<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Brian, </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I sent you a private e-mail, maybe you did not = receive it so here it is again:</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV><FONT size=2>Brian</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Your hard disk is dead... forget about scandisk. = Thank god you can start it in dos. If you are using Win 95 or 98 you can retrieve your = data through DOS provided bad block did not affected your data, that is to be = seen</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Get in DOS  and go to the directories were you = have your data, and transfer them to disk A: if the directory is more than eight characters long you must count the first six then type  ALT126 to = insert ~  (keep alt pressed while typing the number 126) and number 1 = afterwards if there are more than one directories which start with the same prefix = each will be 1, 2, 3 etc  once in that directory give the command "Copy = <name of file.suffix> a:  That should do </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>If you give me a complete description of everything = I can guide you better ( directory names, etc ) If you have or can acquire a = IOMEGA zip drive will make it easier   </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you can mail me privately I might help you online.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2></FONT></EM> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Original Message:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Hi list,</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Any of you computer types out = there care to offer an opinion?</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>I'm typing this on a new laptop computer.  I love it.  It's 3 times the computer my old one = (only 1 1/2 years old) is/was.</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>I'd really like to retrieve some = of the old information from my old computer, but I'm not sure I can.  = Basically, it has begun hard drive failure, and most of the information that I would = like to access is there on the hard drive.  It will boot up, but it will = not run Windows, even in the 'safe' mode.  I've tried running the Scandisk = program that was onboard, but it keeps finding errors it can't fix.  When = it gets to the disk scan, it keeps finding sections of the hard drive that are = "about to fail" and moves the info to another part of the disk.  = </FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000080 face=Georgia><EM>Those are called bad = blocks. Sometimes the surface of the disk starts degrading, there are many possible causes = to this, when this happens, the quantity of bad blocks may keep growing. If = the surface was damaged were there was information, that spot is lost. = Probably one of  windows critical parts was in one of this spots, in that case = windows will not start, but you can still use DOS. </EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>And talk about slow... the = Scandisk program files tell me that it 'should' take about 10 minutes for a disk scan... = it took 4 hours to go through 10% and then quit because it couldn't handle the = job. </FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2></FONT></EM> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>That means that there are already a lot of = bad blocks. it is advisable that you try to save the information through DOS first, = when there is a large damage scandisk will not help, and it even do more = harm. Scandisk explores the surface and "makes a note" where there is a = damaged block so as to isolate it, this works when there are few of them, but by what = you write I suspect a larger damage.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2></FONT></EM> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Anybody have any = suggestions?  Do you think a program like Norton utilities or another similar program would = be able to help me?  or is it too late?</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Georgia><EM>You can try anything, but = first back up...!!!</EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>I've been a bad boy for not = backing up my work earlier.  I'm thinking of replacing the hard drive on the old computer, and perhaps looking into a zip drive for a little more secure backup.  I'm also in the market for a program like Norton = utilities, or a similar product.  But I sure would like to have some of that old info...</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>The upside is, now I have a = portable computer and can play with the Tunelab program I downloaded!!   </FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Anyway, if you have an idea, = thought, suggestion, or note of sympathy, I'm receiving them all with open = ears.  :-)</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Thanks,</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Brian Trout</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Quarryville, PA</FONT></EM></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2><A href="mailto:btrout@desupernet.net"><EM>btrout@desupernet.net</EM></A><= /FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>