HDD won't open and asks to format it. Is it possible to salvage the folder structure?

Question

Hard disks

There is an old HDD that recently began to crumble, but read errors were within the normal range.
Recently stopped opening and asks to format it. I left everything as is for now.
I understand that if I format it, I can pull out the files, but what about the folder structure? What is the probability that I can save it and what is the best tool to restore it?
The disk is not a system one, but was used as a file washer.
File system - NTFS

Answer 1

The usual screw CHKDSK helped.
After it, the hard drive was determined and I was able to pull out all the files.

Answer 2

I understand that if I format it, I can pull out the files

Please explain the logic behind this assumption. Jokes aside, the truth is very interesting (for now, just don’t implement it).

What is the probability that I can keep it

With the information now available - from 0 to 99%.

I left everything as is for now.

That, combined with the advice here, is a smart decision.
In no case do not listen to advice about remaps, HDD Regenerator and other "health recovery". Depending on the current state of the disk, there is already a chance to finish it off completely (so that you yourself will definitely not restore any files). How high this chance is and to what state to finish off - cannot be blindly assessed.
If you do not want to contact a professional data recovery company (and this would be the only right decision, because the condition of the disk is clearly deteriorating), then you need to make the most complete image of the disk.
Of the home options, gddrescue (GNU ddrescue) would be a good one if you are friends with Linux. If not, then use hex editors like WinHex or CI Hex Viewer.
After that, the image must be analyzed for the files contained there. To do this, download the old version of R.saver (it can work with images), open the image and run the full analysis.
Also, you can diagnose the drive with R.tester , but I wouldn't recommend doing any diagnostics just for fun. It will be much more useful to keep the disk turned off, especially since you already know what the problem is in general.

Answer 3

if I format it, I can pull out the files,

The fact whether you can extract the files or not has nothing to do with whether you format it or not. From the word at all.
50% Like any other single event - it either happens or it doesn't :)
If by "everything as is" you mean "pulled out of the case and put in a box" - this is still the best solution.
If "I just don't use it" - don't be lazy, pull it out. Before that, remove the full image - how to do this has already been advised. And now the image can already be picked, trying to recover data from it manually, automatically, etc.
But the best thing is to give it to a data recovery office, because they have equipment that you don’t have :) especially if there is something valuable there :)
UPD: And don’t rape him with victoria, mhdd and other "recoverers" - you will finish it off finally.

Answer 4

Try to restore functionality first. Run the Victoria test with a remap. If it starts to crumble, then even formatting can go wrong.

Answer 5

In a similar situation, the boot disk with Acronis helped me out.
I booted from it and copied the data to a removable hdd.

Answer 6

after formatting, you probably can’t pull anything out
if it’s very important, then to the data recovery office,
if not really, then r-studio

Answer 7

A cruel, but absolutely correct phrase: "Information that does not have a backup copy is not important and cannot be restored."