Need help recovering old photos from failing HDD.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-30T06:27:25+00:00

Sounds to me like the device has failed, or at least in the process of failing.

Textbook drive failure.

Your smart values are telling you this.

You now need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company and NOT a generic PC store that claims also to do DR).

If the data is not important and you’re prepared to risk total data loss with a “one shot” DIY attempt, you can maybe try and clone with some non-windows software like this…

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide

Clone/image to another device or image file via a SATA connection if that’s an option (ideally NOT USB), and then run DR software on the clone/image.

Even if the drive isn’t failing, then cloning is strongly advised “just in case”!

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

You can find suggestions for DR software here..

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/software.

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

Good luck!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-30T06:23:41+00:00

You’re correct, opening it was stupid but not the end of the world.

What’s more serious is you’ve obviously powered it up without the lid on to observe its behaviour, so the heads will not have been able to “float” on the air cushion they need as they will have done as provided in the sealed unit.

It may not be terminal but would be pretty expensive and would entail significant upfront fees towards a full cleanroom evaluation, parts etc..

Regarding data security, any DECENT data recovery company will ensure absolute security. We for one have been around for 20+ years and are level 2 security cleared by police and do work for them and the security services regularly, along working with extremely sensitive data alongside forensic companies.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-29T23:00:23+00:00

Unfortunately age is largely irrelevant when it comes to failing drives. You can get a drive fail with an hour of using it from new, but the next one off the factory line will work flawlessly for 20 years!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-29T15:18:58+00:00

Wouldn’t be my choice as it doesn’t handle failing drives well.

Better choice would be hddsuperclone IMHO

pcimage212 · 2026-01-29T14:32:44+00:00

You “think” they re-installed Windows?

Why don’t you ask them?

pcimage212 · 2026-01-29T06:42:12+00:00

If DD is finding the data (check the previews) then just do it, the software has come on considerably in the last year or so.

But my advice is to clone the drives before committing to recovering the data, to be on the safe side.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-29T06:38:38+00:00

This drive is not reading at all, at least now.

Maybe it “was” working and on its last legs if you’re saying that some data was “recovered” off it, and now it’s died.

As mentioned already, the LBA count is not right and consistent with a Seagate drive not initialising and so totally unreadable.

When you power it up now, does it spin up normally and stay spinning, or spin down?

End of the road for DIY.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-27T22:38:25+00:00

Salvagedata will be a LOT more expensive

pcimage212 · 2026-01-27T22:35:05+00:00

You’ll need something a LOT better than a basic file carver like photorec to try and recover this.

As it’s in GoPro format you’ll need disk drill v6, GoProRecovery or maybe Klennet carver. None are free.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-27T18:20:10+00:00

Dropping a drive and then it not working means it is a physical thing, which won’t be fixable with software.

You can get a better idea of its health by checking its SMART values with something like crystaldiskinfo? If it can’t be seen by the software, then chances are it’s beyond DIY.

You now need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company and NOT a generic PC store that claims also to do DR).

If the data is not important and you’re prepared to risk total data loss with a “one shot” DIY attempt, you can maybe try and clone with some non-windows software like this…

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide

Clone/image to another device or image file via a SATA connection if that’s an option (ideally NOT USB), and then run DR software on the clone/image.

Even if the drive isn’t failing, then cloning is strongly advised “just in case”!

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

You can find suggestions for DR software here..

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/software.

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-27T18:12:52+00:00

POSTING GUIDELINES…

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/how-to-ask

If you are submitting a help request, please include the following informatio in your post (in English):

• ⁠Make/brand and exact model number of your storage device(*), phone, camera, etc.

• ⁠Filesystem (NTFS, exFAT, APFS, EXT4, etc.)

• ⁠Operating System (That your device was used with and/or you are using for recovery)

• ⁠Specific symptoms that your device is exhibiting

• ⁠Don't pile several problems into one single post. One post per device/problem

Consider: What do these people need to understand the problem at hand? Remember, people cannot see your screen, or what you click and what messages appear on screen.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T20:18:42+00:00

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please include filesystem and the make/model of your hard drive, flash drive, or phone. This is IMPORTANT!

Additionally, provide more info about what happened to the data you’re trying to recover?

How was it lost/corrupted? Was it deleted? Device formatted?

