First Things First The Boot Disk In order to use the Mechanic, you need a Windows 98 boot disk.

Even if your are repairing a computer with Windows 2000, XP, NT or ME. Make sure the files Autoexec.bat and config.sys are not on the diskette. A Windows back-up disk or any type of rescue disk will NOT work. You need a disk without the above two files. Once you have a clean boot disk, place it into your computer and turn the computer on. When you are the A: prompt, remove the boot diskette, insert the Mechanic Gold diskette and type HDMGOLD and press <enter>, the main menu will come up. If you see and error about a XMS memory Handler, please be sure you do not have the files autoexec.bat and config.sys on your boot disk. Additionally, you MUST use a Windows 98 boot disk, you cannot use an ME or XP boot disk.

MS-DOS 6.0 or Higher 486 DX or Higher 16MB of RAM (32 MB optimum) VGA monitor Windows 95 OSR2 or Windows 98 Windows 95 OSR2 or Windows 98 Boot disk

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Most computer data loss is not really data loss at all, rather, the computer simply becomes confused as to where your data is currently located on the hard drive. Many things may cause this confusion, including: a virus, power surges, improper software installation, random hard drive miswrites, installation of a computer game and many other anomalies that can affect the partition, FAT and/or boot sector. Higher Ground Software's Hard Drive Mechanic is a low-cost do-it-yourself data recovery solution capable of returning your inaccessible files to you, by re-aligning or reconstructing the file system. Support@highergroundsoftware.co Higher Ground Software, Inc. 541 10th Street N.W. #328 Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A. 30318 770-997-8410

