I have a dell laptop, D620. When i first put it on the screen was loading funny. as i move the mouse over it a square at time would come in...then when i tried to boot it again. it said new user.. then it just woulnt boot got read error hit control alt delete...i called Dell they said hold fn key and hold start but it went into diagnostic mode. in a few minutes they said HARD DRIVE must be replaced.

My problem is now... that to recover the data companies want from $500 to 25oo to recover the data... is there any program or thing i can do to try to get my files back?

Marv Alpert
alpert@mail.com
thanks!

Hi malpert and welcome to the TechSpot Forum

As a laptop only has the ability to support 1 harddrive your option is to remove the drive from the laptop and connect it to a desktop PC using a 2.5" to 3.5" adaptor and try to read the files on it, however I would download the test tools from the makers website and run a thorough test on the drive to ensure readability of the drive.

Remember though if the drive has failed mechanically then any data may be lost and you will need to use one of the professional data recovery services such as "ontrack data recovery" to get it back.

Backup, backup and backup is the mantra when it comes to important data...

Dont put your mailing address on a forum like this by the way you will end up getting spammed to hell.

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Regards

So if you put the laptap drive into another computer and it does boot up... there are companies that can recover it? I researched these companies and they start at $500. could i buy the software and do this recovery? or i guess it is quite complex and you need additional equipment?

Marv

No, if you put it into another computer and it boots up it means you should copy like h***! If the drive has failed, data recovery would probably mean the platter would need to be put in another drive chassis, hence the extravagant charges by data recovery companies. I think this is how it's done. This is a data recovery program, http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm It's freeware, I've (thankfully) never had to use it so I don't know what to say about it's efficacy .

If you had the 2.5 adapter and connect this drive from the dell laptop to the desktop using the drive where the CDrom goes there might be a chance you could recover the files you need? Good luck.. Once you do recover the files send the HDD back to tell. They won't send you a new one it might be used one, that was bad and was repaired. You might get lucky and get a new one from them?

Thank you to all who have sent me all the useful information. dell is sending a new replacement and will send a person to exchange the old one for the new one. (i think its pretty simple to exchange the drives but since i have on site service. ill let them do it....so if there are problems they dont blame me). My neighbor recommended his local computer guy and he will try it in another computer etc... said max expense should be 200. so im giving that a try. Again thanks to all who sent help....i appreciate it!