3 Solutions for Freezing HDD to Recover Data

Can users ask freezing HDD to recover data?

In contrast to SSDs, which depend on memory cells, hard drives utilize rotating magnetic platters to store data. The information for your system is accessed and retrieved by a read/write head that travels over these platters. The probability of failure is substantial due to the numerous mechanical components involved.

Before attempting recovery, it’s crucial to understand why hard drives fail.

Hard drives can die due to physical damage (e.g., dropped drives), logical errors (e.g., corrupted file systems), or mechanical wear (e.g., failing motors). Symptoms include clicking noises, failure to spin up, or the drive not appearing in Windows Disk Management. It is frequently feasible to retrieve data from a hard drive subjected to logical damage, such as malware or data corruption. In such instances, the data remains unaltered on the drive and can be retrieved through specialized recovery techniques, which will be detailed in the subsequent sections.

Best data recovery tool for hard disk on Windows PC

When it comes to recovering data from a dead HDD, software solutions shine. AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery is a powerful Windows computer management software designed for data recovery on All Windows PC even the Server. It provides a reliable way to retrieve lost files from HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and more. It supports over 2000 file types and works on NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT file systems, making it ideal for recovering data from dead hard disk scenarios caused by accidental deletion, formatting, or partition loss.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovery to end.

Alternative methods to recover data from dead HDD

The most reliable method of retrieving expunged files from a hard drive that has been damaged by cosmetic physical damage or logical issues is frequently data recovery software. Nevertheless, there are alternative approaches that are accessible. These methods have the potential to improve software-based recovery or serve as a substitute when software alone is unable to completely resolve the issue.

Method 1. Check the Recycle Bin for missing files after disk frozen

Begin the recovery procedure by inspecting the recycle bin. On Windows computers, deleted files are typically sent to the Recycle Bin unless the file exceeds its size limit or the Recycle Bin is full.

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin from your desktop.

Step 2. Locate the file you want to recover. Right-click it and select Restore. To recover multiple files, hold CTRL, click each file, and then right-click to choose Restore.

Step 3. Alternatively, drag the files from the Recycle Bin to a desired location.

Step 4. Restored files will return to their original locations. If the files are not in the Recycle Bin, proceed to the next recovery method.

Method 2. Restore from a Backup on a frozen HDD

One of the most straightforward methods for recovering data from a backup is to ensure that a backup is already in place. File History is a built-in utility in Windows that allows you to restore previous versions of your files by taking snapshots. Nevertheless, to function properly, this feature must be pre-configured.

If you’ve enabled File History, follow these steps to recover your files:

Step 1. Open the Start Menu, type "file history", and select the File History option from the Control Panel search results.

Step 2. In the File History window, click on Restore personal files.

Step 3. Navigate to the folder where your files were originally stored. Use the navigational arrows to find a previous version of the folder containing your files.

Step 4. Select the files you wish to restore and click the green Restore button.

Step 5. The restored files will appear in their original folder location.

Conclusion

The freezing HDD to recover data myth may intrigue desperate Windows users, but it’s a risky relic of the past. For recovering data from dead HDD, tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery offer a safe, effective solution, alongside simple checks like the Recycle Bin or backups.

However, if the drive has sustained significant physical damage and none of the methods outlined here are successful, it may be advisable to consult a professional data recovery center. The situation can be evaluated by experts who can investigate additional recovery options.