Unbootable computer

I have a computer with an unbootable HD. The OS will not boot. Have been unable to repair/recover the OS. I would like to use Recuva to attempt to save my data. As the computer will not run, I have had to TS with bootable media. Is it possible to run Recuva from bootable media, preferably CD/DVD as I am fresh out of USB sticks, to attempt file recovery?. Two other tools have failed me because they see the disk as reformatted. I don't know that it is or see how it could be.

OS is Win7. I have a several bootable disks, and a Linux Mint17.2 USB stick.

Gary

Yes you could boot your machine with a Linux disk and it's quite possible you will see your files.

You cannot use recuva on linux but if you can see your files in Linux just copy and paste them to a usb drive.

So you will need another usb stick.

Also, if you use a Linux variety that runs in RAM, you can unplug the media (USB stick or CD/DVD) you booted from and plug in another to save your files. That's handy if you only have one USB port.
Puppy Linux runs in RAM and will load up from a USB stick or a CD.
Puppy ver. 6.3 is recent, and runs well, but I have never used it it copy files to a CD/DVD. Works great copying to USB stick.
Read about it:
http://distrowatch.com/?newsid=09189

download it

http://bkhome.org/news/?viewDetailed=00293

Be careful, Linux OSs do not respect windows restrictions, will delete or copy things that windows would have locked.

Edited in an attempt to achieve clarity & brevity. Guess ya just have to pick one or the other. :lol:

Thank you for your help. I have a Linux Mint17.2 USB which boots up the computer, But cannot access the partition with my data files. I attempted manual mount of the drive but that also failed.

I have bootable media with Paragon Rescue 14 and EasyRE, both of which fail me.

I was really hoping that Recuva would work even though nothing else has to date.Hope dwindles.

Had I not grown complacent about backup .. .. .. oh well.

Ah yes, it's not the loss of the drive that eats away at you, it's the lack of a backup, and the knowledge it was so easy to avoid disaster.

Based on your last statement, do you have any sort of backup to fall back on?

I feel for your loss Gary and a belated welcome to the forum.

Some back up. Some not.

Some of the loss in items of personal attachment. Some of the other data can be rebuilt, with great pain.

I'm gonna have a local tech shop look at it, but given what I see now, they'd have to have something really special.

I just can't figure out what happened. Nothing unusual going on. It just stopped booting.

drive age?, any unusual 'bumps'?

can you access the drives' SMART data?

but it could, sadly, just be one of those sh!t happens events.

I know a few people who have had to use those professional recovery guys and they are really good - and really expensive.

the mob I know have the whole nine yards; positive pressured rooms, medical-grade dust filters, white coats, you name it.

Age: 3-4 years

I can access the reserve partition and the OEM partition. Nothing on the c: partition.

Around here the big guys are $1500. If the $70 guy can't do it won't get done. Of course, no charge if he can't./

For me the question is what to spend, time or money.

No brainer here, I have enough of the former, not much of the latter. :P

I am logged on here using Puppy Linux running from a USB stick. . . a CD or DVD will work fine.

Without any extra effort, Puppy shows all attached drives and partitions, even the hidden partition where Acronis stores it backup images (invisible to windows file managers).

Just did a search with StartPage Search engine for "linux file recovery software".

A few promising options found, including TestDisk data recovery and SystemRescueCD.

I would try some of these options before spending much money.

Sadly, I cannot offer any specific instruction, the little experience I have would not be relevant.

But try it, you have little to lose but a couple of CDs and some time

Do post back how you work it out. :)

Around here the big guys are $1500. If the $70 guy can't do it won't get done. Of course, no charge if he can't./

You're right, Walla Walla is in the middle of whoop-whoop. (but just near Wagga Wagga) :)

Can I only add to what @login123 has said, if you can, image your drive onto another first so you have some sort of fall-back.

I'd hate for you to hasten the already flaky drives' demise by continual accessing it.

Have you tried taking the drive out and booting it in another machine just to see if you have any luck?

As mentioned I was able boot the computer with a linux USB without success but not access the drive.

I have used a couple of rescue tools which were no help. They all report it as unformatted or no data.

Didn't try to boot with another machine,

The drive is now in the hands of the tech.

I'll know later today what he says. I suspect the disk is damaged.

Have you tried taking the drive out and booting it in another machine just to see if you have any luck?

Didn't try to boot with another machine,

yo, as second drive... and access from the other os

as last hope: perhaps starting with cd/dvd ... format and new install your bs