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READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT") CAREFULLY BEFORE CONTINUING IN S T A L L A T I O N O F T H E S O F T W A R E (" L IC E N S E D S O F T W A R E "). B Y U S I N G T H E S O F T W A R E Y O U A R E A C C E P T I N G A N D A G R E E I N G T O T H E T E R M S O F T H IS A G R E E M E N T . IF Y O U D O N O T A G R E E T O T H E T E R M S O F T H IS A G R E E M E N T , P L E A S E D O N O T U S E T H E S O F T W AR E. PRO M PTLY DELE TE THE PROG R AM AND REQ UEST A RE FUN D. L ic e nse. H ighe r G ro und S o ftw are , Inc ., (''H G S '') he reb y gr ants t o you a l i mi t ed, non-e xc lusive a nd no n-tra nsfe ra ble right a nd lice nse to use o ne c op y o f the L ic e nse d S o ftw a re, in o bje ct c od e o nly, a nd o ne c o p y o f the d o c u m e nta tio n c o nta ine d in the p a c k a ge (''U se r D o c u m e nta tio n'') o n a single c o m p uter u n d e r yo ur c o ntro l (''L ic e n s e ''). N e it he r c o n c urre n t us e o n t w o o r m o re c o m p ut e rs no r u se i n a lo c a l a re a n e t w o rk o r o t h e r n e t w ork is p e r m itte d w it ho u t H G S 's p rio r w ritte n c o n s e nt a n d t he p a y m e n t o f a d d itio na l l i c e n s e f e es. Y ou do not h a v e t he r ig h t to s u b l i c e nse , r esell, re -lic e n se , le n d o r o th e rw ise tra n sfe r the L ic e n se d S o ftw a re o r a n y p a rt the re o f to a n y t hird p a rt y o r use t he L ic e ns e d S o ft w a re c o m m e rc ia lly fo r th e b e ne fit o f a t hird p a rt y. A n y us e of th e Li c e ns e d S of t w a r e not e xpr e ss ly au t hori z e d in t h is P ar ag r a ph is e xpr e ss ly pr oh i bi t e d. Y o u sha ll no t c o p y the L ic e nse d S o ftw a re , U se r D o c u m e nta tio n, or a n y p art the re o f, e xc e p t tha t yo u m a y m a k e o ne c o p y o f the L ic e nse d S o ftw a re a n d U se r D o c u m e nt a tio n fo r b a c k-up p urp o se s fo r use o nl y i n a n e m e r ge n c y. Y o u s ha ll n o t m a k e a n y o t he r c o p ie s o f the L ic e n se d S oftw a re a nd U s er D o cu m en ta tion w ith ou t t he p rior w ritte n co n se n t of H G S. Al l c opies of t he Li ce n se d S oft w a re a n d U ser D oc u me nt atio n s h all co in n ta H G S 's a n d /or its lic en s ors ' c op yr igh t a n d oth er p r op r ieta r y r igh ts n otic es. Y o u a c k n o w le d g e th a t t h e Li c e ns e d S oft w a r e is l i c e ns e d t o you an d not so ld . E x c ep t fo r t h e L i cen se gra n t ed t o y o u unde r th is A g re e m e n t, y o u furthe r a c k no w le d ge a nd a gre e tha t all rig ht, title a nd inte re st in a nd to th e L ic e ns e d S o ftw a re , inc l ud in g a ll a sso c ia te d intelle c tua l p ro p erty rig hts, a re a nd s h a ll re m a i n v est e d with H G S an d its l i c ens ors. Y o u a gre e no t t o r ev ers e e ng i n eer, d e c o m pi l e, disas s e m bl e, o r oth er wi s e tr anslate t h e Li c e ns e d S oft w a r e in w hol e or in p art. L ic e n se F ee s . T he lic e n s e fe e s p a id b y y o u a re p a id i n c o n si d e ra tio n o f t h e L ic e n se gra nt e d u n d er this Ag r e e m e nt. T er m. T h is A gre em en t sh a ll b egin u p on u se of th e softw a re a n d sha ll c o n tin u e u n til term in a ted . Y ou m a y term in a te th is A gr e e m en t a t a n y tim e u p on w r itten n otic e to H G S . H G S m a y ter m in a te th is A g r e e m en t u p on y ou r b rea ch o f a n y ter m o f th is A g r e e m en t. U p on te r m i na tio n o f t his A gre e m e n t f or a n y re a so n, yo u a gre e to (a ) c e a se a ll us e o f th e L ic e n se d S o ftw a re , (b ) d e lete a ll c o p ie s o f t he L ic e ns e d S o ft w a re o r a n y p a rt the re o f fr o m your c o m put er, a n d (c) re turn t o H G S a ny a n d all c opi es of th e Li c en s e d S of t w a r e an d a n y p art t h e r e of. L im ite d W a rra nty. H G S w a rra n ts, for y o u r b en e fit a lon e, for a p e r io d o f 3 0 d a y s fr o m th e d a te o f p u r ch a s e ( ''W a rra n ty P er iod '') th a t t he L i c e nse d S o ftw a re sh a ll p e rfo r m to y o ur sa tisfa c tio n. If d uri n g th e W ar r anty P eri od, yo u a re no t c o mp le tel y