How to Repair a Hard Drive Without Losing Data?

Are you in need of fixing the damaged hard drive without losing data?

Without any doubt, hard disk corruption is a common concern that computer system users face. Some of them can be overheating, the system not responding, or causing excess noise. The reasons for the corruption of internal or external hard disk drives can be many. Luckily, there are efficient ways available to help fix such hassles without resulting in formatting. In addition, several hard drive data recovery service providers are available with software solutions to repair the HDD without data loss. 

So, let’s have a look at what happens when a hard disk fails to work. We’ll also go through the causes of HDD failure and how to fix them without losing any data.

Defective Hard Drives: What Causes Them?

Every problem, without a doubt, has a solution, and HDD failure is no exception. The malfunctioning of storage devices could be caused by a variety of factors. You may believe that disc formatting will prevent issues such as excessive noise, system slowness, etc. But first, it’s essential to figure out what’s causing the issue, and then hunt for the best data recovery option.

Let’s begin!!

• Software Bugs: These bugs are common causes of corrupting the data stored on hard drives. In many cases, such disruption leads to overall damage to the disks. 
• Virus Bursts: Several malware or viruses are meant to corrupt data. However, most of them are known to cause as much as possible damage to both the storage device and the data stored.    
• Physical Damage: Such damage includes faulty cables, water damage, natural disasters, etc. Also, physical damages are complex to repair without data loss. Hence, the help from Windows or Apple hard drive data recovery professionals comes as the ideal solution. 

Common Hard Drive Failure Possibilities and Ways to Fix Them

Check the Cables and Connections

Hard drive failure can occur for both external and internal storage. However, sometimes the fault is not in the driver. The connections with the enclosure impact the drive’s functioning. Hence, reviving the HDD becomes easy in such a case. 

Now, let us know how to fix the drive here.

Before you open any hardware, make sure to ground yourself from any current or lighting. Remove the hard drive from the casing and install it on the computer using a data cable and connector. The SATA or IDE cable, on the other hand, can be connected to the USB adaptor. This will connect the drive to the computer through USB.

Find If The HDD Makes Noise?

Is it making a sound when running a hard drive? Or are there any chances of it spinning continuously? Find out where exactly it is making the sound. Afterward, compare the noises stated by data recovery centers and determine the damage type. 

The chances can be that the damage can be both internal and external. For example, the clicking sound depicts the internal drive malfunctioning. On the contrary, the damaged printed circuit board can be the reason for external drive damage. 

Is the Printed Circuit Board?

According to professionals, replacing the PCB instead of repairing it is easy. But as finding the appropriate PCB according to the model is hard, it is always advised to fix the broken board.

All it will need is the unique microcode to interact. In case the hard drive is vintage, replacing the drive’s PCB can be the only solution. However, it can result in permanent loss of data. 

Steps to Repair Hard Drive Without Data Loss

Scan Hard Drive for Viruses

Viruses or malware are the reasons for the hard drive breakdown. To resolve the problem, run a malware scan on your hard drive. Talking about Windows, it has its in-built antivirus program. Follow the below steps to perform virus scanning on Windows.

• Hit Windows+I. This will open the System Settings. Now, click on Update & Security and then enter Windows Security.
• On the right side, tap Virus & Threat Protection. This will begin the device scanning. In case the virus is detected, the scanned results will appear. 
• Now, follow the steps appearing on the screen regarding fixing the hard drive concerns. 

Perform SFC Scan

The SFC application, or System File Checker, helps in the repair of corrupted or missing Windows system files. It also verifies the authenticity of the system files that are under safety. As a result, the original data is used to replace the corrupt ones.

Update or Reinstall the Drivers

Drivers are responsible for helping the device’s OS interact with the system’s hardware. For instance, the hard drive using the driver is damaged or not up-to-date. This can hinder the connection between the system and the drive. The best thing is it is easy to manually reinstall the drivers. Also, you can update their latest version to fix this concern without any chances of data loss.   

• Choose Device Manager from the context menu after right-clicking the Start button.
• Right-click your external hard disc in the Disk drives drop-down menu. Now click on the Properties option.
• Update the driver by going to the Driver tab and clicking Update Driver.
• Select Automatically search for drivers from the drop-down menu. Windows will then search the internet for new hard disc drivers. Click Close if there is no detection of new drivers.
• After that, reinstall the existing drivers. For this, select Uninstall Device from the drop-down menu.
• Unplug and replug your external hard drive. The fact that the drive has been detected indicates the reinstallation of the drivers. 

Summing Up

To conclude, all the methods outlined are effective in fixing the hard drive concerns without losing data. However, there could be the chances of you failing in implementing these steps successfully. Hence, getting the data recovery software or consulting with the experts in data recovery in the USA can be the ideal choice. They can assure both the restoration of data and the hard drive functionality. 

Of course, it is always beneficial to take care of your important data and keep up with your hardware for better performance. You can connect with us at Data Recovery CBL. We have years of experience in dealing with the system’s hardware failure to malware breakdowns, and more. Also, handling issues with data loss is our expertise, assuring no data loss guarantee. So, whether you require Samsung external hard drive recovery or HDD repair for any other brand, we are here to assist.

Thanks for Reading!!