Odd PC behaviour

[ecat]

There are quite a few data recovery applications available for download, they are generally free to install and will scan your drive producing a list of files that can be restored. The actual recovery requires buying the product and ymmv.

A quick google for data recovery download came up with many results, the first couple I found require payment through services I've not heard of setting off my alarm bells. It's always worth checking around the Web for opinions and issues and signs of outright extortion before downloading any software.

http://www.stellarinfo.com/download.htm accepts PayPal, $49, so may be a good place to start.

[M250cnc]

Check the drive on another pc and do the recovery from there.

Phil

[Wobblybootie]

Check the drive on another pc and do the recovery from there.

Phil

That's my plan ... only problem is ... it's a SATA drive and my other pc is IDE and for some reason we cannot get the SATA pc to boot from the IDE drive even when SATA is removed and bios is changed to recognise IDE as 'C'. However there is still hope ... My Son is a linux fan and his pc is SATA ... we are going to load his machine with XP and stick my 'dead' drive in as a slave. As an aside my usb stick is not just clean, as I first reported but completely dead and I mean as dead as the proverbial parrot. No little flashing led when put into any pc or laptop and not recognised as any form of anything, nothing can see it at all!!

But thanks to all for suggestions and advice ... watch this space!!