What is HDD regeneration

Almost 60% of all damaged hard drives contain bad sectors. Developers of recovery programs have created an algorithm for regenerating the surface of a hard drive.

HDD regeneration– this is the restoration of damaged data, the treatment (fix) of bad blocks by transferring them to another area on the hard drive.

This technology is independent of the computer hardware and is applicable to all hard drives. As a result, information that was previously unread will be restored. Regeneration, in approximately 60% of cases, revives unreadable and problematic hard drives.

HDD Regenerator: methods of application

The HDD Regenerator program will be useful for:

1. Diagnosis of software faults, treatment of bad blocks.
2. Hard drive usage statistics (including S.M.A.R.T) and real-time status monitoring.
3. If the OS does not boot (and this is due to errors on the HDD). You can quickly burn a bootable USB flash drive and get your hard drive into working condition.
4. As a resuscitator. If you lost data due to read errors, you can access and recover it (by moving bad blocks and copying data to another location).

Important Note. If the damage is mechanical, HDD Regenerator will not be able to repair the hard drive. Regeneration does not guarantee that an unreadable hard drive will work. Most often, bad blocks are simply transferred to another area of ​​the disk.

On the Internet you can find many critical reviews regarding the effectiveness of HDD Regenerator. We will not claim that this is a “magic wand” for all cases. Test the program in the demo version (you can download it). If HDD Regenerator solves the problem with bad blocks, great, otherwise just uninstall the program and then explore alternative regenerator programs.

Main features and features of the HDD Regenerator program

Before downloading HDD Regenerator, pay attention to the main features.

1. The utility determines the cause of failures for non-working hard drives. That is, it takes on the function of diagnostic software for testing.
2. HDD Regenerator scans the surface of the hard drive, looking for bad sectors on it. In fact, the program does not fix them, but transfers them to another area so that the files are not copied to problem areas of the hard drive.
3. In some cases, the program is able to repair bad sectors on the physical structure of the disk using a special generator called Hysteresis loops.
4. The program is safe: it works only in read mode and does not make changes to the structure of the file system of the working / non-working HDD.

Note. Since HDD Regenerator 2011 does not make changes to the logical structure of the hard drive, the file system may still mark some sectors as bad. Consequently, other utilities, such as chkdsk, will find bad sectors even after a complete regeneration.

5. Real-time notifications. This useful feature will help you notice problems on the disk as they appear - so that you don’t have to send the HDD for repair later.

Where to download HDD Regenerator

The program is distributed in Russian and English. The distribution size is about 8 MB.

The development of this product is carried out by the Abstradrome company, namely Dmitriy Primochenko.

The regenerator works on Windows XP/7/8/10.

HDD Regenerator: Frequently Asked Questions

What devices can be regenerated?

HDD Regenerator scans the hard drive, ignoring the file system. Scanning is performed at the physical level. Therefore HDD Regenerator works:

• With any file systems (FAT, NTFS, etc.)
• from HDD without formatting (in raw format).

Automatic regeneration does not apply to removable media. That is, it is impossible to restore CD/DVD media in HDD Regenerator.

Is it possible to regenerate a hard drive if Windows won't boot?

Yes, if you have a working computer and the hard drive is detected by the system. You can do this by burning a bootable USB flash drive or CD/DVD on another computer.

After booting, the flash drive must be set in the BIOS as a boot device. The program's functions are similar to the HDD Regenerator application in Windows.

Answers to readers' questions

We dropped a working laptop, they say the hard drive was damaged. It was possible to download information from it, albeit slowly, but we incorrectly removed the usb of the device in which it is located. The hard drive stopped opening on the computer. They gave it to the programmers, but not everything was removed. What to do? Which program should I download?

Answer. Of course, you can install programs to recover your hard drive, but this will be of little use. The fact is that in some situations, disk recovery is not possible, especially if it is associated with physical damage.

In some cases, HDD Regenerator will help restore the functionality of the hard drive if this is due to bad sectors, bad blocks, or file table corruption.In any case, we recommend download and install the program TestDisk, it can find remote file partitions on the disk. And after that, you can use standard data recovery software.

