Burnt hard disk recovery is not easy. It depends on several factors, particularly the severity of the damage. There are many options, but it all depends on the state of the device.
What to Do
If you see or even smell burning, turn off your computer and all attached devices. Check the power plug and make sure that it is not burning. If you are sure that it is only the hard drive, check if your computer can still recognize it. Some data may be recovered. Turn your computer off.
Reconfigure your system so the burned drive works as a secondary disk. You will need another hard drive for this to work. Under this set up, the damaged drive won’t be required to boot up. If this works, you can just copy the files from the damaged disk into the primary one.
USB HDD Enclosures
If the disk is still readable, you can plug the drive to an HAD enclosure. Using USB, plug it in another computer. Another option is to slide the disk in a working computer. As stated, you should set it up as a slave drive. Boot the computer up and see if you can copy the data.
This procedure is applicable only to IDE drives. If it is a SATA drive, all you have to do is link the SATA cable and power in slot 2. Note that replacement motherboards must have 6 of those slots. Slot 1 will be for your new boot disk.
If you don’t want to risk opening your computer with a burned drive, take out the damaged disk. Install it on another working computer. This is a good way to check if it is just the motherboard that is damaged, and not the entire hard disk.
File Recovery Programs
In some cases the system will recognize the drive but the files won’t be there. You can still retrieve those files with recovery programs like Recuva. There are many similar software online. Check their features first. Follow the instructions on how to install them.
You can also try a file migration program like Paragon. The steps are as follows: remove the damaged disk and place it in a hard disk USB enclosure. Link it up to a working computer. Install the Paragon program. Follow the instructions.
Mechanical Problems
Data recovery will be harder if your computer cannot recognize the hard disk. It means the trouble is mechanical in nature. Most likely the platter has stopped moving or the head was damaged. The most sensible option is to take the drive to a company that can fix disk platters and heads.
They are industry experts, but it will cost you; the price range is around $2500. If this is the only option, take a look at several companies and get price quotes.
The Freezer Technique
Put the hard disk in an anti-static container. Put the bag inside a freezer bag. Open your freezer and put the bag in there for 72 hours. After 72 hours, open the freezer. Take the hard disk out of the bag. Put it in your computer. Turn it on. Copy the data to a new working hard disk. Note that this method does not always work.
Burnt hard disk recovery programs are available, but there are no guarantees. Because of this fact, it is important to take preventive steps.
Charlie is a free lancer writer of www.mightyguide.net/
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