doug Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Been having major issues with No.1 Daughter's PC. She'd had corruption problems due to some malware infection, but I was able to restore her to April last year when I installed an external HDD and my old Acronis 9 backup software - didn't do a completely clean installation but it worked eventually. I decided to purchase Acronis 2013 Family pack version for use on 3 PC's - I had been using ATIH 2010 but thought a common version on all the family PC's would make life easier. Now for the last couple of weeks been struggling trying to get her sorted by getting her to set up remote assist (Teamviewer, was 6 but now ver.8) before she went to work each day so I could investigate from home without leaving the missus for to long. This works fine provided no re-booting is required because the remote assist ha to be re-created.Yesterday I gave up and took another ext HDD over and I had major problems so went home for lunch and back. Decided to do straight manual copying of her data files to my HDD, frustratedly I unplugged her EXT and put mine into another port suspecting her HDD or the port it was plugged into Bingo. It went swimmingly. Not only did the manual copying work but a fresh install of Acronis 2013 (ATIH 2013) go straight through but but I was able to do a full primary drive BU and her data files. So brought her old drive home and tried to do a full Format overnight. Failed.Number of issues are running around my dirty grey matter! The HDD was under power all the time her PC was switched on and connected to her PC - the fact that she hadn't bothered to do any backups in between times so she nearly lost 8 months of data if her secondary drive had had been infected beggars belief!So could the drive had failed for being switched on for such a long time.Should the external HDD be switched off whenever backups are not being carried out.What to do about reliability, after all the whole purpose of backups is security and safety.etc., etc.Suggestions, info, recommendations very welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 If the external drive houses a standard SATA hard drive, is in a ventilated space and not getting hot - I see no reason why it should be having a harder life than the internal PC drives. In fact, if it is just sitting there unused - the head reading mechanism is dormant. The few problems I have experienced with failed hard drives over the years has not been failure for the platters to rotate - but failure of the head reading mechanism which has a much more rigorous existence. My external hard drives run whilst the computer is on and switch off automatically when the computer is off - as do my printers and any other connected devices.I achieve this by using an intelliplug which feeds a 9 way extension socket into which is plugged my peripherals. This ensures that when I switch the computer off - there is no need to remember to switch off all the other stuff - the intelliplug does it for me./>http://www.amazon.co.uk/OneClick-DSK105-Intelliplug-Desktop-Version/dp/B000MPJSL0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 I had installed an intelliplug on her PC and mine. It's fascinating shutting down my PC then hearing my printer switch off a couple of seconds later! Intigued with your reference to second copy in your e-mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 If my memory serves me correctly - I believe pops is also a long term user of Second Copy.My strategy is general as follows.COMPUTER SET UPWindows and all software is installed on hard disc C:All data is installed on a second hard disc D:The Windows standard folders – Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos have been moved to the D: drive using Windows Explorer and the move option in the properties location tab for each folder.I also store IE Favourites and my Office Outlook .pst files on the D drive plus a folder for all downloads.By this means all software is kept separate from all data.Hence if I back up the C: drive – or restore it – my data is not affected.Similarly I can back up and restore all my data on the D: drive without affecting Windows or the software.A recent benefit was that I was able to upgrade to Windows 8 on the C: drive safe in the knowledge my data would not be affected.BACK UP SET UPFor back Ups I use both Acronis and Second Copy.I have two external hard drives on which all backups are duplicated.I use Acronis to back up the whole of the C: drive and D: drive each week-end - plus when any significant software changes are made mid-week. I retain the last three backup files – manually deleting the oldest copy each time. To do this (just before I go to bed) I set Acronis to back up the C: and D: drives onto the first external hard drive and to close down the computer when it is finished. The following morning I copy the backup file onto the second hard drive using Windows Explorer which it does in the background when I am doing other things.I use Second Copy to back up the whole of the D: drive onto both the external hard drives in succession. Second Copy when first installed takes a back up onto the external drives of all the folders and files on the D: drive and subsequently backs up only those folders and files which have been added, deleted or edited. It can keep archive files of all