Repairing bad sectors will help extend the life of your hard drive and even recover some previously lost files. However, you should remember that this is a responsible and rather risky business, since by pressing the wrong buttons, you can completely ruin your hard drive. Follow the instructions provided in this article strictly and you will be able to recover some bad sectors. Before starting work, select the software with which you will restore sectors. There are many convenient programs for you to choose from: Victoria, HDAT2, HDDregenerator.

How to recover bad sectors of a hard drive using HDAT2

Working with this utility requires the presence of a boot disk or bootable flash drive. You will learn how to write them down in another article. Daemon Tools or Ultra ISO must be installed on your computer.

• Download the HDAT2 program from the official website https://hdat2.com.
• You need the “CD/DVD Boot ISO” partition.
• Download the latest version, which comes in ISO format, not SFX.

• Find your file in the downloads folder and open it using Daemon Tools or other software for mounting images.

• Take a blank disk and click on the “Burn image to disk” field.

Please note that all your further work with this utility will take place entirely in the BIOS. Read carefully the fields you click on.

• To begin, turn off your computer and enter the BIOS. Each brand of computer has its own login buttons. Try holding F12 or F7, or better yet, read about it on the Internet.
• After entering the BIOS, select the system boot method - CD/DVD, and then enter the HDAT2 command, as in the screenshot below.

• After this, you will see a menu with hard drives that are connected to your computer. If he is alone, then you should not have any problems with the choice. Click on your hard drive and press Enter.
• In the window that appears, select the line “Hidden areas menu”.

• Now test your computer for bad sectors. Even if you know their exact number, you will still have to run the test, since the program needs it to further fix the problem. Click “Powerful test READ/WRITE/READ/COMPARE”

• That's all. Click on the very first line, as shown in the screenshot, to repair your sectors. Please note that this will take quite a long time, so you can move the laptop aside and go about your business. As soon as the program finishes working with Bad sectors, do not forget to return the system boot not from the CD, but from the hard drive.

How to recover bad sectors of a hard drive using HDD Regenerator

When starting to work with this utility, you can read a lengthy article about its work in order to roughly understand the structure of the program: . The advantage of the utility is that you do not have to create a bootable USB flash drive or disk and log in from the BIOS. Experienced users note that this program actually corrects the problem by degaussing, rather than simply disabling bad sectors.

Download the program on the Internet, keep in mind that only its first use is free. If you want to heal bad sectors again, you will have to buy the software.
Installing the program takes just seconds.

Look carefully at the window interface:

• The left button “Bootable USB Flash” will help you create a bootable USB flash drive for working with the program in the BIOS.
• The right “Bootable CD/DVD” creates a boot disk for the same purposes.
• The top line allows you to work from under the Windows axis, which saves a lot of time.

Click on the top line.

Select your hard drive. The model, amount of memory and all sectors will be written on it. Just double click on it.

Please note that all windows must be closed and all processes stopped. Only then can you start working with sectors - the hard drive should be unloaded as much as possible.

Select the second item in the menu that appears – “Normal Scan (with/without repair)”. This option repairs bad sectors while scanning all sectors of the hard drive. Please note that the mouse does not work in this program. You need to enter the number 2 and then press Enter.

Now you need the “Scan and repair” item to confirm your intention to fix all sectors. Enter number 1.
You can also enter the number 3 to activate the “Regenerate all sectors” item. This option carries out preventive maintenance on absolutely all sectors, even if they are not damaged. This is more suitable for experienced users who can independently cope with possible problems during the regeneration process.

Now you have to select the start of the scan:

• Point number 1 “Start sector 0” starts scanning and treatment from the very beginning.
• The second option “Start sector ***” continues the previous scan if it was interrupted for one reason or another.
• And the third item “Set start /end sectors manually” allows you to enter the range of sectors to check manually.

It's better to start from the very beginning by choosing the first option.

The process will start instantly, all you have to do is wait.

Imagine: you are working at a computer and then you need documents from an external hard drive. You plug it in and... nothing happens. Your HDD is not working. Don't panic, there are several ways to extract data from it that you can try before turning to the professionals.

Failure can occur for a number of reasons, but most often for the following two. The first (and most easily fixed) is a software problem. You may have accidentally deleted necessary folders or formatted the disk. The second - and most common - is disk damage. As a rule, in the event of a damaged disk, there is little you can do on your own; you will need the help of professionals. However, here several tricks that can save your files.