satisf i e d o r a de fect in the m e d ia a p p e a rs, yo u m a y d e le te th e p ro gra m , a nd re q ue st a re p la c e m e nt o r ref u n d. Y ou agr e e th at t he fo re g o in g c onstitu te s your so l e a nd e xclusi ve re m e d y fo r bre a c h o f a n y w a rra nty m a d e u nd e r this A gre e m e nt. T he w a rra ntie s s et f orth a b ov e d o n ot c ov e r a ny Li c ens e d S oft w a r e or m e di a whi c h ha s been lo st, stole n, o r d a m a g e d b y a c c id e nt, m i s use o r u na ut ho riz e d m o d ific a tio n. E X C E P T F O R T H E W A R R A N T IE S S E T F O R T H A B O V E , T H E L I C E N S E D S O F T W A R E IS L IC E N S E D ''A S IS '' A N D A L L F A U L T S A N D T H E E N T IR E R IS K A S T O S A T IS F A C T O R Y Q U A L I T Y , P E R F O R M A N C E , A C C U R A C Y A N D E F F O R T IS W IT H Y O U . H G S A N D IT S L IC E N S O R S D IS C L A IM A N Y A N D A L L O T H E R W A R R A N T IE S , W H E T H E R E X P R E S S O R IM P L IE D , IN C L U D I N G , W I T H O U T L I M I T A T I O N , A N Y I M P LI E D W A R R A N TI E S O F M E R C H A N T A B I LI T Y O R FI T N E S S F O R A P A R T I C U L A R PURPOSE. L im ita tio n o f L ia b ility. H G S a nd its lic e nso rs c u m u la ti ve lia b ility to yo u or a n y o t he r p a rty fo r a n y lo ss o r d a m a ge s re s ultin g fro m a n y c la i m s , d e m a n d s, o r a c tio ns a risin g o ut o f o r r elat i ng to this Agr e e m ent or your u s e of th e Li c e ns e d S of t w a r e sh all n ot e x c e e d t h e li c e s e fe e s p a id b y you t o H GS n for the use o f the L ic e nse d S o ftw are . In n o event sh all H G S or its li cens ors be li able for a ny in dir ect, in ci d ent al, punitiv e, sp e cial or c o nse q ue ntia l d a m a ge s, inc l ud i n g lo ss o f use , d a ta , p ro fits or re ve n u e s, w he th e r b a se d in c o ntra c t, to rt or oth e rw ise , e ve n if H G S o r its lic e nso rs ha ve b e e n a d vise d of th e p o ssib ility o f a n y s uc h lo ss o r d a m a ge . S o m e sta te s d o no t allo w the li m ita tio n o r e xc lu sio n o f lia b ility fo r in c id e nta l or c o nse q ue ntia l d a m a ge s, so th e a b o ve li m ita tio n o r e x c lusio n m a y n ot a pply to you. G o v e r n in g L a w . T his A gr e e m e n t is g ov e r n e d by a n d c o nstr u e d u n der the l aw s o f t h e S ta t e o f Vir gi n ia , w it h out re ga rd to i t s ch o i ce of l a w ru les. Y ou a gre e t o u se th e L i ce n se d S o ft w a re in strict c o m p lia n ce w ith a ll a p p lica b le fe d e ra l, sta te a n d lo ca l l a ws, r ul e s a nd r eg ulati on s. S evera b ility. S h ou ld a n y te rm o f th is A gre e m e n t b e d e cla re d v oid or u n e n for ce a b le b y a n y c ou rt of c o m p e te n t j urisdictio n, s u c h d e c l a r atio n sh a ll h a ve n o e ffe ct on th e re m a in in g te r m s o f th is A gr e e m e n t. N o W a iver . T h e fa ilu re of e ith e r p a rt y t o e n for ce a n y ri gh ts gra n t e d h e re u n d e r or to ta k e a cti on a ga in st t h e ot h er p ar ty i n t h e ev e n t of a n y b re a c h h e re u n d e r sh a ll n ot b e d e e m e d a w a i ve r b y th a t p a rt y a s t o su b se q u e n t e n for ce m e n t o f ri gh ts or su b se q u e n t a cti on s in th e e ve n t o f fu tu re b re a ch e s. U .S . G o v e r n m e n t R est rict e d R ig h ts . T h e L i c e n se d S o ft w a re is a ''c o m m e r c ia l i t e m'' as t h a t t e rm i s de f i n e d i n 4 8 C .F .R . 2 . 1 0 1 , c onsistin g of 1 1 c o m m e rcia l com p u te r softw a re '' a nd ' ' c o m merc ial c o mp u ter sof t wa r e d o c u m e n tat i on' ', as such term s ar e use d i n 4 8 C .F.R. 1 2 .2 1 2. C on siste nt w ith 4 8 C .F .R . 1 2 .2 1 2 a n d 4 8 C .F .R . 2 2 7 .7 2 0 2 , a n y u se , d u p li c a ti on , re p r o d u cti o n or tra n s fe r o f th e L i ce n se d S o ft w a r e is re stricte d in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th is A g re e m e n t. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and HGS and supersedes any prior agreements, representa tions, p rop osa ls, or u n d e rsta n d in g s, w h e th e r ora l or w ritte n , w ith re sp e ct to t h e s ubj ect m a t t er of this Agr e e m e nt.

