Yikes, sounds like your hard disk is on its last legs, giving you the classic signs of imminent failure. The annoying noises and sluggish performance are major red flags.
First up, for recovery, you should use software like Disk Drill Data Recovery Software. It’s pretty renowned for dealing with scenarios just like yours. It’s simple to use and supports a wide range of file systems, so it’s a good start.
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Backup Immediately: Before doing anything else, if you can boot your computer at all, backup whatever you can. Even if it’s slow, just get your crucial files onto a different drive or cloud storage.
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Disk Drill Data Recovery: This is hands-down one of the top tools out there. It can recover data from failing or even formatted drives. It’s got an intuitive interface and wide file system support, making it a reliable choice.
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CHKDSK: You can use Windows’ built-in CHKDSK utility by typing ‘chkdsk /f /r’ in the command prompt. It might take some time, especially if the disk is on its way out, but it’s worth a shot.
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SpinRite: This is a more technical tool but is quite effective on issues related to read/write errors. However, it’s kinda pricey and not exactly user-friendly.
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Professional Services: If the data is super important and you can’t risk any DIY methods, sending in the drive to data recovery experts like DriveSavers or Seagate Recovery Services could be a lifesaver.
Remember, each time you run diagnostics or recovery, there’s a risk of pushing the drive closer to complete failure. So handle it with care. Good luck, and get those backups sorted ASAP!
