Unable to access personal files on old HD

[ianbr]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for help with an issue I've been having with an old HD from my last PC which failed on me. I'm trying to get all of my files back by loading the HD into a USB docking station and accessing the files through my Windows 7 Starter netbook. The old PC had Vista Home Premium 32bit and I had a User with a password.

Upon loading up the HD externally, I managed to take about half of my files off of it and all seemed well. Then I found out lots were missing. I have enabled Folder Options>Show Hidden, and disabled the hiding of protected files as advice I read to try and find them. However, the files are nowhere to be found.

When I go to My Computer, the E: drive says it has 223GB of 294GB (70.2GB used), and analysing it with TreeSize does not help me find out where ~10GBs of my data has gone.
All of my personal files were located in a folder on the desktop of my User, which is now empty. Where might they have gone? Is the fact that there was a password an issue? (Some folders on it have a lock icon and give me an error 'Location is unavailable', 'not accessible', 'access denied'). Could my HD have just corrupted when my PC failed?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers

 

[richc46]

Welcome,

Sounds like it may be the HD.
Recuva - Undelete, Unerase, File and Disk Recovery - Free Download

http://www.pcinspector.de/default.htm
I think this is the best one for your problem

http://diskdigger.org/
probably the second best

If all else fails, this is not a joke, take a plastic baggie, put the HD in baggie, put HD in freezer overnight. Then try to use it as soon as possible

 

[ianbr]

Thanks a lot! Will try these and see what happens. I have since found a backup I kept of most of it so I've not completely lost everything.

Cheers

 

[richc46]

Ianbr, hope it works out. When you get this sorted out, come back I will tell you how to back up safely to never have problems, again.