Data recovery using software

The first thing to remember when recovering data is the damaged disk should be disconnected. With every second he works with the computer, the chances of his recovery dwindle. The computer's operating system constantly reads and writes information to the disk, regardless of whether you are working with it or not. It will identify the space freed up from lost files as “unallocated” and write new data, erasing the last chance of recovery.

Turn off the computer to which the lost data drive is connected. Now that the HDD is relatively safe, you can make a copy of it and try to recover data from it.

There are many different programs for disk cloning; Clonezilla and Redo Backup Recovery are suitable for Linux.

Scan the clone with several recovery programs: TestDisk (Windows/Mac/Linux), Recuva (Windows), PhotoRec (Windows/Mac/Linux), Restoration (Windows), Undelete Plus (Windows).

Main components of the hard drive: cover and circuit board removed.

Disassembling the hard drive

Congratulations if you managed to recover lost data using software. But what if the disk is not detected, or the computer detects it but freezes when accessing it? Or does it just not start and you can’t hear the characteristic sounds of rotation?

Let's briefly look at the main components of the HDD and the symptoms when they break.

Printed circuit board: The green board at the bottom of the device contains the main controller (analogous to the processor in your computer) and many other electronic controllers. This is an interface that turns binary code into computer-accessible commands.

Magnetic disks (“pancakes”): HDD contains from one to several thin magnetic disks. Data is stored directly on them. Made from glass or alloy, they are coated with a magnetic layer and rotate at speeds from 5900 to 7200 rpm.

Head block: Data from magnetic disks is read by a set of magnetic heads. During operation, they do not contact the surface of the disk, but “hover” nanometers away from it, reading and writing information. As a rule, each HDD is equipped with two voices, one on each side. If the heads break after a device is dropped or hit, they no longer “float” above the disk, but come into contact with its surface, destroying data at speeds of several thousand revolutions per minute.

Firmware: Data processing is controlled by the device firmware. A failure in the firmware can result in data on the disk being unavailable. Unfortunately, the HDD firmware is not similar to that used in a mobile phone or tablet - it cannot be updated or flashed.

Now, having familiarized ourselves with the main components of the HDD, let’s look at breakdowns and their symptoms. Having determined where the problem arose, you can assess the likelihood of fixing it on your own.

Disk won't start

This is a case where there is a good chance of resurrecting your hard drive if you are willing to put in the time and effort. If the drive does not respond at all when connected to the computer, in 99% of cases the reason is the printed circuit board.

For previous HDDs, it was sometimes possible to find a suitable board from a similar device and replace the defective one. Modern hard drives use new architecture and technologies; each HDD contains unique microcode. Simply replacing the board in this case will not only not solve the problem, but can also lead to complete loss of data.

There are two reasons for such a failure: due to a voltage drop, the TVS diode burned out or one of the main components of the board failed. To protect against voltage surges, the hard drive board is usually equipped with two TVS diodes: 5 and 12 Volts. If the problem is only a burnt-out diode, replacing it will bring the device back to life. This is easy to check with a multimeter - if the resistance is near zero Ohm, the diode is burnt out. Remember that after removing the TVS diode, the hard drive remains defenseless against voltage surges!

PCB: TVS diodes marked
If the multimeter shows the correct resistance, the problem is in the printed circuit board and needs to be replaced. A ROM block with a unique microcode is soldered onto the board; to restore the device, it must be unsoldered and transferred to a new board. Some hard drives, for example, Western Digitals, do not have a ROM block, and the firmware is contained in the main controller, which is almost impossible to replace. You should also check the head connectors on the board. Sometimes they become corroded over time, which can be easily removed with an eraser.


Contact corrosion can cause drive failure.

The disc starts up and a clicking sound is heard

This is serious damage to one or more magnetic heads, and may also indicate damage to the magnetic disk. In this case, you should contact specialists. The HDD will be opened in a clean room (no dust), the head will be replaced and the data will be recovered. The clicking disk should be turned off; turning it on again may permanently damage it.

Hard drive after damage to the magnetic heads that scratched the disk.

The hard drive starts and is detected by the computer, but freezes when trying to access it.

This usually means damage to the surface of the magnetic disk. The disk tries to read bad sectors, of which there are too many, and hangs. If SMART monitoring shows a large number of reassigned sectors, the diagnosis will be confirmed. This is a common problem that can be solved by using professional disk imaging equipment.

