Copy a "Defective" HD

User discussion and information resource forum for Image products.
Post Reply
engineerguy3809
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:17 pm

Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by engineerguy3809 »

I am fixing a Toshiba Satellite laptop for a family member with a HD which has gone south. (We all get hit up for those kind of things.) Please forgive the length of post, but I thought some history might explain my actual quesiton a bit better.

The main NTFS data partition has enough errors that keep it from doing much more than entering the Vista splash screen. I cannot boot to a command prompt or Safe Mode. The owner did NOT create restore CD's, nor are there any original Microsoft Vista install CD's. My other PC's are all either XP or Windows 7 so I don't have access to any bootable Vista CD's. I tried to do a "restore to factory settings" from the hidden partition, but there are too many errors on the HD for this to complete. I DO have the valid 25-Digit Windows key-code, so if all else fails, I can ultimately root up an copy of Vista 32-bit (which I don't currently have) and do a bare-metal reinstall and update the key-code.

My question as a possible alternative:
Shouldn't it be possible to use the bootable CD for Image for Linux and then do a copy/restore the HD image into a new (good) drive, then do a "restore to factory settings" from the hidden partition? (I'm praying the bad drive disk errors are not actually in the hidden "restore" partition and that data is still intact.) If so, since I don't have a clue what OS is actually used on these hidden partitions, what is the best way to do this? I'm guessing I would do a full sector-by-sector image, then do a restore into an equal, or larger HD. However, before I waste the time doing all this, I'm asking the "forum experts" if this should even work. I realize that a few sectors will likely get imaged and restored as "bad", but I figured after the restore I could to a "checkdisk" to clean things up.

Suggestions or Comments greatly appreciated.
Bob Coleman
Posts: 785
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:58 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by Bob Coleman »

Sort of off topic, but you might want to try SpinRite.
engineerguy3809
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:17 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by engineerguy3809 »

Thx for reply.

I have owned Spinrite for years and intend on eventually giving it a try.
However, before I write to the drive in any fashion, or attempt to fix anything, I wanted to save enough of the original "recover partition" so that I could simplify installation of a new drive if ultimately found necessary. I didn't state in my original post, but even though the drive appears to be readable, it doesn't sound "right". I don't have the installation CD/DVD for this copy of Vista. I was curious if anyone has imaged the "recover partition", then wrote it to an empty drive, then perfored a Windows re-install using it (obviously old programs and documents are lost in the process). I guess another way of stating it would be a "back-door" way of reinstalling a clean copy of Vista on an empty drive without the original installation disks. I guess I can just give it a try. The worst thing that would happen would be it wouldn't work.

I've never had Spinrite actually trash a drive (yet), but I'm skeptical to write ANYTHING to a drive that I know is flakey without recovering as much data as possible.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by DrTeeth »

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:15:04 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
engineerguy3809 disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>Suggestions or Comments greatly appreciated.
With something as badly FUBARed like this I would boot the laptop with
a live Linux distro and get off whatever data you can. How valuable
this data is will depend on the lengths/expense the owner will go to
to retrieve it.

I would then do a fresh install of the OS on the new disk. I would
really not waste my time trying to resus a basket case; trying to get
a borked partition on to new disk.
--

Cheers

DrT
______________________________
We may not be able to prevent the stormy times in
our lives; but we can always choose whether or not
to dance in the puddles (Jewish proverb).
Bob Coleman
Posts: 785
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:58 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by Bob Coleman »

DrTeeth wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:15:04 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
> engineerguy3809 disturbed my reverie and wrote:
>

> I would then do a fresh install of the OS on the new disk. I would
> really not waste my time trying to resus a basket case; trying to get
> a borked partition on to new disk.

But I think part of the problem is how to do a fresh install without an installation disc. (I don't have an answer, but I think that may be the problem).
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by DrTeeth »

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:36:46 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
Bob Coleman disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>But I think part of the problem is how to do a fresh install without an installation disc.
The OP has a valid/kosher key code. He could beg, borrow or visit
Pirate Bay to get a disc or copy. As long as the keycode is valid
those actions would not be illegal. Even if the download were
pre-cracked, with a valid keycode, he would be in the clear. Should
that not be acceptable to engineerguy3809, there are Linux distros
that mimic the look and feel of windows very well.
--

Cheers

DrT
______________________________
We may not be able to prevent the stormy times in
our lives; but we can always choose whether or not
to dance in the puddles (Jewish proverb).
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1644
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

I've done several similar restores of "recovery" partitions on new drives. Don't remember running into any problems. Note that you'll probably have to trigger the restore manually.
mjnelson99
Posts: 785
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:24 am

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by mjnelson99 »

If what you do don't work and his computer can do it,
you could suggest Windows 7 Family Pack before they are
completely gone.

Instructions are online on how to do the install since it is
an upgrade version and you have a bad Vista.
Mary

On 11/13/2012 5:31 PM, PP wrote:
> I've done several similar restores of "recovery" partitions on new drives. Don't remember running into any problems. Note that you'll probably have to trigger the restore manually.
>
>
engineerguy3809
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:17 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by engineerguy3809 »

To all,
Sorry I was so verbose getting to the point in my earlier postings. It has been a bad day.
Both DrTeeth and Support have it correct.
I have a valid product Vista product key, but no valid install disks at hand.
I tried a full disk image (all 3 partitions) using TBD and got sector errors in main NTFS partition.
However, the critical restore partition is apparently intact since I was able to run TBD bootable CD and image the other two partitions without error.
For kicks, I'll try restoring them into the new HD and try to manually trigger a full OS restore.
If that is successful, I can merge any excess unused space into the Vista NTFS partition later.
If it fails, I'll temporarily beg, borrow or steal (just kidding on that one) a copy of the Vista Install and use my legit product key.

To Dr Teeth: regarding the Linux suggestion;
This PC is pretty committed to needing Windows. However, I've used Ubuntu for years on several of my own boxes and have also installed it on several PC's of friends & family; especially useful on older PC's which are RAM-strapped or aren't worthy of shelling out $$$ for Windows updates. Users quickly find that the look & feel of Firefox and OpenOffice running on Linux is 99% the same as Microsoft IE and Office under Windows . . . . . and you 'gotta love the penguin.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Copy a "Defective" HD

Post by DrTeeth »

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:19:31 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
engineerguy3809 disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>and you 'gotta love the penguin
I do. I am forever trying out new distros and have > 5 installed on my
main PC at any one time. BIBM makes it soooo/too easy LOL.
--

Cheers

DrT
______________________________
We may not be able to prevent the stormy times in
our lives; but we can always choose whether or not
to dance in the puddles (Jewish proverb).
Post Reply