Sooner or later, that hard drive will deteriorate and break down. Before you lose all your data, you should learn how to fix a hard drive and rescue your data.
Required Tools and Materials
Backup tape
System restore CD
Boot-up disc
Installation disc
Be aware of the signs the drive is about to crash. The computer will read slowly from the disk. If bad sectors appear, you will hear clicking sounds. You might see the Blue Screen of Death saying Windows cannot read from the drive. Scraping noises may also be heard.
Step 2
If this happens, turn the computer off. Wait a couple of minutes then power it back on. Back up all your data now. You can start to fix a hard drive after you have backed all your files.
Step 3
Turn off the computer. Unplug all the cords. Unscrew the casing. Check the hard drive connections. Tighten them. If the connections are loose you will get a message saying the hard drive is damaged when in fact it is not. Plug the cords back in after you tighten the connections. Turn the computer on.
Step 4
If the hard drive errors persist, run a hard disk checker. This tool is included in Windows. You can also download or buy similar utilities online. Run the scanner. If it reports any bad sectors, let the program repair it. Let the program fix the drive.
Step 5
If you cannot boot from the hard disk, use the boot disc. This will give you access to the drive and back up your files.
Step 6
If bad sectors keep appearing, try to reformat the drive. This will wipe out all the data on the disk, so make sure all the files and programs have been backed up. Follow your computer manual guide for reformatting the drive.
Tips and Warnings
Back up your data at least every month, weekly if you work on several files. Don’t wait for the hard drive to fail before backing up the data.
Run scandisk or another disk checking utility. You should also defrag your hard drive after using scandisk or a similar utility. Do not expose your computer to extreme temperatures. It will shorten the hard drive’s lifespan.
It is extremely important you learn how to fix a hard drive. Knowledge of these facts will keep you from getting caught off guard. By recognizing the symptoms of a failing hard disk, you will never lose any important data.
