Recovering files from an MBP drive that won't boot

[zwodubber]

A friend has a drive that crashed and can not boot, the only option it gives when trying to reinstall software is to format the drive.

Can I pull his drive and use the thermaltake drive to read his files? I have only used the thermaltake to clone/time machine backup or as an external drive.

Basically i need to know if I will be able to read the files if it wont boot.

Thanks!

 

[chambone]

A friend has a drive that crashed and can not boot, the only option it gives when trying to reinstall software is to format the drive.

Can I pull his drive and use the thermaltake drive to read his files? I have only used the thermaltake to clone/time machine backup or as an external drive.

Basically i need to know if I will be able to read the files if it wont boot.

Thanks!

Image

Yes, you might be able to read the drive from usb, although nothing is guaranteed. If the drive has developed bad blocks in the wrong places leading to unrecoverable file system errors, or has damaged hardware you might be out of luck. But I'd go for it.

Not sure if your friend's computer supports this, but have you considered target disk mode though?

 

[Fishrrman]

Can your friend's drive be removed from the Mac?

If so, just take it out, put it in your ThermalTake, turn on YOUR Mac, and see if the drive just mounts in the Finder.

Even though it won't boot his Mac, it may just -mount- in YOUR Mac.

If it does, you might try using Disk Utility to repair it, or if you have DiskWarrior available, try that on the drive as well.

Even if the drive won't mount on your Mac, the data on it may still be recoverable (assuming there is not a hardware failure inside the drive). That's a whole 'nother story, and it involves time, learning, and some money, but it can be done.

 

[zwodubber]

Can your friend's drive be removed from the Mac?

If so, just take it out, put it in your ThermalTake, turn on YOUR Mac, and see if the drive just mounts in the Finder.

Even though it won't boot his Mac, it may just -mount- in YOUR Mac.

If it does, you might try using Disk Utility to repair it, or if you have DiskWarrior available, try that on the drive as well.

Even if the drive won't mount on your Mac, the data on it may still be recoverable (assuming there is not a hardware failure inside the drive). That's a whole 'nother story, and it involves time, learning, and some money, but it can be done.

Yes it can be removed and I am working on it now, Thanks!

 

[zwodubber]

So far so good, drive mounted and I copied some personal folders over then used migration assistant for the applications etc...

Added a partition on my drive with a fresh OSX install so I could get his stuff there.

Now doing a CCC and hopefully all is good