Successfully Accessing Files from a Deceased HDD: A Journey
Recently, I faced a challenge while attempting to retrieve files from a 2.5-inch hard drive that belonged to my sister’s laptop, which had unfortunately given up the ghost. Thankfully, she had upgraded to a new laptop, but there were a few important files she needed from the old drive. So, I connected the HDD to my desktop computer, ready for a straightforward extraction.
Initially, I ran into a hiccup when I discovered that the drive was protected with BitLocker encryption. To proceed, I needed to obtain the BitLocker recovery key from my sister’s Microsoft account, which she successfully located. With the encryption lifted, I was able to view the files stored on the drive.
However, my next hurdle came when I tried to access the /user/desktop folder. A message popped up informing me that I did not have the necessary permissions to enter the folder. It prompted me to click “Continue” to gain access, but upon doing so, the system became unresponsive, simply displaying a loading symbol without allowing me to proceed further. Attempting to double-click the folder only resulted in a repeat of the same error.
Initially, this experience was quite frustrating. What I had hoped would be a simple plug-and-play process turned out to be more complicated than anticipated due to the BitLocker encryption and permission issues.
After a bit of exploration and tinkering, I managed to work towards gaining full access to the drive. However, it became apparent that the Desktop folder I sought might not exist the way I expected since the drive was not the primary one. Nevertheless, I clung to the hope that the files would still be retrievable from another location on the drive.
The Resolution
In a surprising twist, I ended up discovering the files I needed tucked away in the appdata/roaming folder, which included a version of the desktop folder I thought was lost. While I would have to adjust permissions to access some of these folders, finding the files I was looking for was a huge relief.
Looking back, I realized that rather than taking the time to share my frustrations online, spending a little extra effort to troubleshoot would have led me to the solution more quickly.
For anyone navigating similar situations, remember that patience and a bit of exploration can often lead to success, even when technology seems to be working against you. Happy file retrieving!
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