Resurrecting a dead hard drive?

[hansoffate]

Is there any sort of "software" or boot software I can use to try to restore integrity to a hard disk.

I have 2 hard disks which aren't recognized by windows. And 1 is sometimes recognized by the bios, and sometimes it isn't.

What can I do to fix this?

Thanks
-Hans

 

[heyman421]

google 'ultimate boot disk'

and do a low-level format

it wont erase your data

 

[The_Other_One]

The one that's not reconsized by the BIOS is probably shot. Normally, even if the platters are bad, the BIOS will at least see it. Perhaps a bad board on the drive?

it wont erase your data

I agree with the LLF suggestion, but...it will erase your data.

 

[kof2000]

if the gears are not damaged, you can try swapping the boards with an identical drive.

 

[heyman421]

I agree with the LLF suggestion, but...it will erase your data.

i ran the western digital hard drive tools on the ultimate boot disc, and did a low level format, and my files were still there.....

the computer wouldn't even boot up with the hard drive mounted, so i did the low level format, and the computer mounted, and i was suprised to see there was still 60gb worth of video/mp3 on the drive

kind of neat, it was a drive out of a computer i had 4-5 years ago, almost like a time capsule

 

[The_Other_One]

Performing a low-level format erases all data on the disk.

http://e-comm.webopedia.com/TERM/F/format.html

Where do you think the term zero-fill comes from You didn't do something correctly because when you LLF a drive, not only is everything gone but you have to reformat(high level, like windows normally does)

 

[heyman421]

well, it did something different entireley

whatever it did, it made the drive work again.

 

[hansoffate]

ok. Thanks i'll try that when I get home. I really don't care if the data gets erased. I just need to get the hard drive to work again.

Thanks for the help
-Hans