Failed HDD; Macrium help

miztrniceguy · 27 Feb 2017

Ok so my friends Sony Vaio had a HDD failure. Recovery partition corrupt. I pulled HDD and connected to my desktop to attempt recovery.

Macrium V6 and Acronis 10 won't clone. Macrium fails, saying can't read source. Acronis gets most of the way thru and then freezes whole computer and only hard reboot possible.

I used Macrium to make an ISO, but it won't boot. Using Macrium PE Recovery I have attempted startup repair to no avail.

I tried to repair using Win 7 disk, but I don't have the right version. according to the a report the installed version was Pro from a "Full Packaged Product" media, specifically Part no X15-39303, which he doesn't have as it was his deceased sisters laptop. This is what previously passed WGA and was activated for years, then he recently had issues. I wish I had made an image then, suspecting HDD failure might happen, but thinking I was just being a Doomsdayer about it.

The clone and image attempts have been to a new OCZ SSD .

I also tried downloading 3 different ISO versions of Win 7 Pro from Heidoc.net but each give the same version mismatch error i get when I tried repair with my OEM copy purchased from a retail store when I built my desktop.

I would really like to recover what is on the drive as he uses it for his business and there are a lot of programs on it.

Since I couldn't get Macrium or Acronis to make an ISO of only 2 of the 3 partitions I used Disk Management to delete the corrupt partition, leaving the space unallocated . Attempts to clone still fail, and new ISO won't boot either, and PE boot repair didn't work either.

Is there another source for the proper ISO to download so I can attempt a repair?

Or any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

ICIT2LOL · 27 Feb 2017

Hello miztrniceguy now if you just want an ISO see this tutorial it has a link for a genuine Microsoft download. You just need to make a bootable disk or stick whichever you prefer I like a disk but the choice is yours.

This is the clean install tutorial and there is another tutorial for repair install see the bottom of this one for that Clean Install Windows 7 just go to the Hers how to section for that ISO download. Just make sure you get the exact one you have and avoid the ones with a N in the download. Another thing is make sure of the language and bit version ie 64bit

If you want to recover data from that drive you could try this
BOOTABLE UBUNTU
Make a bootable Ubuntu disk Download Ubuntu Desktop | Download | Ubuntu
Set the BIOS to boot from the optical when the machine boots it will show you a screen with TRY or INSTALL > select TRY not INSTALL
When it is finished - it takes very little time you will get a screen like in the pic .
Open the drive you want > User and dig down until you get to the data / settings you may be able to copy / paste the material you want to an external source or other installed drive doing this.
I am not sure if it will but I have recovered tons of data etc using this method both on "dead" or just plain drives that you cannot get data from using Windows.

Or there is this Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS I prefer Ubuntu a tad easier to set up but this does the same thing

miztrniceguy · 27 Feb 2017

Thank you for responding. I am trying to obtain the correct RETAIL ISO from Microsoft support, then will attempt the repair option listed.

ETA: Microsoft provided me a download link directly from them and I am downloading it now.

ICIT2LOL · 28 Feb 2017

Ok mate if that doesn't download real well this is another official site Windows 7 Direct Download Links

Now just a tip when you burn the ISO to a disk or stick just make sure you burn it at the slowest rate you can that will avoid any file corruption as fast burns often result in unusable disks especially.

miztrniceguy · 28 Feb 2017

It burned fine. But it won't repair. It says, like every other version I tried to initiate repair, that the version is not the same. I know it was Win 7 Pro 64 bit because I hive the previous reports. MS Support validated the Lic key as genuine Win 7 Pro full retail. Laptop originally had Home Premium. I have that key also, sticker still on the bottom of laptop. I burned the each of the different Win 7 Pro ISO listed on that site, English that is, and each of them also give the same error. But none are identified as part no X15-39303, which is the one the Lic key is for.

samuria · 28 Feb 2017

If it's corrupted you can't repair it it's a hardware fault cloning is no good as it would copy bad blocks a mark them as bad on new drive. The only slight chance is to go-to makers site and get their disk test tool written specifically for their drives but if it broke even that won't fix it

miztrniceguy · 28 Feb 2017

That's whi I was trying to make a clone of only the 2 partitions that are not corrupted.

miztrniceguy · 28 Feb 2017

made progress...now I get the following message:

missing <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

I can access the Win 7 repair now with the ISO I downloaded from Microsoft Support. But it says it isn't able to repair the problem. In details it says missing boot manager.

The Macrium rescue disk with PE does not fix it either using the Fix Boot Problems option.

ICIT2LOL · 28 Feb 2017

Ok now as sumuria has mentioned cloning wll only copy your problem. Now if it were me I would even try a new drive preferably a SSD but it is your choice and budget after all.

You could try testing that drive but you will need a working machine to hook it up to and use this
Software and Firmware Downloads | WD Support

RolandJS · 01 Mar 2017

At this point, I recommend doing what a previous poster suggested: create a Linux usb boot stick or Linux dvd boot, boot it, use its file manager to copy off data folders and files onto affordable reliable external media. If that is not possible, then is is likely the HD is heading for the graveyard quickly.