Hi guys, haven't posted in a while, today I've had a problem with my main computer, that being that the hard drive will not boot into my current operating system (Windows 7 Ultimate). It all started when Windows just kept freezing out for hours on end and absolutely nothing would solve its problem except turning it on and off repeatingly. Anyway, now I can't get on what so ever. I've been considering switching back to XP now because well, 7 is just bloody awful. I get this error when i boot up my computer: "4th master hard disk s.m.a.r.t. status bad backup and replace" So yeah, anyone out there who can tell me how to backup my hard drive without booting up the Operating System? I would love to have the files I have on there, returned to me. If there was someway to use the hard drive as a removable drive, that would be great. Any help will be appreciated greatly. Thanks!
If you want to TRY to save any of the data, you need to take it to a computer that is working and connect it via external enclousure or internally. If the drive is not totally dead then you might be able to copy some files off. The data can be copied but program files will be useless.
thats just the thing though, Howw am i meant to back anything up if I cannot access the drive. I've tried all alternatives such as safe mode etc but the furthest I can get is the Windows 7 "Starting Windows" screen and then it simply restarts in an ever lasting loop.
Is your bad drive the one where your operating system resides? If this is the case, then you will either: 1. move it as a secondary drive to ANOTHER working system. Buy a new hard drive, install it as the master hard drive, install an Operating System, and access the "bad" hard drive as the slave. If your hard drive is a secondary hard drive and the system will not boot while it is installed, you can try this: Remove the "bad" drive and see if the system will boot. If the system boots successfully, you can install the drive into a USB enclosure and attach it AFTER the system boots up. You can also do this if you need to do step 1 and install a new HDD/OS.
Thanks for your reply! I haven't yet tried to use the "bad" drive as a slave but may try doing so as a last resort. My computer boots up fine, I am currently using my Hitatchi Deskstar 160Gb (I know aha). My previous was 750Gb so it's quite a pain. I think I would like to try the Usb enclosure idea. I assume that is just like a SATA to USB docking unit? I say this because I think I've seen one before. Oh and I haven't heard any clicking so I haven't concluded that its the "Click of Death". Thanks!
There are different type enclosures or "docking units" depending on the type hard drive (sata, ide) and interface to pc (usb, firewire, Esata). just decide what you like best
yeah sure i'll check out the usb to sata enclosure because I just found out that I can't use SATA drives as a slave Thanks!
You can get a combo IDE/SATA hard drive enclosure,i use blackcyclone,STLab make a similar housing but is not able to take both types of hdd ,they both make good test benches for hdd's as they can be full stripped of top & sides as well as the base & most important they work well not like some USB housings which are just cheap junk,yeah anyway just a thought http://techstarnz.com/products/subproduct.asp?tid=&sid=89&page=3
Well the thing is, I went into my BIOS but the only options for a slave hard drive they had was IDE. The SATA drives didn't have an option for slave? :S Oh thanks! I'll check out those links Just need to find a good one in englandd >.<
SATA does not use the master/slave/cable select jumper system as they only use 1 device per sata port. IDE can handle 2 devices per IDE connection and the jumper is used to distinguish between the two. Yes on an external drive you need to set a jumper to master for IDE hard drive but not needed or even possible with SATA.
