BleepingComputer.com: Want to format? Message - HELP

My computer is still functional but something really weird has happened. I had music files stored on drive E. When I tried to open my files on Drive E, the files are gone. Windows asks if I want to format drive E and shows 0 mbs on the drive. Drive E on the same physical disk as C but for some reason all of the files have disappeared. Any suggestions?

Run a hard drive diagnostic.

Hard Drive Installation and Diagnostic Tools - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

IME, disappearing files is usually an indication that the drive may fail soon.

You may be able to use recovery software to get your files back if you act quickly.

Louis

Thanks for your suggestion...The disk is actually on a friend's computer and I took a look at Event Viewer today. There are about 100 red x marks on the list followed by the word DISK...

My dilemma no is finding the best way to get her data from the failing disk to a new disk without compromising what is left. Should I creat an image of the drive before I do anything else and then try to take the data from that? The disk is making a loud thumping noise (she did not mention this to me -- just the file loss) and I don't know how much stress it can handle. She actually only has one physical disk. The most important information is the thousands of pictures and videos she has stored on the drive.

Any suggestion for how I should approach this...?

I wouldn't expect much...a hard drive with sounds...is not a good thing.

As I stated, you can try recovery software...but I would not be surprised if unsuccessful.

You can try any number of things, but I don't know of anything that can overcome mechanical problems in a hard drive.

Louis