If you want to fix this problem yourself (at the risk of worsening the situation or losing all the information at once), you can use software to take a disk image. The Linux application dd_rescue is best suited for this purpose. However, the effectiveness of such programs is limited, since the commands still go through the BIOS.

The hard drive beeps when turned on

The beeping sounds mean that the motor is trying to move the disk and cannot. This may be a “sticking” of the magnetic head. If the heads are not parked correctly and are left above the surface of the drive after it has stopped, they may become stuck to the surface of the drive. To fix this failure, you need to open the disk in a clean room, remove and replace the heads. Definitely a job for professionals.

Parked heads after the disk has stopped. When they stick, they get stuck on the surface of the magnetic disk.

Another reason for beeping sounds when turning on the disk may be a spindle lock. This is the axis of rotation of magnetic disks. The spindle may become jammed due to a fall or impact. HDD . There are two solutions to this problem, both requiring professional intervention: replacing the spindle or swapping the magnetic disks into a new donor hard drive.

The hard drive starts normally, but is not detected or the disk size is detected incorrectly

Typically, this indicates problems with the firmware. It is not read correctly, possibly due to a faulty head, or is not written correctly for the same reason. Modern HDDs in this case require professional intervention.

To summarize, in several cases you can try to resuscitate your hard drive yourself. However, remember that any such attempts are very risky and, if the lost data is very important, it is worth seeking professional help.

In this article we will look at the types of hard drive failures and malfunctions and advise what to do in various situations. Looking ahead, we will say that some errors can be corrected on your own, in other cases you need the help of qualified specialists or replacing the HDD.

Note. Recovering deleted files and repairing them are different concepts. HDD repair does not provide for the return of data to the storage device, while data recovery is not always possible due to a breakdown of the hard drive or partial or complete damage to its surface.

Checking the status of the hard drive using SMART

Modern hard drives have a built-in SMART self-diagnosis system. It helps to identify problems and predict hard drive failure, thus preventing data loss in a timely manner. Through SMART you can find out the wear percentage of the HDD, as well as check the current parameters and device performance.

To check the status of the hard drive,

1. Install a SMART test program (for example, Hitachi Drive Fitness Test, CrystalDiskInfo or HDD Health, see).
2. Run the program and wait while the hard drive characteristics are calculated.
3. Study the indicators, comparing the current and critical indicators. If an error is found, look at the table to see what it means.

A separate advantage of SMART diagnostics is that you can quickly and fairly accurately determine the condition of a hard drive, both newly purchased and used. However, keep in mind that SMART can make mistakes, even if according to statistics everything is OK.

If the errors are fatal, back up your important data and replace the HDD. Parting with money is an unpleasant procedure, but it is better to do it on time, and not after the collapse of the hard drive with all that it entails.

Fixing hard drive read errors

If there are errors on the hard drive, its performance deteriorates. Characteristic symptoms:

1. The hard drive is making strange sounds (for example, loud rustling of heads, squeaks, clicks)
2. Operating system performance is significantly reduced
3. “Brakes” and “freezes” when opening files on the hard drive
4. Files, folders suddenly disappear, HDD partitions are displayed as unallocated space (RAW).

The simplest reading errors are corrected by the system utility.

Some bad blocks can be “cured” yourself, two wonderful programs will help with this - and.

Are the methods for restoring an external hard drive different from an internal one?

Answer. Definitely not. The hardware of the devices is identical, the only difference is in the form factor for storing information - that is, roughly speaking, in the box in which the disk's hardware is packaged. An external drive is more susceptible to physical damage and other risk factors. But they are more mobile and offer the user a convenient connection via eSata or another interface for connecting to a PC. Thus, this guide on how to restore a hard drive will be useful to both owners of “traditional” drives and external ones.

The hard drive was in the laptop, the system in which stopped loading. Why am I going to format it - but! It was not there, as an “External” disk (I stuffed it into the case from an external “Transend” 500 GB) it is visible only as a local disk “G” and “F” without any information. All attempts to call the properties lead to Windows 8.1 freezing on the laptop - it is not visible in Disk Management, HDD Low Level Format is also not visible. Tell me, if the hard drive doesn’t work, how can I bring it back to life with my own hands?