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Welcome to The Hard Drive Mechanic Deluxe Manual and Gold Manual. Note: This manual contains screens that indicate The Hard Drive
Mechanic Deluxe However, with the exception that the SMART button is on the main screen for the Gold product, most all functions are identical. If you have any questions contact Higher Ground at 770-997-8410.
This manual is a step by step guide to diagnosing and repairing your PC file syste problem(s). By following this manual you will be able to quickly identify and correct over 99% of your PC file system problem(s) in just minutes. We will begin by running diagnostics to determine the file system problem(s). Once the problem(s) are identified we will move to the appropriate repair feature and initiate repair. You will notice that on each button one letter is a different color or shade than the rest. The shaded or colored letter corresponds to the key you must press on the keyboard to execute that function. Note: The Hard Drive Mechanic does not use the mouse.

Following is a brief description of the main functions:

Diagnostics Used to determine the exact nature of the hard drive problem. IDE Utilities Used to determine if the problem is caused by the hard drives electronics. On the Gold Product, this does not appear, instead the button says S.M.A.R.T File System Used to repair the damage. Rescue Disc Used to create rescue diskettes, which can reverse any action performed by The Hard Drive Mechanic in the event that it cannot fix a problem. Single File Processor (S.F.P.) Used as a last resort in the event the hard drives files systems are unrecoverable. Exit Exits the program to DOS.

File System Diagnostics Page

Let Us Begin
STEP 1: Pres D for Diagnostics. The screen to the left will come up. STEP 2: Pres P for Build Physical. The screen below will come up. Note: This message may appear: Geometry Inconsistency: PARTITION TABLE AND BIOS TABLE CONFLICT. If the message appears, press Okay. STEP 3: Pres Okay.

File System Diagnostics Page

STEP 4: Pres L for Build Logical. The screen below will come up. Note: This question may appear: Will this version of Windows support FAT32 file system? Answer: If your computer has Windows 98 or higher press Yes. If you computer has Windows 95 or lower press No. A series of tests called Phases will begin. The first test is pictured below. Note: This question may appear: Has a FAT 16 - FAT32 conversion utility been used? Answer: Generally the answer to this question is No. However if you have used such a utility, the answer is Yes. Press Okay when this test is complete.

File System Diagnostics Testing

Note: The following three testing phases will come up in succession. When each phase is complete press Okay.

During Phases 2 and 3 this message may pop up: Will this version of windows support FAT32 file system? Answer: If your computer has Windows 98 or higher press Yes. If you computer has Windows 95 or lower press No. During Phases 2 and 3 this message may pop up: Has a FAT 16 - FAT32 conversion utility been used? Answer: Generally, the answer to this question is No. However if you have used such a utility, the answer is Yes.

During Phase 4 this message may pop up: The Mechanic cannot determine the files system size, are there just a few files on the hard drive? Answer: If there are more than a few files on your hard drive press No. Note: In some cases this test may take 15 to 30 minutes or more.

File System Diagnostics Page

STEP 5: Pres H for cHoose Logical. Note: The screen below will come up. This screen allows you to target the drive you want unformatted.

STEP 6: If a drive other than the C is the one that requires unformatting, use the up arrow or down arro keys on the keyboard to cycle through all of the drives on your PC. Example: You have drives C, D and E. and drive E needs unformatting. Use the up arrow or down arrow to select the correct drive. Press enter on the keyboard. The drive you selected will appear below the LID field. STEP 7: Pres Okay. The drive will load. STEP 8: Pres Okay. And go the next page.

File System Back-Up

Note: If you choose to make a rescue disk proceed to STEP 1 . This step is advised but not required. If you choose to bypass this step proceed to STEP 2 .

STEP 1A: Press R to create the rescue disk(s). The screen to the left will come up. STEP 1B: Press S. Follow the disc insertion tasks. STEP 1C: Press Okay. STEP 1D: Press F to move to The unformat Process. OR STEP 2A: Press F to move to The unformat Process.

The Unformat process

Press F.A.T and Go to Page 11, Step 1 of the manual.

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The File Allocation Table (F.A.T.) Repair Screen

STEP 1: Pres build FAT/Root (or Root/FAT) Note: The Following message will pop up: You are about to write data to your hard drive! Doing so may cause more damage. Are you sure you want to write to your F.A.T.? STEP 1A: Press Yes. STEP 1B: Press Okay. And exit the program and reboot your PC. You will find your directories numbered, they will not have names like Windows, Program Files, etc However, once you look inside of these folders, you will find all of your files. We recommend that you attach a properly formatted Windows drive with the unformatted drive in order to see and find all of your files.

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