Dead hdd (C) on HP Envy notebook can I recover data?

[el condor]

Hi, I´m new to the forum and not really a computer ceek.
I got following problem, my hdd partition C on my HP Envy notebook is destroyed, the notebook has an recovery partition d which is also 500MB, how can I recover my personal data on the destroyed C? Is there the same data on the D like on the C?
The arms on the C are destroyed I guess everything else is working. I was thinking to get the same hdd drive and swap either the (double platters or the heads) but if I can do it differently I will refrain from taking the hdd apart.
Thanks for the help.

 

[jumanji]

Hi el condor,

Welcome to the SevenForums.

From what you have said I understand the HDD had suffered physical damage with a head crash. How did you decide that?

In such a case the HDD is a write-off and you cannot do a DIY.

If you want to do a data recovery in a physically damaged drive, you have to approach a professional data recovery service but it will cost you a bomb with unpredictable end results.

My honest advice would be to replace the hard drive. If you had made the recovery CDs, you can reinstall the factory installation.

If not you may have to do a clean install of the same Edition Windows that came preinstalled and use the COA key on the sticker of your HP Envy to activate it.

And if your notebook is still under warranty, contact HP Technical Support for the required service.

 

[el condor]

thanks jumanji, so in other words, the seperate 500mb recovery hard disc drive I have does not store any personal data, say like a duplicate of my C-my other 500mb hdd? Once I have a new hdd I can transmit the data from the D to C but there´s no personal data to be recovered that way? well I know that a professional data recovery is expensive, I will try to do it myself if the data is lost anyway. Thanks for the info.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Here is a prime example of why I always create the restore discs, and then remove the Restore partition completely. If the HDD dies, and you didn't make discs, then your restore method is gone as well.

That being said, we can't really give you an answer based on what you gave us. If the hard drive is fine physically, and the errors are just in software, you should be able to recover your data easily by booting some kind of Live disc, or hooking the drive up to another computer. If it's been physically damaged, you likely aren't getting your data back, and will need to replace the HDD.

 

[jumanji]

Hi elcondor,

You haven't answered my query.

1. How did you decide that the arms in your HDD got twisted requirng replacement.

2. Do you have two individual drives C and D or C and D are just partitions in the same drive whiich "crashed"?

The recovery partition in an OEM laptop which may be around 15GB, normally contains only the factory image for restoring the system partition C and inaccessible to the user. So none of your personal data can enter into it.

 

[el condor]

Hi elcondor,

You haven't answered my query.

1. How did you decide that the arms in your HDD got twisted requirng replacement.

2. Do you have two individual drives C and D or C and D are just partitions in the same drive which "crashed"?

The recovery partition in an OEM laptop which may be around 15GB, normally contains only the factory image for restoring the system partition C and inaccessible to the user. So none of your personal data can enter into it.

Actually I heard that the hdd is running but some how hooked up after the computer fell down, I tried everything but couldnt make the harddisk work properly again, I then opened it up and saw the armes heads (double platter hdd) were stacked and I couldnt get them move again. I put the hdd back together.
But now I´m not really sure if it´s the "C" hdd or the "D" hdd that is damaged.
If I´m lucky it´s the recovery one and I still got my personal data, but how could I figure it out? There are two identical internal 500MB hdd on my HP Envy 2070 NR notebook, if I have the computer in front of me, one hhd (the damaged one) is under the touch pad and the other is to the right of it, which one is "C" and which one is "D"?

 

[jumanji]

Thanks el condor.

We are somewhat clear now that your notebook has two hard drives.

You dropped your notebook and when it did not work,you disassembled one hard drive. ( Once you have opened the HDD, it is gone.)

Now irrespective of what the other drive contains, will it be OK? I very much doubt it. But may be you are lucky and it is intact. ( You may perhaps be advised to put it in an HDD enclosure and check whether it is OK and if, to find what it contains.)

Since I am not familiar with the dual drive HP envy, I may not be able to help any further.

Please post the exact model number of your HP Envy so that someone who is familiar with that machine can take over and help you. I retire .

( Personally I would prefer that you return the machine to HP for repairs. Of course they will charge you since this damage will not be covered by the warranty but they may perhaps be better equipped to refurbish it and return it to near-original condition. We reallly do not know what other components could have been impacted by the shock and it may prove to be a tough exercise to do a repair with distant guiding.)

 

[el condor]

Thanks el condor.

We are somewhat clear now that your notebook has two hard drives.

You dropped your notebook and when it did not work,you disassembled one hard drive. ( Once you have opened the HDD, it is gone.)

Now irrespective of what the other drive contains, will it be OK? I very much doubt it. But may be you are lucky and it is intact. ( You may perhaps be advised to put it in an HDD enclosure and check whether it is OK and if, to find what it contains.)

Since I am not familiar with the dual drive HP envy, I may not be able to help any further.

Please post the exact model number of your HP Envy so that someone who is familiar with that machine can take over and help you. I retire .

( Personally I would prefer that you return the machine to HP for repairs. Of course they will charge you since this damage will not be covered by the warranty but they may perhaps be better equipped to refurbish it and return it to near-original condition. We reallly do not know what other components could have been impacted by the shock and it may prove to be a tough exercise to do a repair with distant guiding.)

Ok, here´s the specs of the computer: HP Envy 17"

Technical Details 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Processor 2.00GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.90GHz 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM) 1000GB Dual Hard Drive (2x500GB 7200RPM) (SATA) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Radeon HD 6850M Graphics with 1024MB GDDR5 and up to 3813MB total graphics memory

Thanks.

 

[el condor]

I found out that it´s the primary hard drive that is defect, does that mean it´s partition C or recovery D ?

 

[DeaconFrost]

There's no way we can tell you that, to be honest. Chances are, it was C, but it all depends on how the drive was configured. Boot off of a Partition Wizard boot disc to see your remaining drive, and it will tell you which one is left.

 

[el condor]

Si I got now a new HDD and loadet down windows ultimate via disc.
First of all the computer won't connect to my wireless lan as it doesn't find is, and also it won't find the hdd. Odd is also that I cannot configure my screen resolution to the level the screen is able to.
Since I can't go onlin I cannot activate the key for the windows 7.
What could I do via the bios to make it work?
Do I really need a special wizard to configure the hdd's?
Thanks for all the help.

 

[smarteyeball]

Si I got now a new HDD and loadet down windows ultimate via disc.

Legit download or torrent?

also it won't find the hdd.

In BIOS or just Windows? If it's just windows, the disk will need to be initialized and a partition created.

R-Click on Computer, select 'manage' > disk management. Find the new drive with unallocated space and follow the prompts in creating a new volume etc.

Do I really need a special wizard to configure the hdd's?
.

No.


If the new drive cant be found in the BIOS, check your cables etc.

 

[el condor]

Yes it's a legit disc. Will try wgat you advised, not at home right now so will do it later.
But what could be the reason that the computer won't fing any wireless signal? And why can't I not adjust the screen resolution to the max possible ifered by the screen 1920X1080), if I remember its max 1280 x something?