Data Recovery?
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- ********
For some reason, all of a sudden my iMac cannot find my HD.
I brought it to the Apple store and they said it needs to be replaced. They don't do data recovery either.
There's quite a bit of info on there I would like to save and want to get my computer back.
How much should I expect to spend with data recovery and new drive elsewhere?
Apple said it was $230 to only replace the drive in store.
- monospaced0
If you can, have Apple pull the HD out for you. Then, go get yourself one of these SATA cables. I got this one from Apricorn: http://www.apricorn.com/sata-wir… and plug the bastard into another computer. If it boots, back up right away.
If none of that works, then look into actual data recovery. DiskWarrior is what a lot of pros use. Cheaper to buy than have someone else do. If that doesn't work, then you may have to shell out a ton. Good luck, man.
- http://www.alsoft.co…monospaced
- Oh, and in the future, start backing up regularly, with or without Time Machinemonospaced
- I know now. It's been years since I had a problem.********
- Spinning HDs, unfortunately, all fail eventually.monospaced
- lvl_130
depends on how much data you have on there. it will be significantly more expensive than the $230 apple is trying to charge you for the drive alone.
- benfal990
thank god iam now using Crash Plan!
my computer can explode and I won't lose anything.
- ********0
I have about 200GB of data on that drive. ~140GB of that is backed up already, but I don't think I can pick and choose.
There's all the software too. Not sure if that transfers easily.
- ArmandoEstrada0
Not bad and cheap.
http://help.cleverfiles.com/disk…Much better but a bit more expensive:
http://www.prosofteng.com/produc…My advice would be to go to a third party apple reseller if you can, like here in Los Angeles we have Frys or Melrose Mac that would install it for $70 and you can buy a larger drive (put in a 1 or 2 TB drive).
- Install what for $70?********
- Drive into a laptop or iMac. You dont want to be doing this yourself.ArmandoEstrada
- I think he's more concerned with data recovery than installing a new HDmonospaced
- I have a iMac that needs a new harddrive, but am also interested in getting the old data onto the new one.********
- Basically, I want my computer working the way it was.********
- You need to get the dive out first. then you need to install new one. Apples too expensive.ArmandoEstrada
- Install what for $70?
- i_monk0
I recovered most of a crashed external drive using Disk Drill (or Drill Disk or something like that). Depending on how bad it is you may get everything back intact as a disk image, or, like me, a million renamed files (file0001.avi, etc) sorted by type, and no trace of the original file structure...
- his iMac doesn't even recognize the HD thoughmonospaced
- Disk Drill works well, even if the disk won't mount. The problem is often files are stored across many sectors and can't be recovered easilyspot13
- recovered easily. Most professional companies charge over $1000 to recover a diskspot13
- ********0
My iMac doesn't work at all. The internal HD isn't being recognized for whatever reason. I want my iMac to work again, and to do so, it needs a replacement HD. I want as much of my old data on that new drive, so the computer can be like it was two days ago.
- did you see my first post above? try it outmonospaced
- Oh yeah.********
- spot130
Get a screwdriver and open it up, swap the disk, reinstall osx, install disk drill or similar on the new install and see what you can pull off the old drive. Nothing else you can do.
- ********0
Do you guys think HD replacement would be cheaper elsewhere assuming Monospaced's trick works?
- ********0
I called an authorized repair shop and they said that a replacement HD was more expensive than what Apple was charging ($110+$150 installation). They also said that Apple doesn't typically let you keep the old HD when they replace it?
- They'll let you keep the disk. They only won't let you if it's an AppleCare replacement and they need to send it back.spot13
- uhhh, Apple has no right to keep the old HD, that's some bullshitmonospaced
- if it's a warranty repair, they send the old parts back to the manufacturer always.spot13
- Not under warranty. I guess repair shop dude was lying to me?********
- He wants your business.monospaced
- but worth asking in case there is some kind of warranty discount on the part.spot13
- spot130
The quote from Apple isn't too bad. The iMac has specific hardware requirements so it might be easier (and faster) if they can do it while you wait. I know you don't want to hear this but if the drive is corrupt, which is sounds like it is, you're going to lose files. The only way to find out is to plug it in to another computer or a reinstall on your machine and attempt to recover the old disk.
I had to have a drive recovered earlier this year for a co-worker who neglected to back up their files. The recovery company (in Toronto) has a policy that you only pay if they recover files for you, so they sent me a list of all the files they found (which was maybe half) and we had to pay about $1200 including an external drive to have them recovered.
- ArmandoEstrada0
Not to kick you when you're down, but why on earth did you not have Time Machine running? All it takes, aside from an external drive, is a click.
- I'm an idiot and Apple never gives me any problems.********
- The hard drive is not made by apple. your computer didnt crash it was your drive.ArmandoEstrada
- I'm an idiot and Apple never gives me any problems.
- monospaced0
Seriously, get the HD out and try the $20 solution first, before talking to repair shops. You might be pleasantly surprised.
- ********0
So it sounds like I go ahead with the $230 Apple Genius Bar HD replacement and make sure they give me the old HD and try my luck with a cable or other service afterward. And use time machine for now on.
- monospaced0
I'd say try to get Apple to pull the HD out for you for free. I had a similar experience not long ago, with an out-of-warranty MBP, and they did it with a little persistence at the Apple Store, and I walked away with my HD in a plastic bag.
- true, go when they're not busy and buy the hipster a Starbucks Frappuccino, lolspot13
- Did you have them replace it too?********
- that's a different storymonospaced
- estetic0
A software solution will work SOMETIMES if the data structure is the issue and the drive is still physically working.
If the drive is dead (not powering up, physically broken) then you are looking at $1500+ for data recovery (and thats cheap...). You would send your drive to a special facility with all sorts of crazy clean rooms and they will remove the platters and go from there.
I had a drive die in my work issued MBP, all the work stuff was fine as its backed up to git hub repos and such - but I had used it to quickly dump a camera and iPhone on vacation then never backed up those photos. Lost just about all the photos of the first 1.5 years of my daughter. Still have the drive, just havent shelled out the cash... BACK UP YOUR DATA.
- ********0
Just brought it to an authorized retail shop and they'll replace the HD and give me the old one for $10 less than Apple store.
However, they said that they aren't able to get data off the old drive and I might have to send it to one of those clean room places?
Any recs. for that? It's not worth more than a couple hundred to me.
I think that USB cable won't work either.
:( bummer. I learned my lesson.
- i_monk0
"I think that USB cable won't work either."
Here's an idea: try it.
- animatedgif0
If it's not showing up at all or in a caddy in a working Mac or with Disk Warrior it's probably totally fucked and unless you're willing to spend thousands you'll never get the data back.
Hard drive death isn't an "if" it's a "when" (anything over 5 years old becomes more and more of a risk), with external 1TB drives for <$100 and online backup solutions there is absolutely no reason not to be backing up your entire drive constantly.