1.) I'm glad you got your data recovered. Why or how on that is not important.
1. Thanks and true.
2.) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is why I absolutely, unequivocably HATE Windows. It just hides too much from the user - even when you NEED to know what is going on.
2. I agree I don't like windows either, however I still do CNC automation consulting work on the side and some priority software that is used only runs on Winders. In the business world Windows is like English ... a language nearly everyone speaks.
3.) Personally, I'd never trust that drive. Sure, it might work without failure 'til the cows come home, but you'll always wonder "is today the day it acts goofy." Better to move it off the front line, and RAID is not a bad approach for hardware redundancy. Disk space is cheap compared to the cost of lost data, dig?
3. Agreed again, I have 2 500gB I ordered tonight and this PC in question is already set up to run a RAID so that will be easy I likely use this iffy drive as a place the dump files I don't really care lose or not ... not sure why since I won't fill up 500 gigs anytime soon. Even if I had to get a data dig done it's a write off on the taxes, not that I go looking for every write off I can find.
I guess I'll try to set it up as a simple dupe drive as opposed to a real A,B,C RAID with 3 drives. Simple truth is I just need to be more diligent about backup crucial files to an external source. Getting lazy in my old age.
I thank to everyone that has offered advice and help karma all around. I did learn a couple of things regardless if I wanted too or not. I use to be right on top of the computing world but it's not required anymore so I operate now on if it ain't broke don't fix it. I got my first 'computer' in 1978 so I guess the honeymoon is over for me.
I still have some of my really old computers I must remember to post some pics some day like my Sharp Laptop the weighs about 40 lbs and runs on DOS 1.0 on one 5 1/4 drive and the program drive is another 5 1/4 drive. I think it's an 8088 ... smokin'