Recovering Data from an Old Seagate Momentus 7200.7 25G HDD Containing Bitcoin Wallet Files
In 2009, I began mining Bitcoin using a Seagate Momentus 7200.7 25GB hard drive. I continued mining from 2009 through 2012, after which I moved residences multiple times—about fifteen times to be exact. Recently, I rediscovered my old mining machine and decided to attempt recovery of my Bitcoin wallet data, specifically the wallet.dat file stored on that hard drive.
Initial Steps in Data Retrieval
To access the data, I used a Wavlink external hard drive reader, connecting it to my laptop. The initial attempts were promising; the drive was detected, and I was able to locate the wallet.dat file. Eager to restore my Bitcoin wallet, I proceeded to download Bitcoin Core and synchronize the entire blockchain ledger. During this process, I connected the hard drive again to transfer the wallet.dat file into the Bitcoin Core directory.
While the drive was recognized, and files appeared accessible, I encountered a recurring error when trying to open individual files: “Drive not ready yet.” To troubleshoot, I ran a check disk utility, which reported the drive as healthy. Despite this, I chose to power down the drive and seek professional assistance, as the potential value of the data warrants cautious handling.
Seeking Professional Guidance
Please note, I am not an IT or data recovery expert. I am reaching out for advice on how to proceed with recovering the data. Specifically, I am interested in trustworthy professional services capable of creating an image of this old drive to recover the wallet.dat and any associated Bitcoin holdings safely.
Conclusion
Recovering data from aging hardware can be complex, especially when valuable digital assets like Bitcoin are involved. If you have experience with similar recovery scenarios or recommendations for reputable data recovery services, I would greatly appreciate your guidance. Your expertise could help ensure that this valuable asset is retrieved securely and efficiently.
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