Important question for data recovery

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raflyer

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I just lost the HDD on my laptop that had all my sketches on it for the 15 Teensy's im using in my project. Is there a way to pull the installed sketch from the Teensy so I don't have to start from scratch?
Thank you!
Rob
 
Not that I know of. What is on the Teensy is a machine-code version of your C sketch. If you can extract the machine-code from the Teensy there may be a "disassembler" which can turn the machine code into assembler. But it is very difficult to go from there back to something that looks like the original C code.

Pete
 
That's a stinker!!! If the sketches and other content are important, I'd consider a recovery service. They can usually do wonders, especially if the board fried and the data on the platters is still intact. The better recovery service shops keep the boards from various models around for that reason, i.e. Attempt to recovery your data with a known-good board.

FWIW, if this was water related, I have had good luck saving electronic devices after water dunkings using a directed airflow dehumidifier. They get toasty but they also dry out well enough to attempt a recovery. Eventually, crystals + corrosion will kill the boards, however.
 
Sometimes HDD in freezer for several hours, then hurry to PC, try to use it before it warms. Be ready with another internal/external disk to do the copy.

I've used this for many years to do automated near real time backups to NAS or USB drive of work in progress.
http://www.centered.com/
second copy
 
I used to think I had good luck with getting data off of drives - but they added S.M.A.R.T. to them and when they get in a hole they keep digging [ perhaps based on 'Dig Dug' at 7,200 RPM ] - slow down without warning and keep digging until they are cratered it seems - then just sit there smirking and going 'tisk tisk tisk ...' at you going on about how you should always back up any data you didn't want to lose.

Mind you - I would never say this to a person in distress . . . but just interpreting that sound you may be hearing. If you are not hearing that sound and can cool the drive and quickly copy while hooked up externally to a healthy machine you might get relief.

When it comes to laptop hard drives - I got this laptop 2011 and it is on its 3rd replacement HDD - and the prior three still work and are in a stack somewhere after their cloning. Karma being what it tends to be - before I post this I should go run my backup batch file on my networked machine - but since I last replaced the HDD 2 months ago I'll risk it. For my sketchbook folder it looks like this on windows to a network or usb or other drive letter:
xcopy /s /i /d /y /c c:\tcode i:\tcode
 
Sometimes HDD in freezer for several hours, then hurry to PC, try to use it before it warms. Be ready with another internal/external disk to do the copy.

This. Put the HDD in a zip-lock. I usually double-bag it. Make sure you have another disk already plugged in, and just copy the directories/files you really need, cause it may not last.

If that doesn't work, sometimes I lightly tap it and if you are lucky, it unsticks the head enough to get it going (if that happens to be a problem).

If it looks like a problem with the HDD controller board (maybe something looks burnt), with some drives you might be able to buy the same model and swap out the board.
 
If you're going down the cold path route, I'd keep the HDD in the plastic bags, have the wires attached and tape the mouth shut. The last thing you need is a cold drive covered in water droplets thanks to condensation. When it warms, shut down and re-cool. Ideally, have some desiccant bags in there. Those bags should be dried (microwave) prior to putting them in the bag with the drive. Then cool and serve. External USB adapters that the wires can plug into are very convenient way to do it. Many choices, most are pretty inexpensive if you are OK with USB3.0.

I destroyed a DIY teensy or two as part of the temperature testing for the CFS206.... Take something down to -46*C and be prepared for some serious condensation, even in the wintertime.
 
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Laptop drives see abuse due to dropping, TSA, and so on.
I've been using smallish SSD drives in mine. No worries.
And 3-2-1 backups, automated.

No backup, no sympathy!
 
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No backup, no sympathy!

True. However, bit rot is still not addressed in most popular file systems, allowing bad copies to slowly spread throughout your backup tree. Still hoping that ZFS or something similar will be adopted pronto on a widespread basis.

Long term, SSD drives will likely also have longevity issues and when they corrupt, they corrupt so well that little can be recovered. Most folk likely simply hope that the SSD will outlast the host laptop or be replaced prior to failure with a more exciting model. Makes me wonder if my SE will still spin up. The caps in there, along with the PRAM battery, are likely approaching or exceeding EOL.
 
It's a mechanical problem, I'm sending it to a recovery company. And yes i f'd up by not backing up. Lesson learned. Could be 95.00 to 1200.00 Yikes. Expensive lesson indeed.
Rob
 
I recently watched a YouTube video made by a HDD data recovery company. Presenter was the real lab tech/engineer. Very experienced.
Key take-aways:
  • Of course, stick your ear on the drive to see if it is spinning
  • If the disk is clicking every few seconds, it means the heads are being re-homed. Bad news
  • If the disk won't spin up, often it's just a head stuck to the media.
  • Some are electronics failures - they just swap the board and try to do a backup
  • Some are head failures without damaged media. They easily replace the head assembly in a clean room. $$$
  • They then use special software that does raw block copies of all that will read. This can yield up to 100% of the data. Or none.
  • At the youtube link below, at 9 minutes, he shows replacing the heads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hQZ09sdcRs
 
Thanks for the link. My HDD is spinning and making clicking sounds but still not recognized by the laptop or a usb interface.
 
Bummer - It likely won't while busy with the 'Tsk . . . Tsk . . . Tsk . . .' sound - at least not that I've found.

tsk or tsktsk
[pronounced as an alveolar click; spelling pronunciation tisk]
interjection
1. (used, often in quick repetition, as an exclamation of contempt, disdain, impatience, etc.)
2. for shame!
 
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