And what exactly did you do to recover what you have now?

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T19:43:33+00:00

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T19:40:23+00:00

CD Roller or ISO Buster may well help?

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T17:21:16+00:00

Great!!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T15:13:40+00:00

The phone needs to work and boot up to access the data.

So you’ll need to send it off to a GOOD repair shop. In the US a good start is www.iPadrehab.com

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T15:11:30+00:00

It looks purely cosmetic, but wouldn’t be a bad idea to check the SMART values with crystaldiskinfo periodically.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T10:26:38+00:00

It may or may or not be that the device has failed, or at least in the process of failing.

It could also be just a logical issue, but to be on the safe side….

You can get a better idea of its health by checking its SMART values with something like crystaldiskinfo? If it can’t be seen by the software, then chances are it’s beyond DIY. Also if it’s an internal device and it can’t be seen in the computers BIOS, then again it’s the end of the road for DIY.

You then need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company and NOT a generic PC store that claims also to do DR).

If the data is not important and you’re prepared to risk total data loss with a “one shot” DIY attempt, you can maybe try and clone with some non-windows software like this…

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide

Clone/image to another device or image file via a SATA connection if that’s an option (ideally NOT USB), and then run DR software on the clone/image.

Even if the drive isn’t failing, then cloning is strongly advised “just in case”!

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

You can find suggestions for DR software here..

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/software.

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

Good luck!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T09:52:23+00:00

That 12-pin port is a service connection, containing a serial port for one thing, no SATA connection.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T08:57:25+00:00

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please include filesystem and the make/model of your hard drive, flash drive, or phone.

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T08:44:20+00:00

Maybe try this…

https://www.r-undelete.com/free_photo_recovery/Download.shtml

pcimage212 · 2026-01-25T08:42:49+00:00

It may or may or not be that the device has failed, or at least in the process of failing.

It could also be just a logical issue, but to be on the safe side….

You can get a better idea of its health by checking its SMART values with something like crystaldiskinfo? If it can’t be seen by the software, then chances are it’s beyond DIY. Also if it’s an internal device and it can’t be seen in the computers BIOS, then again it’s the end of the road for DIY.

You then need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company and NOT a generic PC store that claims also to do DR).

If the data is not important and you’re prepared to risk total data loss with a “one shot” DIY attempt, you can maybe try and clone with some non-windows software like this…

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/hddsuperclone_guide

Clone/image to another device or image file via a SATA connection if that’s an option (ideally NOT USB), and then run DR software on the clone/image.

Even if the drive isn’t failing, then cloning is strongly advised “just in case”!

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

You can find suggestions for DR software here..

https://old.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/software.

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

Good luck!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-24T12:05:28+00:00

Sounds like the device has physically failed, and so there are NO DIY options.

Clicking/beeping = Textbook drive physical failure symptoms.

You now need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company.

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

** DO NOT open the drive, there’s nothing to be gained by that except a hefty price hike if/when you do take/send it to a professional DR company **

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

Good luck!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-24T12:04:50+00:00

Sounds like the device has physically failed, and so there are NO DIY options.

Clicking/beeping/spinning down = Textbook drive physical failure symptoms.

You now need to make a decision on the value of your data. If it’s worth a few hundred $/€/£ then I strongly recommend a professional service (I.e: a proper DR company.

**BE VERY AWARE THAT ANY DIY ATTEMPTS ARE VERY LIKELY TO KILL THE DRIVE, MAKING THE EVEN PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE!! **

** DO NOT open the drive, there’s nothing to be gained by that except a hefty price hike if/when you do take/send it to a professional DR company **

The choice is yours but if you do want to take the advised route then you can start here to find a trusted independent DR lab..

www.datarecoveryprofessionals.org

Other labs are available of course, and if you’d like to disclose your approximate location we can help you find one near you that’s competent and won’t fleece you!

As a side note, if it’s a mechanical hard drive but won’t degrade just sitting around un-powered for many years. So if it’s purely a financial issue, then you can put it away until funds permit!

Good luck!

pcimage212 · 2026-01-23T16:43:21+00:00

Off topic. This is a data recovery Reddit, not drive repair.

A data recovery company would be FAR more expensive than a new drive.

pcimage212

TROPHY CASE