The "one of us nerds must able to fix this" computer thread

[enterprikayak]

So I've got my old c drive plonked into my new comp as an extra drive. It's all messed up, but I've been trying a few data recovery programs on it, and the files are definitely still there. Before I commit, I'm asking anyone out there if they have any recc's for data recovery software?

[EntAllat]

Everything I'm familiar with for data recovery is Linux command-line and just this side of dark magic. Other than the Norton set of tools, I don't have any good recommendations for data recovery software on a PC - I'm just not familiar with anything on the PC.

I do recommend (if you have the space for it) making a disk image and working from that rather than the original drive. You're less likely to cause damage that way.

Sorry that wasn't more help!

[enterprikayak]

Oh I got space, baby. 3 other HD's to pick from.

Thanks for your input.

I know, I'm such a dweeb for using microcrap's crappity crap. One of these days I'll switch to Linux.

FUTURE:

I sit at my QuadDesk, running massive side by side iMac and Linux rigs, with a horrible little PC off to one side of the QuadDesk surface, just to bug-test websites for windows compatibility etc.

Oh, and I'm sitting in this chair which I paid $5700 for:


...and I'm wearing this outfit:

[WarpGirl]

Want it!

[enterprikayak]

IMagine playing Diddy Kong Racing in that baby! Foot pedals!!

[Elessar]

So you weren't able to just slave it into another computer and browse it in Windows Explorer, there were like, faults or failures or something? See I've never actually done much with data recovery... most of the time you can spot hard drive failures coming and take precautions... but not always.

[enterprikayak]

So you weren't able to just slave it into another computer and browse it in Windows Explorer, there were like, faults or failures or something?

I did that. Slaved it into another comp which immediately shot up a warning that the new drive I had just slaved in had MASSIVE END OF THE WORLD errors on it.

Well, shit, I said. Shit.

I tried to browse it for my files, and only about 20 of them were there.

Actual, real-life DISK failures, like the kind I thought I would somehow never have (for some stupid reason).

See I've never actually done much with data recovery... most of the time you can spot hard drive failures coming and take precautions... but not always.

Yeah, well it TOLD me the disk was failing. It wrote it right out on the DOS screen everytime I booted up the old comp.

"SMART Hard Drive detects imminent hard disk failure. Back up your files immediately to prevent information loss, and then replace the disk."

But then it would boot fine and work fine.

I thought, "Yeah, yeah, thanks Mr. 'SMART' warning". I mean, since when has a windows vista error message actually had ANYthing to do with the real-life cause of a problem, right? But after a day I tried to do an img burn of the disk, and it failed, so (tummy acids gently mounting) I do a chkdsk.....and it's repairing all these sectors, and then the shit really starts to hit the fan and the BSOD is up every 2 seconds, and I can only get it to boot every nine restarts or so.

And I totally forgot for like the last..... 8 years ....to back anything up. (I MEANT to back up! I REALLY DID! But somehow, I forgot.)

After researching a lotta crap, I finally bought the EASEUS software online, which scans your drive and shows up all your files for free, and will even recover 1 GB for free. To recover more than 1 GB you have to buy it for $60. (I had lost about 250 GB of photographs, websites, video (a lot of my own original stuff) so, $60 felt like a frikkin' HOT SUMMER DEAL! ) It worked GREAT. Scanned my whole drive, found EVERYTHING. (I had like, a religious moment, or something when I saw that ever-so-stuffed "Jennifer" filefolder reappear I mean.....all my Triaxtpolitan stuff! And bank stuff, taxes, yada, yada.)

I paid the $60 and it saved all the stuff to my new hard disk. I'm gonna try to format the old drive and see if I can make it work again. It's only like 2.8 years old! However, I did have huge problems last year with my comp's temp approaching 200F and I'm betting I maybe smelted some circuits a bit at that point.

Moral: If you ever lose data, try EASEUS!

[Elessar]

lol, long story short it DID warn you but you ignored it!

[enterprikayak]

yeah pretty much. procrastinating reaaaaly runs in my family. My dad procrastinated paying his bills and getting a job till he literally ended up on the streets.

[EntAllat]

However, I did have huge problems last year with my comp's temp approaching 200F and I'm betting I maybe smelted some circuits a bit at that point.

Yup. Heat is not good for electronics and that's why every server room and computing cluster I've been in is kept pretty much at somewhere between "meat locker" and "shuttlepod one" temperatures. Which, btw, leads to another tip for data recovery. Left your ipod/laptop/shuffle nano in the car in the middle of 100 degree temps and now it won't spin up?

Stick it in the freezer.

Seriously. Just stick it in the freezer for a few hours, then start it up and grab as much data as you can off of it. If overheats again just stick back in there with the ice trays. Works every time.

[enterprikayak]

Good tip about the freezer! Conversely, if you ever leave your cell in your lunch bag in the fridge, and it won't work cause the batt's too cold, simply stick it in your sunhot car, and warm it back up!

lol, long story short it DID warn you but you ignored it!

Guilty.

However, Windows is SO the boy who cried wolf.

[enterprikayak]

This question can go here.

My boss is having me spec out options for a new all-in-one/multifunction colour laser printer (cause ours just died).

Do any of you use a colour laser all-in-one (ie: print/scan/fax) that YOU would reccommend?

I'm googling user reviews, and it seems that every laser a.i.o. product on the market houses some deadly built-in gremlin just waiting for your warranty to expire so it can jump out and bite your face off in the form of load errors and inky drums.

Lemme know. All-in-ones/multifunctions tend to suck so deeply. I'm scared to suggest anything.

[Cogito]

We have a couple of HP ones, but since they seem to be perpetually needing maintenance I'm not going to recommend them.

[Entilzha]

Kyocera makes very good printers http://www.kyocera.ca/, http://ca.kyoceramita.com/americas/jsp/Kyocera/allproducts.jsp. Kyocera may be a little more expensive(they don't' offer cheap crap like a lot of other manufacturers) but they have a several times higher bang for buck ratio per printed sheet of paper printers. I have owned a Kyocera laser printer for almost six years and I have never had any problems with it.

[enterprikayak]

and it's canadian! I've never heard of these before! Thanks!