Anybody here ever have an luck with recovering files from an external harddrive? I have an older Lacie 500gb that I believe is hooched (turns on but doesn't load to the desktop, doesn't recognize it in the system preferences either). I know there are several levels and types of data recovery but I'm trying to avoid taking it into Tekserve in Manhattan and paying for them to do it, since that'll be expensive.

If anyone here can offer some suggestions that would be great. Thanks guys.

If you have a desktop, can you take out the HD from its external shell and add it as a 2nd drive?

I don't have a desktop computer like that. Tam and I have iMacs. I know I can get an external enclosure and try that but honestly I think this drive is pretty far gone and well beyond a normal persons capabilities to fix. I think it has to go to a specialist. I even tried hooking up to a different computer, changing it's power source, and freezing it and still nothing.

I don't have a desktop computer like that. Tam and I have iMacs. I know I can get an external enclosure and try that but honestly I think this drive is pretty far gone and well beyond a normal persons capabilities to fix. I think it has to go to a specialist. I even tried hooking up to a different computer, changing it's power source, and freezing it and still nothing.

Unless it's been dropped or was just faulty to begin with, most HDD are hard pressed to just "go bad". Find a buddy that has a desktop that it will fit in (Needs to be IDE or SATA depending on the age of the external drive) and connect it directly to the motherboard. Usually, even when a drive is bad it will be recognized by the computer. When my external drive went bad it was the actual enclosure that was bad, not the drive itself. Plugged the drive in and it came up like a champ. Worth a shot, the only thing you'd be out is some time to get it hooked up.

Kev, if the files on the Ext Drive are MAC files then "iPartition" may work for you. This is will work on the MAC and should allow to see and fix the drive. If the file on the Ext Drive or windows OS/windows Apps/or files in NTFS or FAT. then "Partition Magic" will work just fine.

We have taken out the platters to the drive for our clients and intsall them on a newer casing to try to recover most of the data and partition info. But that will take time and it's really a hot or miss if one can recover eveything off the platters.

Cool thanks guys .. I know a few people around Jersey and NYC that can help out with this.

Kev, if the files on the Ext Drive are MAC files then "iPartition" may work for you. This is will work on the MAC and should allow to see and fix the drive. If the file on the Ext Drive or windows OS/windows Apps/or files in NTFS or FAT. then "Partition Magic" will work just fine.

Didn't even think of the Mac aspect of it Rincon, good catch.

Kev, if the files on the Ext Drive are MAC files then "iPartition" may work for you. This is will work on the MAC and should allow to see and fix the drive. If the file on the Ext Drive or windows OS/windows Apps/or files in NTFS or FAT. then "Partition Magic" will work just fine.

We have taken out the platters to the drive for our clients and intsall them on a newer casing to try to recover most of the data and partition info. But that will take time and it's really a hot or miss if one can recover eveything off the platters.

I say. good job old bean. I was gonna say the same thing, most big places do something most people could do if they knew how easy it was.... that's why they charge so much. Most people think if it's that expensive, it must be too hard for them to do themselves. Just remember static electricity could further damage the device and lesson your chances of recovery.