I desparately need some "computer geek" help

[Mudge]

I know this is the wrong forum for this but it's the most widely read and I need help. Are there any closet computer geeks out there? Mrs. Mudge's Jump Drive seems to have crashed. It wouldn't be a big deal but for the fact that she's got hundreds of hours of school work on it. We've tried it on 3 different computers with no luck. The Staples geek tried it with no luck.

If anyone out there think he/she might have a solution as to how to retrieve this data, PLEASE PM me.

Mudge the desparate

[n5151ts]

for a jump drive failure. you might try the manufacturer but scrambled ram is usually terminal. BACK YOUR WORK I keep everything in triplicate.

[DoraNineFan]

If it's extremely important, I would also consider consulting with a data recovery specialist, like those who are capable of data recovery from fires and such. They may have a solution for jump drives, just like hard drives, even if it involves cracking into the unit or swapping parts.

Costly, but if it works.......

Is the drive still visible or not showing up?

[Ztex]

Mudge,

You might try this free download...I have been able to recover quite a few files with the free download version. Some come back some don't...that's the problem with flash memory....it's either there or not...don't trust it completely...


http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/task_manager/download.htm?Language=1

[O.P.]

Hi Mudge,

I'm not trying to be a bummer, but since it's on a flash drive, it's probably toast. The only thing I can suggest, besides trying the free download route, is plug it into a computer with a newer OS and see if that shows any love. If you're running 2000, plug it into an XP box, XP->Vista, h3ll, I'd try a mac too. If you started out on a mac.......oh well

Make sure you try this before you do anything to permanently alter whats left of it, like, do this before you try the free software.

Two important safety tips for the future, and this goes for all of you hombres out there,

Get a usb hard drive, back all of your goodies on to it. The good stuff about this is, it is fast, and, if there seems like a crash, you can always pull the drive and put it in a different enclosure and try it again. This works more than 50 percent of the time.

Get a usb burner. I'd recommend a dual layer dvd burner. If you think thats too much for you (It's not), then buy a cheap @ss cd burner. CD/DVD's don't crash.

Flash drives are borderline useless.

Things flash drives are good for.....

1. To take a presentation somewhere else.

2. To store VPN keys and software so you can get back into the system from a coffee shop/internet cafe computer.

3. The Top Secret japanese pr0n stash. This allows viewing, without leaving overt evidence. (Note: this should be backed up on the Top Secret japanese pr0n stash DVD)(Note:Top Secret japanese pr0n stash DVD must be hidden carefully)(Note:Top Secret japanese pr0n stash DVD mix mpegs must have player software burned on them also, the computer you might be forced to use might not have that capability)(Note:Do not tell people about the Top Secret japanese pr0n stash DVD/Flash drive)

Ahhhhhhh...OK

This should help everyone to lead a happier, more, robust, healthy, computer, ehhhhh, lifestyle.....


Orvis

[fotobass]

I've got a program that I use for data recovery, and it's pulled many a thing from my CF cards.


If the other options don't work here, Mudge, I'll be happy yo yake a crack at it with this stuff.

When you plug it in, does the computer recognize that anything's been plugged in?

[Mudge]

Thanks for all the replies but I can see that I didn't 'splain the problem too specifically. The problem is not in retrieving the data. The problem is getting a computer to recognize the drive at all.
When I put it in the USB port, the indicator light on the jump drive will simply flash on and immediately go out. It happens at a specific spot during the insertion. It would seem to me that it's not making a proper connection. The Staples geek said it could be a broken connector wire. Without breaking it open, there's probably no way to tell. I don't want to break it open until I've heard from SanDisk. (Which doesn't seem to be forthcoming any time soon. )
Needless to say, Mrs Mudge is as distraught as I've ever seen her. This thing represents hundreds of hours of work.

I'm really sorry to take up this much space on the forum and if a moderator wants to dump it, I'll understand.

Mudge the computerly challenged

[dred]

Is there any chance the school computer system might have copies of the data files?

[DoraNineFan]

If it's a broken wire or pin, I would think that a professional data recovery service would know what to do to repair it, since they open up hard drives to make them work as a service.

You may also want to check the USB connector to see if dirt or trash got wedged into it, or if it just needs cleaning.

[Matt Gunsch]

Mudge,
Have you tried rebooting the puter ? I have had mine not see a drive when inserted, but after a restart, the world was happy.

[Roger Cain]

Is there any chance the school computer system might have copies of the data files?

what he said, if the work was done on a computer somewhere, it should still have the files, even deep within if it was deleted.

[Mudge]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm gonna' send the thing to a data recovery company in Cleveland. They say they can probably recover the data. I've also decided to get an external hard drive to use as back-up for her stuff.
Thanks again,

Mudge the grateful

[EDowning]

Hey Mudge,

Get Mrs. Mudge to buy you a dictionary as well. You desperately need it.

I couldn't resist.

Eric

[muddyboots]

it figures Eric would look for a thread asking for geek help and post in it.

*ducks the oncoming rotor*

Hey Mudge, you are headed in the right direction. The company I work for at the moment does data recovery. My best friend (and boss for anoth ertwo weeks) said that unless it's a physical problem it can usually be pulled off the drive. ANd taht you should back it up lol!

[Mudge]

Eric wrote (sarcastically I might add...)

Get Mrs. Mudge to buy you a dictionary as well. You desperately need it.

GLOOM, DESPAIR
In all honesty, I was thinking of the word separate (remembered by..."there's A RAT in sepARATe") and transposed my thought.
Thanks for the correction. NOW...go through all the posts for the last month and correct spelling and grammar. That ought to keep you busy for about a YEAR.

Mudge the chagrined dialectitian and grammarian

ps...muddy...yeah, that's what all the computer gurus I've talked to said. BACK IT UP!!
I've decided to get an external hard drive to do that.

Last edited by Mudge on Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.