I have a Seagate HDD with bad blocks here, the problem is that Windows can see it (it assigns a letter) but that's all - it can't determine its capacity nor contents. When I do chkdsk /r on it, it stops on pagefile.sys file with an error message that there's not enough free space on the drive in question to restore that file. I have another HDD to which I could copy the files which are readable, but chkdsk doesn't have such an option. Also, the problem is that the damaged drive disappears completly from system after some minutes, so an option to do the task in several sessions (from block A-B, then from B-C, etc.) would be useful. So, I need some more advanced low-level tool than chkdsk to do the job. I know that there is GetDataBack for NTFS and stuff from Ontrack, but I'd rather use some free tool, do you know some?

Try HDAT2... maybe it can restore the bad sectors. But what you say sounds real bad...

Sounds like Gibson's SpinRite would work, but it costs money. How much is your data worth to you? SpinRite comes with a money-back guarantee. "If you are not satisfied . . . "

"... then we will tell you it's not our fault."

Thanks, but it doesn't seem to support NTFS (that's the file-system used on the drive).

Actually, it's not my data, and even the owner doesn't seem to care too much (that's why I'm asking for a free tool). To make things more clear - there's no need to magically repair damaged sectors to use the drive any further, I'd just quickly copy the files which are on undamaged sectors to another drive and then throw it to the trashcan.

Try Acronis True Image 9. It has a free trial, all features work for 15 days, more that sufficient for your purpose. It will copy all good files to a new drive, expanding the partitions if the new drive is bigger, and retain the MBR information.

The drive to which I want to copy the files already has some files on it, I don't want to wipe it - I'd want to create a folder on it and copy the files there, would this be possible with Acronis?

I would recommend: http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/download.htm

Free and copies recovered files to a different target drive.

-brendan

No, I don't believe so. To just copy files, I would use (and have used) PCInspector, as bhoar suggested. It would be worthwhile installing the damaged drive as a slave on a good system. Don't install PCInspector on the damaged drive as you might overwrite files that could be recovered.

Have you yet read their warranty?