hard drive problems

My computer wouldn't boot but the hard drive (and everything else) passed all diagnostics. So I figured it was an OS issue and took my hard drive out to transfer files. But when I try to open the hard drive (now attached to a docking station to a different computer) it's telling me that "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable."

What gives? If there was a problem with the hard drive, shouldn't it have shown up in the diagnostic?

 

Possibly the drive is fine, but the files/file system on the drive is/are corrupt?

 

it might be that the index telling the reader that the FS is NTFS is corrupted. it may or may not help, but download a copy of Ubuntu, or any other live-bootable operating system, and see if you can mount your hard drive and copy the files from there.

 

I'm not too familiar with Ubuntu. Would I have to make a new partition on my hard drive for it or what?

 

No, it's a live CD. It runs without changing your hard drive at all.

You just put it in the DVD drive and boot.

 

nope not at all. Ubuntu comes on a Live CD so you can boot it up without having to install it.

just go to ubuntu.com, download the LiveCD ,burn it to CD and boot it up. you should be able to see your hard disks via the "My Places" toolbar menu.

if you are not comfortable with using a LiveCD like Ubuntu, then you can ignore my suggestion. but i think it is safe enough (since you won't be writing anything to the hard drive) to give it a try.

running Ubuntu will create some hidden system folders on that hard drive, though, so do not be surprised to suddenly see a folder called "trash.000" or something like that.

 

Guys,

Booting the computer from Ubuntu worked! Thanks for the advice.

 

glad it worked! i always have a copy of Ubuntu lying around, for those "just in case" situations. so far it's only been unable to help me once, but that was due to physical damage to the hard disk (someone else's, not mine!)