Retrieving data from a corrupted hard drive

[DPtheGod]

Hey guys, how's it going?

I am trying to fix my grandma's computer that was viciously attacked by a virus, and Windows fails to start. She has over three years worth of pictures of her family on the computer she wants to keep, but I am having trouble getting them off of there. Mainly due to the fact my trouble is starting with the fact that Ubuntu is failing to start. I am trying to run Ubuntu straight off the disc without installing it, but it just hangs once Ubuntu finishes loading, but does not bring up the GUI.

Do you guys know if there is an alternate method, something I can do to avoid having to remove the hard drive from her computer and put it in my own pc? Is there another program I can use to do this?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jamin43]

I had a similar problem - I had a nasty trojan that after several unsuccessful attempts to remove it - clicked an option to force the removal - which screwed up a bunch of my system files - and whenever I booted - I would get all kinds of error messages - basically making my PC unusable.

I ended up purchasing a new HDD - installing Windows - and clicked and dragged the files to my new HDD - and ran the virus scan. Haven't had any problems with the new drive. - the old one can be reformatted - or scrubbed and used as a new drive again.

Don't know if it's the best option - but it worked for me.

 

[DPtheGod]

Ahh, yeah, definitely looking for a more remote option

But, I was able to fix it using Nimble X, thankfully. Weird, I didn't think Nimble X would work, since Ubuntu wouldn't. Their computer is indeed risky.

 

[superldg]

I would take the drive out, put in an external enclosure, connect to a different PC, run a deep scan for virus.

 

[Euklid]

Mainly due to the fact my trouble is starting with the fact that Ubuntu is failing to start.

"My trouble is starting because Ubuntu is failing to start."

"Mainly due to the fact with the fact."

One of the funniest sentences I have read in a long time.


But on the subject of virus, I would pull it out, set it up as secondary, and
run a virus scan.

 

[DPtheGod]

@ super: Ahh, no worries, I was able to fix the problem. I need to get my hands on an external closure.

@ Euk: lol, I see I have the tendency to formulate odd sentences while under pressure. Please excuse my poor structuring.