On 12-07-28 05:38 PM, Greg wrote:
> Diagnosing the system is a red-herring.. stop chasing it.
> Your job is to save the photographs.
>
>
> If the photographer went by the book, that one USB contains the original
> copy of every photo he ever took, possibly minus the most recent.  Also
> important intermediate and final processed files.  Look also for SD
> cards in his cameras, and in his kits, and lying around.
> Get a new USB drive, make copies, preserving timestamps, of the USB
> drive and all the SD cards.
> Catalogue the pieces of equipment.. details are unimport at first.
>
> Get two more USB drives (or four).  Make two copies, preserving
> timestamps, of the system disk(s).  Look for any loose diskdrives, but
> don't even read them until you feel the need to read outweighs the risk
> of drivefailure.  Catalogue the pieces of equipment.
>
> John suggests drive images; I would be content with filesystem copies
> provided I was sure I got everything and the copies are good.  If you
> choose images, Gnu's ddrescue might be of interest.
>
> Put one copy in a safe.  Search the other.  Look first to identify all
> the photographs, and all the software packages.  Knowing the packages
> will help identify many of the partially and fully processed photos..
> AND should help locate those calibration files (which may have been
> tweaked over time.
>
> I think you will find more preserved intermediate copies when the
> photographer was unsure how his software worked, and when he thought a
> photo was particularly valuable.
>
> You are probably not qualified, nor do you have time, to examine and
> catalogue the photos.
>
> Provide lists of the files, notes about identifying the photographer's
> workflow (which doubtless changed overtime, and according to deadlines).
>   John's software to identify and (safely) prune duplicate files may
> help.  As would removing or segregating system and package files.
>
>
> Once you have two clean copies of everything, and a sense of the
> photographer's workhabits, examine the hardware, and decide whether to
> repair or replace.  If the photos are valuable, replace is safer.
>
> If the photos are really valuable, and a drive proves defective, look
> for a professional recovery service.
>
>
> Greg
Never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Greg.

I've used Tunstall and Tunstall (good guys).  They are data recovery 
specialists used by the RCMP and other spooky lettered organizations 
here in Ottawa for drive recovery and evidence capture.  Experts, 
expensive and professional.  They are located on the end of Colonnade 
Rd. near Prince of Wales.

Given the value and fragility of the images I would focus on safe 
preservation of the images and associated data with very low priority on 
the hardware.  ddrescue has recovered stuff for me little else does, but 
only after all else has been tried.  Mount the drives ro (Read Only) 
while using them.  First step is to clone a complete image, then attempt 
recovery from the image, not the original.  Preserve the original 
without running the drive any more than necessary, so Tunstall & 
Tunstall have no added mess from you to dig through.

--
Bill Strosberg
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