Computer Meltdown (I hate Windows SP 3)

[Pedersen]

Either is possible, but I'd put more money on a dead hard drive than a dead enclosure.

One possibility before taking it in to techs: Most hard drive enclosures require both a wall wart and a usb connection be attached and working, as the hard drives inside require more power than can be provided without burning out usb ports.

Any chance yours gave a wall wart and a USB cable, and you just didn't plug in the wall wart? Yes, I'm desperately grabbing at useless straws. but I gotta try

[wagegoth]

Thanks, Pedersen.

Yes, it was plugged into an outlet all three times and the USB port.

If my hard drive is dead, is there any way to recover what's on it?

[Pedersen]

Is there a way? I'd provide a 99% guarantee. If that way affordable? I wouldn't bet $10 on that if I had $100 to spare.

In all seriousness, it depends on the severity of the death. I'd take it to a decent local tech that you trust to have them try at this point. If they're not able to get the data off, then it would require some fairly expensive data recovery services (where fairly expensive starts in four figures).

The only reason I suggest the local tech is that sometimes they have some tools that can seemingly work magic, and they get the data back. Not all the time, but sometimes. It's worth a shot.

[wagegoth]

Thanks for all the help. I wish I knew someone locally. Unfortunately, most of the independents around here are gone.