Getting around I/O errors with Linux IDE driver?

I have an IDE drive that failed in my PVR, and am attempting to get data off of it. I figured my best bet was to try and clone the drive using dd under Linux. So, I borrowed the use of an IDE server booted a SuSE 8.1 CD, ran the rescue system, and tried to do a dd between /dev/hdc and /dev/hda. the problem is dd fails with an Input/Optput error once the IDE driver gives up on the drive. Typicially the IDE driver spits out a ton of errors on the syslog screen, and tries to reset the bus a few times. Failing that, it eventually generates the I/O error.

So, is there a way to get around this error? Essentially say that I don't care, just keep trying? If I can get at least the later part of the drive back, there is a good chance I can extract the data off the cloned drive, as I have the needed 16 meg boot file that I can later dd to the front of the new drive.

Hopefully the answer is something simple I can feed the kernel at boot time, and nothing involving a new kernel recompile.

dd if=blah of=blah conv=noerror seems to be doing the trick, though it's not looking good. Tons of I/O errors still, and no actual data being copied.

Does Mark watch this thread? You may want to send him and email / private message.

have an IDE drive that failed in my PVR, and am attempting to get data off of it.

Man, there must be easier ways to see re-runs of Buffy...

tanstaafl.

Man, there must be easier ways to see re-runs of Buffy...

Well, not really; They're all already on my TiVo...

Actually for me, it was the first few episodes of Odysses 5 that I was really concerned about. It seems it's not popular enough to be spread around whatever the P2P program is these days.

And it looks like data recovery specialists are my only chance now, as the drive sat running the dd command all night, and didn't recover a single bit of data. Oh well. I am still bitter that the drive failed on the same day I got the external IDE cages to extract shows off of it for archival.

it was the first few episodes of Odysses 5

Wow. Whatever that is, its web server doesn't let people it thinks are outside the US look at it...

Peter

It's a Showtime (think HBO) scifi show starring Peter Weller and a bunch of other folks you've never heard of. It's not half bad. Kinda like X-Files except with a cohesive plot. Given the fact that Showtime started showing it shortly after they started showing Jeremiah (which I watch now solely to make fun of), it's surprisingly good.

Kinda like X-Files except with a cohesive plot.

Yeah, my opinion exactly. It's what X-Files would have been if Chris Carter didn't just make it up as he goes along.

He had an idea for the first 5 seasons, or so it looked like. It was just after that...

You got that impression? Sucker.

You didn't notice the plots got less coherent after the movie?

I suppose he did sort of bumble into the Scully abduction arc when Gillian got pregnant...

Less coherent, sure. But it's not like they were coherent to begin with.

To generate a stupid analogy, if I'm here in Raleigh, NC and I want to go to Los Angeles, I can look like I know exactly where I'm going simply by heading west on I-40. But the closer I get to LA, the more it becomes obvious that I have no idea where I'm going.

It depends if you realize when you should turn

Jeremiah (which I watch now solely to make fun of)

I'm still not sure what I think of it yet. I've seen up to the 16th episode. So far, I'm keeping with it for all the underlying plot points that are being developed. As usual though, they made NORAD completly different then it really is.

It doesn't totally fail as far as the overall story arc goes, but each individual episode, with a few exceptions, is so dreadfully plotted, scripted, directed, and acted, it's like they're begging for there to be silhouettes at the bottom of the screen making fun of it.