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Failing hdd or bad sectors, will not boot, how to recover data?
Long story short I shipped a lenovo x220 for mobo repacement with the HDD. I got it back, but windows bsod on boot. I found out this was a conflicting driver issue due to the new motherboard, so I used a tool in hires boot CD to resetthe hard disk controller or something like that. Win 7 then booted and I reinstalled all the system drivers and updated windows. Worked great for Two days until I had HDD failure warnings from windows and crystal disk info. I ran chkdsk and it fixed some things, and then crystal diskinfo only sshowed a warning, current pending sector count. Next day it won't boot. Startup repair hangs and fails to fix problems, and safe mode doesn't boot. Its definitely a HDD issue, but I dont know if it's physical since theres no clicking, sounds fine. I know there are a bunch of bad sectors and I can't boot. I tried using a USB sata adapter but my other win XP machine says I need to format it to view the drive, which I didn't of course.
In hiren's, it shows the HDD and its correct size and partitions, but it cant open or explore it. i also viewed the smart data and it says its failed because of pending sector count and reallcoated sector count.
What's weird is I can view all the files and file structure and everything only using the "disk genius" tool in hirens mini XP mode, but not in windows explorer. I tried creating a full image but both acronis and macrium threw read errors. Right now I'm running a disk rescue DD program thats supposed to skip the unreadable sectors and hopefully recover some of the data. I have a new HDD coming but it to be shipped. I am using a 1tb external HDD to put the .DD image. I am wondering how come I am able to see the disk in disk genius but not anywhere else? Should I try and make a backup using disk genius?
My plan was to make a clone of it, then format and Zero write it to see if the drive is physically dying, but I can't clone it because of the bad sectors, and I can't boot. I dont have the windows 7 installation disk and my data and the is are on the same partition I believe. What do I do? If I can still see the files in disk genius does that mean there is a good chance of recovering some files? I am wondering if the bad sectors that are preventing me from imaging or cloning the drive might just be affecting replaceable movie files/large steam game files I have? Is it possible to make an image and put it on a new drive? Help!
I apologize for the spelling I'm using my phone for the time being.