Hello,
I recently had trouble with my 80 W.D. hard drive and would like to know the best place to send it in hopes that they may be able to recover my files. Unexpectedly one day my computer would not boot. I got the known <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll message. I tried using the Recovery Console (repair) from the Windows disk, replacing the corrupted or missing files, and all of the other documented commands to fix this problem, but had no luck. It gives me one option and that is to REFORMAT.
I then tried setting it up as a slave drive in a different computer hoping that I could at least access the data on the drive, but I was still unable to access it. It would recognize the drive, but show that it's full(which maybe 20gigs has really been used) and would not allow any type of access to it.
I am done messing with it and just want to send it somewhere. I have very valuable pictures and docs on this drive and would really like to get them back. I have considered a quick reformat and then using a data recovery tool, but don't want to risk making things worse.
I am thinking this can be corrected with software, but I'm not sure. I know most data recovery places are intense lab type places and I don't know if my problem falls into this category.
How would software work, if I'm unable to access the drive?
Any suggestions?
TIA
I recently had trouble with my 80 W.D. hard drive and would like to know the best place to send it in hopes that they may be able to recover my files. Unexpectedly one day my computer would not boot. I got the known <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll message. I tried using the Recovery Console (repair) from the Windows disk, replacing the corrupted or missing files, and all of the other documented commands to fix this problem, but had no luck. It gives me one option and that is to REFORMAT.
I then tried setting it up as a slave drive in a different computer hoping that I could at least access the data on the drive, but I was still unable to access it. It would recognize the drive, but show that it's full(which maybe 20gigs has really been used) and would not allow any type of access to it.
I am done messing with it and just want to send it somewhere. I have very valuable pictures and docs on this drive and would really like to get them back. I have considered a quick reformat and then using a data recovery tool, but don't want to risk making things worse.
I am thinking this can be corrected with software, but I'm not sure. I know most data recovery places are intense lab type places and I don't know if my problem falls into this category.
How would software work, if I'm unable to access the drive?
Any suggestions?
TIA