UK Media backup services?

[pedstersplanet]

As many of you know, my server PC died, and I need its C drive backed up........ I tried it in my main PC but it wouldnt recognise it, so I would like to know if there are places in the UK that test and backup media for people...... as I really am desperate....... its only a 4gig drive... Any ideas?

TIA

[mikmik]

I don't live in the UK, so I can't help there. It can get very expensive for that sort of service. But first:

Pedstersplanet, did you do what I usually do and not change the 'master/slave' settings on the hard drives?

Did you take the 4gig and connect to the second, or 'slave' connection on your IDE ribbon?

I sometimes have a problem like that, and I have to change my first drive to 'master with slave present' and I always forget to change my transferred drive from ',master' to 'slave' setting.

Also, is your 4gig undamaged? That may be a cause of undetection.
I can give you some links for software to recover data from damaged drives.
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/remoterecover.shtml

If you tell me what file systems you have on both your hard drives, ie DOS (win9x), NTFS, or Linux, we may be able to figure something out - if it is not the 'master/slave' issue.
(Did you hear the the naming is politically incorrect and will be changed to 'primary/secondary?)

[pedstersplanet]

Its a FAT32 drive......

However, I had an idea, I forgot I still had an old P2 244mhz machine (in bits), so am going to see if it works in that..... Use Norton Ghost...... well, thats the plan anyway lol

I'll get back, and if it fails...... plan c, what ever plan c is mind lol

[php~pro]

Hi Pedster

I have had this problem too many times. Depedant on what is actually wrong with your drive you may easily be able to recover the data yourself. If you run the drive as slave or in an array you may be able to access it or hotlink two pcs at peer to peer, one running a linux based OS and access the drive through that. You should then be able to write the data to another disk. You dont actually say if the disk spins up, but theres a fair chance if it does you can get the data.

For future reference when running a server use RAID arrays to keep backed up and ensure you have a good ups inline. Dont be like me and loose 9 drives to a lightening spike just one month ago. If you cant salvage anything from the drive please pm me. I have become pretty good at at recovering data due to the amount of mishaps I have had myself and if you mailed the drive I dare say I could help. Wouldnt cost you a penny either.

[pedstersplanet]

Well the hard drive has failed, wont spin up, so I'm well annoyed....... Guess its back to the drawing board when my new PC arrives (8 days)........Lucky I've a good memory eh lol...... Should take me 48hours to install everything (so he says haha!)

See here (http://www.pedster.co.uk) - I think I'm going to cry :'( lol

[mikmik]

Man! pedstersplanet and php~pro, I can understand.
These 'events' are brutal, eh?

It cost mucho donero to even see if your hard drive can be disassembled and rebuilt for data recovery, let alone having it done - then still with the possibility that won't even work. From what I understand, we are talking hundreds up to the thousand dollar range even, and still no garauntee that all or even any data can be recovered.

I can't wait to get a raid set-up, php~pro, and a UPS and heavy surge protection. I know that some surge protectors come with insurance of varying amounts, but that is only to replace hardware.

Hard lessons learned. I use a seperate hard drive in a swap bay to make back-ups, and remove it so it is not electrically/physically connected to anything in between back-ups.

That said, I still managed to low level format it and install my OS when dealing with some confusion. That was my fault though LOL

Virus security is relatively a minor annoyance, in most cases, compared to your guys situations.

Good luck, pedstersplanet.

Oh, ya. There are a few remote, or online back-up companies that sell and take care of data. Last I checked it was around $15 per month for several Gig, but don't quote me on that - it may be more or less.
Kinda like to keep things in my own back yard though.

Guess we'll get to that bandwidth restriction thing later. I haven't found one for Apache that actually does what you want, pedstersplanet.
Doesn't mean that there isn't, though, and all the parts are there to write one.

[php~pro]

Hi

Pedster, give me a shout if you want a cheap RAID controller and card.