any error message ?

Can you enter the BIOS and does your harddrive shows up there...? Incase you don't know what i mean google sometheing like "enter bios [your laptop modell]" - you'll have to press some key rapidly after starting your Laptop. Your Harddrive hshould be on a SATA-Port.

And NEVER EVER have any imporant data on just one device !!!!

I can turn on the laptop, the microsoft symbol show up on the screen then it goes directly to black screen/bios (?)

[Phael]

sounds like a bluescreen with automatic restart - so you don´t see what it has to say, before playing around further get the adapter and try to save your precious files first!
everything else is a higher risk of data loss...

[Halon]

sounds like a bluescreen with automatic restart - so you don´t see what it has to say, before playing around further get the adapter and try to save your precious files first!
everything else is a higher risk of data loss...

That might be the problem. I remember seeing the bluescreen, then the pc restarted automatically.

Anyway, the pc repair guy will save my files into dvds and i`ll buy anew computer from him, cheap.

I guess i could mention those adapters to him also, but it depends on the price.

[Darren]

That might be the problem. I remember seeing the bluescreen, then the pc restarted automatically.

Anyway, the pc repair guy will save my files into dvds and i`ll buy anew computer from him, cheap.

I guess i could mention those adapters to him also, but it depends on the price.

Buy a new computer? If all you've got is a broken disk just pick up another instead no?

If you can get windows logo up can you get to the stage to try a safe boot. Holding either F5 or F8 on boot?

[Halon]

Buy a new computer? If all you've got is a broken disk just pick up another instead no?

If you can get windows logo up can you get to the stage to try a safe boot. Holding either F5 or F8 on boot?

Well, that might be the best option, yes. Whats the price on that though? I'm short on cash atm, and i`ll get that computer, barely used rather cheap, but i guess i should invest in a new disc instead.

And i tried safe boot, but the computer just restarts or freezes on black screen. Cant do anything.

[Darren]

Well, that might be the best option, yes. Whats the price on that though? I'm short on cash atm, and i`ll get that computer, barely used rather cheap, but i guess i should invest in a new disc instead.

Can you do the same except instead of trying to boot up in safe mode have you an option to open a command prompt? From there you might be able to run https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHKDSK

[Halon]

Can you do the same except instead of trying to boot up in safe mode have you an option to open a command prompt? From there you might be able to run https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHKDSK

I will try that when i get my computer back, hopefully that will work.