SATA HDD data download equipment or tools?

[1911su16b870]

Hello CG computer brain trust!

I need to get data off two SATA HDD drives. They were in a Dell that had them joined together. Microsoft OS crashed and now I can not access them. I've set up a new HDD in the PC and it works, but when I plug in either drive, the BIOS seems to recognize them but the OS does not.

What say you? What gear do you use to recover data off working drives? Will invest into some good kit to do this as it seems to come up every few years.

[MrFancyPants]

I have one of these, works fine. It connects to a USB port on any computer. There are single drive models as well, but this one is pretty cheap:

https://www.newegg.com/product/9SIA6PF3NA0586?m_ver=1

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[HecklerNKoch]

This ... is not going to be easy for you.

The best you can get it have someone walk you through it by you putting up pictures of where you're at.

[five.five-six]

how important is the data to you?

It may be worth it to pay a professional a couple $ to recover it for you.

[C.G.]

When you said "joined", were they in a Raid configuration and if so, which Raid? Also, were the drives encrypted? Do you want a mirror image or just retrieve some files? If you don't have the answers to those questions then the above posters may have something there about paying someone to transfer the files/programs.

[meno377]

Hello CG computer brain trust!

I need to get data off two SATA HDD drives. They were in a Dell that had them joined together. Microsoft OS crashed and now I can not access them. I've set up a new HDD in the PC and it works, but when I plug in either drive, the BIOS seems to recognize them but the OS does not.

What say you? What gear do you use to recover data off working drives? Will invest into some good kit to do this as it seems to come up every few years.

When you say "joined together" do you mean Raid 0 or Raid 1?

[five.five-six]

When you say "joined together" do you mean Raid 0 or Raid 1?

Could be jbod.

Hire a professional.

[ocabj]

I sounds an awful like the drives were in a RAID0 configuration. Put the drives back in the original computer (plugged back in exactly like they were before). Boot of a live Linux boot disc or even a Windows boot disk and see if you can mount the original volume to recover the files.

[castgold]

I've used this place in OC many times in the past for my work database. They are my go-to, and a resource for some local/federal LEO investigators.

http://www.alandata.com/

[Dragunov]

Hello CG computer brain trust!

I need to get data off two SATA HDD drives. They were in a Dell that had them joined together. Microsoft OS crashed and now I can not access them. I've set up a new HDD in the PC and it works, but when I plug in either drive, the BIOS seems to recognize them but the OS does not.

What say you? What gear do you use to recover data off working drives? Will invest into some good kit to do this as it seems to come up every few years.

I use Linux to rescue data off dead windows drives, and this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-3-0-to-SATA-22Pin-7-15Pin-Cable-Adapter-for-2-5-SATA-SSD-for-Win-Mac-OS/223351903046?hash=item3400cf9346:g:SIEAAOSwmfhcUUc~

[1911su16b870]

Thank you gentlemen! A lot of really good input and direction. I reached out to Alandata with a description of the PC service tag and types of drives and we'll see what they respond with.

ETA: the pc is a family one and photos were backed up previously (a couple months ago) so they don't need to be recovered. Wife and kids files are on it...my files not so much, but it is my favorite calguns surfing computer

From the Dell Service Tag: 342-0195 : Serial ATA II RAID 0 With Dual 750GB Hard Drives

[Robotron2k84]

RAID-0, as implemented in a lot of SATA onboard-hardware is really JBOD-spanning: linear concatenation without container, encapsulation or stripe. You don’t get the performance or interleaving of true RAID-0, but generous caches and slow spindle speeds makes it a mostly-moot point. In the end, it’s safer for end users’ data, in the event recovery is necessary. The scheme is literally writing to one disk and at the end start writing to the other. If true, the data should be readable on either disk if the hardware is functional.

The real issue is probably NTFS considering the file system corrupt as it appears truncated, and refusing to read the contents. Use of Linux and a more tolerant NTFS driver may allow you to mount the volume and simply copy the data off to another drive.

However, if encapsulation was used, e.g. Windows Dynamic Disk without encryption, you will need to be able to edit the container to regain the disk set. This is more advanced and in the realm of data recovery. If encrypted, the data may be lost without the keys from the previous Windows installation, which is by design.

ETA: looking up the service tag shows that your system is a poweredge server? If that’s the case, it came with a PERC H710 card for RAID, and would include striping for RAID-0. If that is the case, you may need to engage help to revive a disk by swapping platters and frames. Not trivial.

[Turbinator]

Yeah, I'd definitely agree that swapping platters out of a disk drive is not trivial - this is clean room + qualified technician level stuff that typically can only happen back at the factory.

Turby

[the86d]

Yeah, I'd definitely agree that swapping platters out of a disk drive is not trivial - this is clean room + qualified technician level stuff that typically can only happen back at the factory.

Turby

This was done at my old vendor's place, but I don't know if I'd trust it...

[Robotron2k84]

It only requires a clean room if you expect the drive to do more than dump its contents once and be chucked in the shredder.

I’ve swapped platters before and you do need to take precautions, but the drive can even run and work for a time with the top cover off and the platters exposed. If you are diligent and do it in an enclosed box with a vacuum drawing filtered air under negative pressure, that’s usually all that’s necessary. Stuff a data retrieval outfit would have.