How to Manually Recover Data from a Hard Drive

Determine the cause of the failure. If it is mechanically related, stop here. Data recovery will require professional assistance; software-based services will not work. If the problem is software-related, and the hard drive still appears to be operational, then manual hard-drive recovery will work.

Load the software on the working computer. Follow the instructions to begin the data-recovery process. Some versions may require cabling to the affected PC, while others may create a startup disk to load on the malfunctioning PC.

If using the startup-disc method, connect the external storage device to the malfunctioning PC. Ensure that the device is compatible with the software solution you are using. Otherwise, with the cabled method, start the data-recovery application on the working PC and follow the instructions there.

Begin the recovery process. In the startup-disc method, turn on the malfunctioning PC, using the method recommended by the software. The computer should load into the recovery software. See if the data is recoverable, and follow the steps to do so. In the cabled method, ensure that the computer is turned on and follow the software's instructions to begin pulling files from the affected PC.

Ensure the integrity of the recovered files once the recovery process is complete by opening several of the files on the working PC. If this process fails, attempt to recover the data again.

With the data recovered, it is now safe to restore the old computer if necessary. Reformat the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. The data can typically be reloaded to the old machine once again if there is no damage to the hard drive itself.