CRC Error on Data File, CHKDSK Fails to Repair, Now What?

[PartingShot]

Hi everyone. Title says all. Anyone have any ideas on how to rescue a data file which cannot be recovered with a simple iteration of CHKDSK in WinXP? The data is non-critical, and not on the OS. I'm ready for the possibility that recovery is a lost cause, but before throwing in the towel with a disk format, I thought I'd ask the experts here first. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

[aedipuss]

the drive may be dying. if it's over 3-4 years old look to replace it not just format, as the problems may start multiplying.

[redwudz]

CHKDSK will just check the integrity of the HDD, not the files themselves. What type of file is it? Video is easier to recover as a few seconds missing aren't catastrophic. With a data file like a software program, a bit of missing data destroys the file. Assuming video, try playing it on VLC. It can play some corrupted files. If it works, there is hope that it is recoverable, at least part of it.

And you can check the video file with MediaInfo and Gspot to see if it has something recognizable as a video file.

[aedipuss]

chkdsk most certainly examines and tries to repair files and will try to fix them if you use the /f option.

and did you check his comp spec? a 60gb seagate and a 120gb maxtor. neither one is known for longevity and are most likely in the 4+ yr old range.

[PartingShot]

Thanks for the replies.

@aedipuss
You're right, of course. The drive is a Maxtor 200GB SATA, which was purchased just over 3 years ago. I'll be looking into replacement, for sure.

@redwudz
Sadly, even tho' I posted my problem at Videohelp... the problem file is not video. It's an old Norton Ghost image which contained some useful data. Again, nothing critical... just wondering if there's any way to recover the image.

Thanks again for the prompt responses!

[Nelson37]

There are data recovery programs that basically will try harder than CHKDSK to recover data. One I have used with great success is called GetDataBack, $69.95 or so but very well worth the investment. It has recovered data from some badly mangled drives.

Something as simple as copying the file to another drive and trying multiple versions of Ghost is also worth a shot.

[PartingShot]

There are data recovery programs that basically will try harder than CHKDSK to recover data. One I have used with great success is called GetDataBack, $69.95 or so but very well worth the investment. It has recovered data from some badly mangled drives.

Something as simple as copying the file to another drive and trying multiple versions of Ghost is also worth a shot.

Actually, I became aware of the file's corruption on the HDD by trying to copy/paste it to another location. That's when WinXP threw the "CRC Error" warning, and aborted the copy/paste.

In the end, I ended up initiating a hard drive format, but even that has been problematic. I think it's time to toss that old Maxtor and just move on.

Thanks to everyone who read and especially to those who offered suggestions