Backing up a PC

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Even though you are booting from a different drive, all drives will be check for consistency
When it finds and error on that bum drive you get a short time option to respond no to a scan of the drive which likely won't work.

Get the drive out of there and use a USB external drive kit and see if you can save what you want
by plugging it into a USB port after you get the system booted up.

Others suggested that also. Lookin' like a good option to try.
 
Actually my favorite method for fixing a computer involves backing up as well. First set the computer in back of my truck, put the truck in reverse and backup. Repeat if necessary, then drive to town and buy a new one.
 
Got the adapter to hook up hard drive via USB and am using R-Studio (highly rated data recovery program) and its running a scan now but everything so far is coming up as "the request could not be performed because of an I/O device error (1117)".
It read the drive, showed the files/folders and the sizes. I'm thinking that's a good thing and gives me some hope?
 
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The initial read isn't where the problem is. Its when you actually have to copy the files where you're going to be fucked.

My laptop drive actually took a crap on me over the weekend. Bought a new one (got a SSD/HD hybrid), swapped it in, ran Time Machine and everything is all good.
 
I already told you they'll have to send it to a clean room if you want everything back. :devilwink:
 
Here is a free disk or partition clone. It works, I just cloned my C drive and booted it up.
It comes up as what ever drive it was before the clone. Mine was "L" so go into the register
in Local Machine/System/Mounteddevices and change "C" to something unused, then "L" to "C"
Close regedit and reboot, Shazam running and a New C drive.

http://www.todo-backup.com/

The free version only recognizes Two Hard drives but hell, make your primary and your desired backup 1 and 2 and it will work.

I have been using Norton Ghost for years but it really doesn't like this Quad CPU so new clone tool was needed and a freeby found. I guess I can still do backups with Ghost, but the clone blows up in the end. The damn scan at the front of starting Ghost is slower than a crotch crab on this Quad. New Partition backup tool needed. Apparently the purchase version of this tool will do it.
 
I'm not sure I understand. Why clone a bad hard drive that I cant access the files I want?
 
I'm not sure I understand. Why clone a bad hard drive that I cant access the files I want?

No, you want to clone it before it is bad. I assume you will have a good one someday, well when you do, clone it while it is still good.
 
I have a good one now, installed it the same day the old one went bad. I guess I dont understand what the purpose of a clone of a bad drive. I still wont be able to access the files on the clone, correct?
 
The unaccessible files won't be copied over. The process will freeze.
 
that same drive is in my amazon wish list. don't forget Best Buy price matches.
 
This is the new drive I put in my laptop. Works pretty well so far, slight performance difference.

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Solid-Hybrid-2-5-Inch-ST1000LM014/dp/B00B99JUBQ

I got 3 of those for my old laptop and they went bad really fast. S.M.A.R.T. failure, like what BoBoBrewski reported.

If he has the money, this is a really good idea:

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-2-5-I...TF8&qid=1397686393&sr=1-6&keywords=ssd+laptop

Slap his big hard drive in an external case (costs maybe $50) and use that for mass storage (videos, pictures, music, whatever) and the SSD for his apps and commonly accessed files. The SSD is really fast, and probably the best thing to buy to upgrade a machine.
 
I can't do SSD, I am already using 600GB of the drive. Its got a 3 year warranty. I've replaced drives on warranty and backup through time machine so its not that big of a deal if it takes a shit on me.


Going to get an SSD for a older MacbookAir though. I'm waiting until the new Mac Minis are coming out though, hopefully at WWDC.
 
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I'll address that when I get my next computer, either the mac mini or an imac. I'm definitely having external storage as I'm going to be doing more video and video editing. Don't know what I'll do for Time Machine backup, not sure how it works with external drives, especially restoring all the files. My current laptop is a 2009 macbook, its not worth doing much for it.
 
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