I lost everything on my computer

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Mark_f

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I got a new computer last week.
I transferred all the files from my old computer to an external hard drive to load on my new computer.
I DROPPED THE HARD DRIVE ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR!!! It now does not work and all my prints, files, photos, and articles for everything I have ever built are GONE. If anyone has any plans or files that I sent them , please send me a copy to try and restore what ever I can.
 
mark_f said:
I got a new computer last week.
I transferred all the files from my old computer to an external hard drive to load on my new computer.
I DROPPED THE HARD DRIVE ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR!!! It now does not work and all my prints, files, photos, and articles for everything I have ever built are GONE. If anyone has any plans or files that I sent them , please send me a copy to try and restore what ever I can.
Click to expand...

Mark find a data recovery service. They may be able to repair the drive and recover the files for you.
 
Ouch!
Mark I feel your pain.

Any chance you still have access to the hard drive in the old machine?
Even if the files were deleted on that machine there still might be a chance.
Deleted files are non necessarily gone.

Using the software below I was able to recover some accidentally deleted photos from a hard drive I had used to temporarily hold some files.
I forgot which drive was which and reinstalled the Windows operating system on the drive with the photos.
When I realized what I had done I was very disappointed....trying to move too fast.

I downloaded and tried the free version of the software, it took overnight to scan the drive but in the morning showed me all the files it could recover.
In the morning I paid up for the full version and left it for the day to recover all my files.
http://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizardpro/
It was the best money I ever spent.

This page says that their free version can recover up to 2GB of data:
http://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm

I realize I was also a little lucky, as the new operating system install did NOT overwrite my files.

-brino

EDIT:
I wonder if Steve Gibson's SpinRite, could recover anything from the dropped drive?
https://www.grc.com/intro.htm
 
Do you still have the files on your old computer? When you say ''transfered'' did you actually move them or just copy them.
 
mark_f said:
I DROPPED THE HARD DRIVE ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR!!! It now does not work and all my prints, files, photos, and articles for everything I have ever built are GONE.
Click to expand...

Nah, not lost at all, call the FBI they can retrieve everything for you. :D

Seriously, I'm sure your local computer or electronics supply store has something you can purchase and someone to show you how to transfer the data. It may take something more than a USB but it's out there. Considering it takes a hammer to destroy a hard drive, a drop on the floor isn't going to delete the data. It's just being difficult and not working as intended. Good luck and keep us posted.

Edit: Here's one way with multiple choices.

 
Last edited:
Hi Mark,

It's very possible the board inside the external case was broken and hopefully not the drive. HD drives are designed to take pretty incredible G loads, especially when they are not spinning. Western digital drives are typically rated at 250g's. Some Seagate drives are up to 300g's+

You could try to remove the drive from the case and connect it to an external dock or new external enclosure. I've pulled drives out of Western Digital and Seagate plastic external enclosures, usually because the external enclosure board went bad, and so far all the drive themselves were still good.

Like these:

Dock: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/NewerTech/Voyager/Hard_Drive_Dock

External Enclosures: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/External-Enclosures/

Fry's may have even cheaper ones:

Hope this helps. Chris
 
mark_f said:
I got a new computer last week.
I transferred all the files from my old computer to an external hard drive
I DROPPED THE HARD DRIVE ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR!!! It now does not work
Click to expand...

If the 'old computer' is gone, and if you have no other backups than the external,
that's not good. The external drive, though, has lots of parts, if it isn't the
rotating bits of the hard drive module, but the power or interface or even
wiring and connectors that took damage, the data is still there.
The circuit boards in an external drive are more fragile than the drive's
own circuit board.

What are the symptoms you see and hear?
 
Yep, second the suggestions above to have a data recovery service see what they can do. Can't hurt, except in the pocketbook. At least look at the internals, or have someone do that for you. Actually, unless you are versed in various iterations of (computer) hardware , probably a lot better to have a shop do it.

Good luck!

Glenn
 
If you saved the data to the external then you still have everything on your old computer, and unless the old computer had serious issues all the data is still there so pick one and look at this as another job well done.
 
That sucks, I lost everything on my iPad when the power went by by . No battery or charge. I guess it's in there but to get it out will cost I bet. The same with your drive it's in there but getting it out .....
 
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