So

So my external hard drive stopped mounting on my desktop computer for no reason a few weeks ago.  It did not fall on the floor, I did not drop a ten pound weight on it (it was six tops*).  It just stopped.

So I emailed the manufacturer and they said, "No problem!  Send it in and we'll either fix it or replace it."

So I sent it in with multiple post-it notes and emails making sure they knew I needed my data to be saved.  I know this sounds crazy, but because it's a hard drive that I use to back up my data, there's actually data stored there that I have, you know, nowhere else.  On the planet.

So a box arrived on my doorstep from the manufacturer with a new hard drive and the "defective drive", pictured above. 

"Hmmm," I thought.

So I plugged in the new hard drive, expecting to see all of my files intact, and excited because, you know, I've been needing these files during the many weeks it has taken to get this issue "resolved."

So the hard drive icon shows up on my desktop and I do the ole double click to open it up and hear the angels sing, and instead I hear...

Crickets.

Empty hard drive.

So I email the manufacturer, using a lot of CAPITAL LETTERS, asking WHERE MY DATA IS.  And I get this:

"I apologize, but the drive was beyond our ability to repair. The failed drive should have been included in the package so that you can look into professional recovery if you choose."

In other words, "We manufacture external hard drives so that computer users like you can back up and store your precious data.  Until the hard drives stop working for no reason, in which case your data is probably toast.  Good luck!"

So I began to panic, and thought about crying.  And screaming.  And throwing a fit.

And then it hit me:  What's the point?

First off, maybe ~ just maybe ~ there is a magician out there who can pull my data off of the "defective drive" and second, if not, what good will a throwing a fit do?

Sometimes fires burn down homes.  Sometimes thieves break into cars and steal belongings (happened to me in Australia.)  Sometimes jewelry is accidentally flushed down toilets and wallets full of cash fall out of pockets.

Sometimes things get lost, and then we have a choice.  Freak out or accept.  Surrender or resist.

Either way, laughter always helps.

* Joking!  Totally joking!

Comments

[Allen]

So sorry to hear that. Many have recommended backup drives, but don't forget online backup solutions as well. If you house burns, the backup drive does no good. For any business I recommend a three tiered approach, 1) RAID (Redundant disks in main computer / server 2) onsite backup drive (external), 3) Offsite / Online backups.

All three options are very cheap nowdays, especially considering the alternative (data recovery). But...Just in case, I do data recovery as well... and I'm MUCH cheaper than the 'geeks'!

Well, I hope you eventually got your data back.

Allen
CCW Technology, a Salt Lake City Computer Repair Shop - http://www.ccwtech.com

[Polo Outlet]

I believe this site holds some really wonderful info for everyone.Thanks for putting in the effort to put it all together.My idea is behind a good article is a good auther. I must say, this is the best article I read recently.

[Cindy]

I know the feeling....this is why I have my data backed up on at least four drives. The price of 2t drives from Best Buy is about $109 and that is SO inexpensive....far less than getting lost files recovered (I once paid $2000 for that lovely service!) :-(

So, back up your information in more than one place...and make sure those two backups do NOT include your computer! I had my data backed up on two hard drives (duplicated). I thought they were complete backups. Then one drive died and when I went to the second backup, it asked where the original one was---apparently it was a "mirror" drive and actually linked to the other. That's when I had to send the drive off to the tune of $2,000. That buys a whole lotta $100 drives these days!

[Serg]

'backup' is the OTHER copy of something.

If there is only one copy - there is no backup :)

When you get a "reminder" like this, you should thank the forces it happened now rather than 20 years from now.

[gillian]

oh no! :(
it happened to me too.
we sent it off to many a professional, no one could help us. (not to bring you down.)

i now back it all up to external hard drives...and my photos also go on a disc.

i lost many precious, irreplacable photos.
i hope your data is retrievable Christine!!!
xoxo

[Di]

My sympathies though. I have an external harddrive backing up my external hard drive but live in terror sometimes ... just thinking about the 1000s of photographs.

When I left New Zealand, I didn't know I wouldn't be living there again and I put my stuff from my life-till-then around family. Now I can't get it shipped, too expensive at the moment, can't go get it ... too expensive at the moment and I've just had to let it go.

'Let it go' because some of my family folk are totally patient and honourable and others are like 'Di, it's been 6 years already, 8 since you left it here'. I think
I'm mostly okay with it being almost gone ...
xo

[Christianne]

Whoa. That sucks. And I'm sorry to hear that happened.

But your response? Total genius.

I've really noticed a thread in your posts about accepting what is. I recall that you mentioned elsewhere that this is an important theme for you right now, and I just wanted to acknowledge that I see it.

xoxo

[tanaya]

gosh, the same thing just happened to me. i wrote about it here, if you'd like to commiserate. http://rustynut.blogspot.com/2010/08/like-breathing.html

i'm sorry for your loss.

[Steph]

Years back, the motherboard of my Mac laptop failed. As I walked away from the Mac doc in a daze, I felt this rumbling deep within me and I burst into tears. The doc said he would 'try' but there would be no guarantee that the PhD could be saved. I don't know why but even though I considered calming down with a Starbee (next door), I decided that I wanted to be home at all costs and so went to my car and headed off. Except... I wasn't really fit to drive, I was so terribly upset.

As I was moving off a traffic light at about 20 miles per hour, I bumped into the car in front of me. I got off, apologised to the other woman, she told me, no probs, I don't even have any damage, haha, but your grille looks a bit out of place, good luck. Off she drove and off I drove.

I immediately noticed an alarm light on the dashboard... Seven hours later (but only five miles down the road) I was dropped off at home by the recovery driver, the Jag driven off to I didn't know where. As I came in, I heard the answerphone beeping. It was the Mac doctor, sounding all pleased with himself, data recovered, we can slot it into the new laptop you bought earlier, you can pick it up tomorrow after 11.

The Jag meanwhile registered £ 3450 worth of damage and returned home three weeks later. Even though I was hardly moving when I hit the other car, I was travelling uphill, which meant that the impact at an angle had split the AC unit and radiator inside, as well as damaged the grille, a light, the number plate and dented the bonnet (which was also replaced). Moral of this long-winded story: you are damn right we shouldn't get upset about this stuff! Surrender! Accept! I should have just waited with a coffee, shouldn't I?!

[peggy K.]

okay. you had a much worse day than I did. so i feel better. :)

[Tammy]

Yuk! I guess it could have been worse, had they destroyed the original drive. Wishing you luck finding a magician. Our external HD + computer died the same week! So now we double back-up. Insane!

[kira]

Oh, that's happened to me! I lost all my computer data from 6 years or so when my laptop's HD just went caput!

I've learned my lesson. Since I'm a Mac girl, I have Time Machine backing up my data every hour, and my media's actually stored on a separate drive.

Was I upset? Yes! There was so much history there! But life goes on, and all the really important things were scattered on the web somewhere. From time to time you'll miss it, but in the long run, you suddenly love the empty slate you've been given!

[melissa]

oh my...yes laughter does help...or look into that puppy face and she'll make you smile. hope you can find a miracle worker though. xo

[Tara Bradford]

I don't know what to say...laugh instead of cry, I guess. I'm sure there is a genius somewhere who can retrieve the data; the trick is to find him. Sigh. Big hug! xo

[Lizzy]

when stuff like this happens, instead of getting too upset... i just take a nap.

[Marisa and Creative Thursday]

oh lady this is a bummer. you can cry (a little if you want to)

[anne]

ugh. its happened to me. it's horrible. i love you.