Answer. Try to partition the hard drive again (Partiton Magic to help), it is advisable to perform low-level formatting of the HDD, see information on the topic. By the way, in addition to HDD Low Level Format, there are many alternative utilities for formatting. It would be a good idea to check the working condition of the disk; to do this, check the SMART indicators and scan the disk using HDD Regenerator or Victoria HDD.

What to do if your hard drive clicks? That is, it works, but sometimes it makes characteristic sounds - that is, clicks. At some moments, a freeze occurs, and the operating system freezes, and then dies along with the disk.

Answer. In rare cases, the problem is associated with broken power contacts and sata/ide connectors connected to the motherboard. Therefore, the first thing we recommend is to turn off the PC and check the connection to the hard drive. Second, be sure to back up the data on the disk, since clicking sounds are an unhealthy symptom, indicating that the HDD has problems, and a crash can be expected at any time. Third, to diagnose the condition of the disk, use specialized programs - HDD Regenerator, Victoria HDD Doctor, etc.

If the hard drive clicks and is not detected, the situation is more dire (good luck). In this case, the mechanics are already worn out, and you will not be able to restore the HDD; only replacing the hard drive with a new one will help.

How to increase the speed of your hard drive? I have Windows Vista OS.

Answer. Users of Windows Vista and higher operating systems are angry about the slow operation of the disk subsystem. In practice, copying files is noticeably slower than in XP. Why is my hard drive slow? One of the reasons lies on the surface and can be easily eliminated. The fact is that by default in Windows the maximum performance of the hard drive is disabled. Therefore, we urgently take measures:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + Pause Break, “Device Manager” link).
2. Find the disk device in the list of devices and select “Properties” in the context menu.
3. Select the “Policies” tab and activate the “Enable enhanced performance” option.
4. To speed up your hard drive, restart your computer.

I reinstalled the system and I have it on a PCE SSD, but suddenly another 4TB hard drive stopped being detected? Then I went into computer management, then into disk management, it shows a capacity of 3.7 TB and 3.7 TB is free, that is, the disk turns out to be 100 percent empty and there is 2TV of information! Please tell me what can be done?

Answer. Perhaps the problem is related to a file system table failure; in such a situation, you can recommend the TestDisk utility to recover a partition that is not detected by the system, but contains important information.

I have an HP 620 laptop. Everything was fine, but I started to close the windows and the computer froze. I thought it would go away, 15 minutes passed - nothing, there was no reaction to anything. Even a software shutdown could not reset.

I turned it off physically with the button, turned it on again and the message appeared on the black screen of the laptop: non-system disk or disk error replace and strike any key when ready. After this, the system does not see the hard drive. But when the laptop is turned on, it spins, that is, everything is ok with power.

About 2 years ago I updated the BIOS from the official website. Maybe this is why the hard drive won't open? But before that I worked hard, always good. What could it be? Help please, this is the hard drive I have - Toshiba HDD2E67 320GB.

Answer. If the problem was related to the BIOS, the OS would not boot. Or, at least, a factory reset could solve something.

Try to start looking for the reason on the surface: the hard drive does not work because it has failed. This could happen for a variety of reasons (such as physical damage or wear and tear - which is less likely). If it is possible to check a similar hard drive on the same laptop, do so.

Despite significant progress, thanks to which computer technology is becoming more powerful and reliable, the issue of data safety on a hard drive is more relevant than ever. After all, the volumes stored on such drives grow very quickly, and it even happens that the loss cannot be immediately detected.

Therefore, it is important to learn how to identify the first signs of hard drive problems in order to make copies of important data in a timely manner, complete an important project, or avoid computer downtime by purchasing a new drive in advance. Well, if you wait for a breakdown, then you should know how to restore your hard drive while preserving important information.

How to recognize the problem

External signs by which you can determine a hard drive malfunction are very obvious, because the stability of the entire system depends on the operation of this element.

• When the power is turned on, clicks are heard, Windows does not load, the monitor does not show anything;
• Windows stops starting and error messages are displayed;
• During operation, the computer regularly freezes, errors appear when saving files, etc.;
• copying, deleting, saving files is extremely slow, and the process periodically freezes and then continues;
• The necessary files or folders are missing, and when you try to open documents, an error message appears.