changes – mine is set to keep a copy of the last 2 versions. I have set Second Copy to take a backup each time the computer is shut down – it automatically intervenes in the Windows shut-down process and takes a backup before the computer shuts down.To add to security, one of the external hard drives is well hidden elsewhere in the house connected through a long USB lead. If we get burgled and the computer plus peripherals are stolen – there is only a very slim chance of them finding the second hard drive – so a lifetime of records is not lost.Some may argue that this procedure is a bit over the top and belt and braces – but it works for me and has saved me from disaster about 3 times.I thus have two separate sets of backups for the whole of my computer. It matters not if a hard drive fails – be it internal or external – I don’t lose the software or the data. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Very useful Alan. Much cogitation required there.If there's any input at all regarding ext HDD's, reliability etc be very welcome. Need to keep the dirty grey matter exercised - had intended to spend the day outside finishing of shredding tree pruning's and start doing general garden maintenance after the recent winter but it's blowing a Huley and decidedly unpleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 What make/model was the ext HDD ?+ was it a 2.5" or 3.5" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 It's a 250G Western digital WD2500AAJB IDE. 4ins wide, as just measured. Sometimes it's recognised and I've been able to do a quick Format but it failed on a full format. The caddy is OK because I've run it with another very old HDD in it. Was wondering if it would be possible to zeroise it but the pm tried to access it and doing anything get a reply saying I don't have permission. Me, it's my computer! Tried a couple of things using CMD with administrator rights but nought. Is it a bin job? Oooops meant the great electrical recycling bin up at the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Thought it might have been a "proper" rather than a home-built one. In my experience the "proper" ones don't have the same reliability as ones you create yourself.You could try using Easeus Partition Manager Home Edition on it http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm to delete the existing partitions and see if it can then be resurrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Win 7 wont even recognise the drive now! I can hear the drive spinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 You could try using Easeus Partition Manager Home Edition on it http://www.partition...om/personal.htm to delete the existing partitions and see if it can then be resurrected.Seeing the above reminded me of the following:EASEUS Data Recovery Free Licenceshttp://www.megaleech...Recovery_Wizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 D4V!dYour link leads to downloads from Rapidshare and Mediafire.On Rapidshare I get a message that the download file is not availableOn Mediafire - The file is blocked due to violation of Terms of Service plus I get a red WOT warning from the download link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 That's OK Alan. I'm using then Easeus Partition Manager Home Edition link that Boris posted. Seems to be working OK. When I fired up this after noon and plugged in the suspect drive, my PC eventually recognised the drive. So I downloaded from the link and ran the erase partition tool. That seemed to work so now I'm running the surface test tool. I's plodding along - am up to 46 % now after running for 2:30 hours and it's estimating about the same time still to run. Almost as slow as doing a full format on a floppy in the early steam days of DOS.Some questions spring to mind. Why does the PC take so long to recognise the drive?Would this explain the early problems I had trying to install earlier versions of Acronis on daughter's PC? 'Cause every time I installed Acronis it would start to run then vanish, perhaps trying to find the drive. As I said the moment I removed the drive and plugged my spare one everything was tickety boo.I'm running the drive with the outer sleeve removed from the caddy. I's a Trueway job. Could the problem be temperature? The drive seems warm but not excessively hot, i.e. it doesn't burn my hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Well it seems to have slowed down to a crawl at 46% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 If it were me - even if it formats OK - I would never feel happy with or trust that hard drive again. Especially if it was destined for an important duty like storing backups or vital information.Hard drives are relatively cheap nowadays - you are a braver man than I Gunga Din"Perhaps my worry has betrayed you, But by the livin' Gawd that made you, You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Hard drives are relatively cheap nowadays..During the week at Tesco I picked a WD My Book T2 for £44.btw, sorry about the link - it was an old one as we now know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Well that's it. completely froze at ~47% so a hammer job, then the tip! Thanks for accompanying me on the journey folks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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