Can You Recover Data From a Dead Hard Drive

Losing precious data because the HDD broke or failed is something no one wants to happen, especially when we store meaningful files there. But, we also know that hard discs can simply decide to die one day, without any warning. Today, we won’t talk a lot about the reasons why some HDD dies, but we will move to the next question – is it possible to save something from it, before it’s lost forever. Wondershare Recoverit is one of the platforms that offer this type o service – to sync your broken hard disc drive with it, and see what you can save.

It’s also important to note that the option to save and recover some data depends on the level of damage caused to the disc. We all know that when we delete something by accident it’s not lost forever, because there is always a trace of its existence on the disc, and proper software can find those traces, put them together, and recover the file completely, or most of it, so you can use it again.

How to recognize if the HDD is broken?

There is no indication that will show you the disk is dead, but you can easily recognize if it doesn’t work properly. You will hear weird sounds, and it will barely work properly. Usually, the grinding sound is a sign that your disc is broken or damaged. A healthy HDD provides a silent sound because there is nothing to scrap with it.

At this moment it’s important to immediately turn off the computer and remove the disc, because with every second of scrapping and grinding, the damage is becoming bigger, and the chances to save the lost data lower. Even the tiniest scratch on the disc surface damages plenty of files, and the longer it stays inside, the more data is in danger of disappearing forever.

Data recovering experts will try to save as much as they can, but the good thing is that today we have functional programs to do that by ourselves. But still, as we said, it all depends on the level of how much damaged the disc is, and if the damage is too big, we can’t expect a miracle to happen and recover every file we had on it.

What to do when an HDD dies?

The first thing you need to do is to remove the drive from the device and replace it with a new and functional one. You need to use the old one as an external device, so it’s easier to work on it. After you put a new drive on your computer, you need to install the software, and then connect the old one to the computer, scan the device, and see what happens.

We all know how big that frustration can be if the hard disc dies. It’s very important to keep in mind that if we are lucky enough, we can save a lot of files, or all of them, but it’s not always the case. Depending on how corrupted are they, you may lose some quality of the photos and videos, but at least they are there. When it comes to important documents, you can also save some parts of them, which is better than none, but in this case, we suggest always have your data backed up, and save a reserve copy of everything important on a cloud drive.

That’s the easiest way to be sure something is accessible, no matter what happens with the computer. As the software is scanning your data, you will get a preview of everything that can be saved, and then repair the files, and save them on the healthy PC you will use for this purpose.

Keep in mind that once you remove the HDD from the computer, you will have to connect it to another one with a cable, to see if it’s really broken or something else is damaged in the first computer. It’s also important for the laptop or PC to be completely turned off before you remove it, and unplug everything, so there is no power going through it.

How to prevent losing meaningful files?

Today’s people always keep a copy of what they find important on their computers. And that’s one of the ways to prevent a huge data loss if something bad happens to the hard disc drive. The recovery process can guarantee to assemble the pieces together, but we can’t completely hold onto it, and hope everything will be back, because some sections of the disc are damaged forever.

So, listen to our advice and make a reserve copy of everything you find important. You can use a few USB drives for that, or a cloud-based memory, so you can access them from every device you have.

Can I still use the broken HDD?

In some cases, there are partitions and fragments that can recover, and you can use the drive again, but as an external device. There are cheap adapters that come with a cable, and if you somehow recover the disc, you can use it as an additional memory device in the future. But, there is always a risk for it to be more damaged during the file recovery process, so you have to start with the lowest hopes or no hope at all, so you won’t be disappointed.

Some things are never lost forever

The recovery software will help you make a deep scan of the HDD and see what you can save and recover. As we said, there is always a trace of the things that once were written on it, and if they weren’t deleted on purpose, those fragments are still present there, even when something is written over them (even though it makes the things more difficult).

So, even when some things can never come back, you can always hope that you can at least save something from the damaged disc. It’s on you to try, and of course, to use proper and professional software for that purpose.