All these signs, of course, may indicate a malfunction of other PC components, but still the hard drive is considered the most important, because it is where all user data is stored.

How do you know if data recovery is possible?

When a user is faced with the fait accompli that a critical component of the computer has suffered a disaster, the first obvious question is how to recover the hard drive files. Let's look at options to solve the problem.

Determining how to restore a hard drive, and whether it is possible at all, can only be determined by testing it, which is carried out both using standard tools built into Windows and using specialized programs.

In the first case, it is necessary for Windows itself to boot, which is not always possible, because if the hard drive fails, it becomes inaccessible along with other files and folders. It’s easier when the problem is related to the failure of the second hard drive, which is not bootable, but is used exclusively for storing various data.

One of the common test options is as follows: you need to disconnect the hard drive from the computer, having first disconnected all the cables and unscrewed the mounting bolts, and connect it to another known-good computer as a second drive. In this case, it is easy to check whether the necessary information on it is intact (you can also immediately copy it to another medium).

The second verification option is a little more complicated, but only because it requires the user to first prepare a bootable CD. Although it can be recorded on another computer if necessary, such components are usually universal, they are not tied to a specific system. With such testing, for example, it is easier to find a solution to the question of how to recover a deleted hard drive.

In any case, when the computer is running even an outdated version of Windows or another program that allows you to view the contents of disks, you can already verify whether folders are being read or whether files are being copied from the faulty drive.

It is worth noting that if you master the technique of working with the internal drives of the system unit, then the user will no longer have a problem with how to restore an external hard drive. The question, it turns out, is not so difficult. In addition, it will become clear how to restore a laptop hard drive.

Programs for testing

There are many utilities for checking the performance of hard drives, and some offer not only identifying errors and breakdowns, but also correcting some of them that can still be eliminated. For this reason, all programs are usually divided into several categories.

• Utilities for checking the surface of hard drives and fixing problem sectors. For example, HDD Scan or HDD Regenerator.
• Programs for checking the logical structure of the drive and correcting all identified problems. For example, Norton Disk Doctor.

There are no completely universal programs, although software developers are trying to create them. The fact is that the procedure for restoring hard disk sectors, files and folders requires specific knowledge, which requires appropriate specialists. Therefore, the most powerful and effective programs do not have any universal capabilities, but work with one or two functions.

Well, when you have a verified hard drive, there shouldn’t be a question about how to recover data, because... Special programs are also used for this.

HDD Scan

The most accessible utilities for the average user are those that run under Windows. They have a clear and familiar interface that completely replicates other user programs.

The only disadvantage of such products is that they can only be used if the faulty hard drive is connected as a second drive. Although no one excludes the possibility of loading a special version of Windows from a CD, where you can run all the usual programs, including those for checking the disk.

One of the most common programs can be called HDD Scan. Its functionality is limited to obtaining information about the status of the hard drive.

• Three modes for checking the drive surface: “read”, “erase”, “check”.
• Reading SMART information from the hard disk memory, which records all hardware errors that occurred at least once during operation.

In addition, the program determines the exact disk model, volume and firmware version under which the hard drive operates. But, unfortunately, such software does not know how to restore hard drive partitions, so if they are damaged, then it will not be possible to check the surface.

HDD Regenerator

This program has a familiar Windows interface and contains a set of functions for checking and restoring the hard drive surface, in particular:

To start checking the drive, just after starting the program, select the desired disk and click on the “Start process” button. You may receive a warning that you need to close all programs that use the disk you are checking. We must agree with this and wait until the verification is completed. The program can correct errors automatically.

It is worth noting that before restoring the hard drive, you should try to copy the data that is still readable to other media. But if they are not readable at all, then there is nothing left but to restore the sectors of the hard drive.

Programs for data recovery from hard drive

For some unknown reason, programs for recovering data from a hard drive are considered difficult for the average user. But this is absolutely not true; most of them have a familiar Windows interface and a Russian-language menu. It is enough just to carefully study the proposed items, and even an untrained user will be able to restore everything that is still available for this.

Programs can be divided into two main categories:

• those that search for deleted files, for example, Undelete;
• those that search for files throughout the entire hard drive, for example, ZAR (Zero Assumption Recovery).

