STOP using the drive IMMEDIATELY. The more you do to the drive now, the lower your chances of recovering the data will be.
First, the drive must be replaced. Call Dell with the error message and they'll send you a replacement drive. If you do not have the Windows install CD, ask for it, or ask to receive a pre-imaged drive. The latter is preferable as it'll save you hours of installing, patching and configuring Windows.
While you're waiting until next week for the new drive, order or purchase a 2.5" external drive shell.
Once you've got the new drive in hand, get Windows running and patched. Mount the dying drive in the external shell, connect it to the system by USB, and try to copy what you can. If you can get your data off, you're all set. If you cannot, you'll then have to decide whether it's worth contacting a data recovery service - you won't know until you try whether that will be necessary, but you should be aware that the costs of data recovery will run from upwards of $1000 to potentially five times that if you need to go that route.
Dell will replace the hard drive under warranty, but the responsibility for the data (and failure to back up) is yours.
The hard drive is a user-replaceable part. If you have onsite service, they will send someone to replace the drive; otherwise, they will not. Even if they offer mail-in repair (they probably won't because the drive is user-replaceable), I would not take them up on it, as you'll never see the failed drive again if you send the system in.
The hard drive is easy to replace (they will likely send the drive pre-mounted in the tray):
Remove the drive from the carrier, remove the edge connector and mount it in there. Then attach it to a working XP system - this one or another with a USB2 connection. If you can still read the drive, copy your data. You may have to take ownership of the files on the drive (link below).
If you can copy your data, great - you're all set. If you cannot, as above, you will have to decide whether it's worth a few hundred-few thousand dollars to get the data back through a recovery service.
Once you have the system running again, I strongly urge that you buy another drive, mount it in the case, and use it to keep backups. There are two kinds of hard drives: those that have failed, and those that will fail.
Thanks for your reply. So, it's a hardware failure. I have already sent a mail to Dell Technical Support reporting this problem. If they send an new drive, do I have to install it all by myself ? If so, I hope it has a good instruction manual.
When the bad c- drive is removed from the laptop, how can I recover my personal data ? Is there a kind of interface that makes a link between the c-drive and a USB port ? Please let me know all the possibilities to recover data from a bad drive.
I have the Windows XP Re-installation CD-ROM from Dell. It came with my laptop when I purchased it in Feb. 2005.
ejn63
9 Legend
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87.5K Posts
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December 31st, 2005 20:00
STOP using the drive IMMEDIATELY. The more you do to the drive now, the lower your chances of recovering the data will be.
First, the drive must be replaced. Call Dell with the error message and they'll send you a replacement drive. If you do not have the Windows install CD, ask for it, or ask to receive a pre-imaged drive. The latter is preferable as it'll save you hours of installing, patching and configuring Windows.
While you're waiting until next week for the new drive, order or purchase a 2.5" external drive shell.
Once you've got the new drive in hand, get Windows running and patched. Mount the dying drive in the external shell, connect it to the system by USB, and try to copy what you can. If you can get your data off, you're all set. If you cannot, you'll then have to decide whether it's worth contacting a data recovery service - you won't know until you try whether that will be necessary, but you should be aware that the costs of data recovery will run from upwards of $1000 to potentially five times that if you need to go that route.
Dell will replace the hard drive under warranty, but the responsibility for the data (and failure to back up) is yours.
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
December 31st, 2005 21:00
The hard drive is easy to replace (they will likely send the drive pre-mounted in the tray):
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins9200/sm/giberthd.htm#wp1123687
You'll need something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817155704
Remove the drive from the carrier, remove the edge connector and mount it in there. Then attach it to a working XP system - this one or another with a USB2 connection. If you can still read the drive, copy your data. You may have to take ownership of the files on the drive (link below).
If you can copy your data, great - you're all set. If you cannot, as above, you will have to decide whether it's worth a few hundred-few thousand dollars to get the data back through a recovery service.
Once you have the system running again, I strongly urge that you buy another drive, mount it in the case, and use it to keep backups. There are two kinds of hard drives: those that have failed, and those that will fail.
Taking ownership of files:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&sd=tech
euphony
2 Posts
0
December 31st, 2005 21:00