The functionality of programs of the second type usually includes searching for deleted files, so they turn out to be more universal, which does not in any way affect the efficiency of their work, because all lost files, whether manual deletion or accidental loss due to a software failure, are searched using the same algorithm.

ZAR

The ZAR (Zero Assumption Recovery) program is considered quite advanced in its capabilities. For example, this is one of the first data recovery utilities that understands Russian characters in the names of files and folders.

The main features of this program are impressive:

• support for all known file systems (FAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS);
• recovery of hard drive partitions;
• support for Russian and simply long file names;
• support for compressed disks;
• can restore RAID arrays.

All this set of options is easy to use. The startup procedure consists of selecting the desired disk and clicking the “Next” button. Once the search for files is complete, it will be enough to select those that are really needed and specify the folder into which to copy the recovered files.

The main thing is to stock up on an additional hard drive and patience, because this program works for quite a long time (large storage drives can be processed for several hours). The second disk is needed because files are recovered by copying, which avoids writing to the damaged disk and increases the chances of salvaging other files.

Despite certain requirements, the program perfectly solves the question of how to recover hard drive partitions. That's why it is especially popular. In addition, the utility allows you to solve the problem of how to restore an external hard drive.

Is it possible to return data without special programs?

Enough utilities have already been developed to restore both the hard drives themselves and information from them, but they all have some drawback. For example, easy-to-use programs with a familiar interface are usually paid, which will require some expenses to purchase a license key. Demo versions or programs with a small set of capabilities are distributed free of charge.

Another variant. Powerful and effective programs require specific knowledge from the user. For example, working with the command line, knowledge of the entire structure of data storage on disk, etc. But still, the recovery procedure will be carried out by the program itself.

It simply won’t be possible to do something manually due to simple ignorance of how to do it. And you won’t be able to find documentation on the Internet either. After all, software development is a business, and no one will agree to simply give away recovery technology for free for free use.

The only option when you can get by using the operating system itself is when you removed the hard drive from the list of drivers. How to restore it? You can do it with a simple reboot. The driver will be automatically found and the disk will appear again.

Common myths about data recovery and loss

In practice, there are quite interesting, even funny myths, which, nevertheless, are quite tenacious, and thanks to the Internet they spread from one user to many others.

Some of the most persistent myths include the following:

• If the hard drive begins to click and make other strange sounds, you need to tap it lightly with a screwdriver or other light tool.

In fact, these components should not be subjected to any shock loads, especially when they already started having problems. Any extraneous sound inside its body means, unfortunately, that the service track, which is needed for self-tuning and accurate operation of the read head, has failed. Most often, for restoration you will have to contact a service center, where there is special equipment that allows you to bypass this problem. There is nothing you can do at home.

• In a clean, dust-free room, you need to disassemble the hard drive and remove all the debris that has gotten under the head, which interferes with reading the data.

In fact, this is absolutely forbidden to do! There is always dust at home, even if you don’t see it, and it is very dangerous for the surface of magnetic disks. The distance between the head and the surface of the disk is very small, and even a piece that is invisible at first glance will lead to scratches and complete failure of the drive.

• There are “machines” that restore hard drives after any failure.

In fact, there is equipment that allows you to read data from damaged disks, but for its operation certain requirements and conditions must be met, for example, the electronics of the drive must be in working order, the surface of the disks must be free of scratches, etc. The element itself, after restoration, must still only be recycling. So there should be no debate about how to restore a damaged hard drive. This issue is resolved. The task here is completely different - how to recover hard drive information.

• You can recover lost data in any situation using free programs.

In fact, free utilities only work with the simplest cases, because... An effective algorithm has a developer who will not just give away the results of his work. Most often, the simplest programs allow you to recover only recently deleted files, but serious failures require the use of professional software.

How to prevent the problem?

Manufacturers have created many different technologies to protect hard drives from failure. Some of them are better, others are worse. At least the hard drives in laptops can easily withstand operation while driving a car and carrying a computer around the house from room to room.

But what this critical component has never learned to withstand is falling, especially when turned on. Most often, the cause of failure is shock loads, so there is one answer to the question of how to protect a hard drive from failure. It must be protected from impacts and strong shaking. And you don’t have to rack your brains about how to restore your hard drive.

In other cases, various technologies are quite effective and can return all lost data.