Buffalo HD-PET640U2/R-EU external HDD not recognised


  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 7
       #1

    Buffalo HD-PET640U2/R-EU external HDD not recognised


    Buffalo HD-PET640U2/R-EU

    Hello. I've been having problems with the above drive (similar to this previous thread). I've had the drive for about a year & a half. It worked fine (on Win XP Home) up until a few days ago, when I connected it to my new laptop (Win 7).

    On connecting, a warning message came up saying that Windows had detected disk errors - did I want to scan it? I said Yes, it completed the scan (no errors), but I couldn't access any of the files in Windows Explorer. I Safely Removed USB Hardware and tried again, but said No to the error scan ("Are you sure, some files may be corrupted?"). On continuing, I could see all my files.

    I then selected Windows Scandisk, and once the scan completed the HDD was very slow to select. It didn't show any of my files again, and showed the following error messages whenever I tried to access it:

    Local Disk (E)
    You need to format the disk in drive E: before you can use it.
    Do you want to format it?

    Error checking
    The disk check could not be performed because the disk is not formatted.
    The disk check could not be performed because Windows can't access the disk.
    Would you like to format the disk?

    Location is not available
    E:\\ is not accessible.
    The volume does not contain a recognised file system.
    Please make sure that all required file system drivers are loaded and that the volume is not corrupted.

    I have tried it on all 4 USB2 & USB3 ports, and my other Buffalo external HDDs work fine.

    The HDD appears as 'Buffalo HD-PETU2 USB Device' in:

    Control Panel\\Hardware and Sound\\Devices and Printers

    Control Panel\\Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager

    and in

    Control Panel\\System and Security\\Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management

    as '596.17GB RAW Online & Healthy'. My other HDDs appear as 'NTFS' or 'FAT32', not 'RAW', and I think (but am not 100% certain) that I'd formatted the problem disk to FAT32 when I bought it.

    In My Computer the disk only registers as 'Local Disk (E)'.

    I have tried to update Drivers but Windows says I already have the most up-to-date ones for the HDD.

    I also tried reassigning the Drive Letter to (K), but no change.

    This disk was the backup for my most important files when I changed to my new laptop, and so I really don't want to lose them. I've read on some sites that I can still attempt to recover the files even if I format the drive (as long as I haven't written anything new to it), but I don't want to risk that unless there's no alternative. Equally I'd rather not try opening the drive casing up - on one forum it was suggested that the 'power supply component' for the HDD might be the problem, and opening the casing, removing the p/supply comp and running the drive in another hard drive enclosure might work.

    I contacted Buffalo and they just suggested formatting it then trying to recover the files.

    Does anyone have a better idea?

    Thanks

    Al
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 19,383
    Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
       #2

    Hi,

    Do NOT format it - that will result in you losing your files.

    Use the Partition Wizard partition recovery software to try and recover the partition to another disk.

    Regards,
    Golden
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks for the detailed responses - I was asked to open a new thread so have quoted your post here. The link in your part 3 shows exactly the error messages I've been getting, so I guess there's hope yet...I'll have a crack at it tomorrow.

    Cheers!

    jumanji said:
    Hi Alexei F,

    Welcome onboard.

    I have seen your post in the PC Advisor forum too.:)

    And you have been advised to use TestDisk.:) ( but it is not me who advised. )

    Well, I shall go in a graded manner on this issue.

    1. Connect your external hard disk back into an Windows XP machine and check whether you can access the files. If you can, then copy all the files into another media - say another ext. HDD. (Check all your files are OK and not corrupted. Unfortunately you had run scan/check disc in adverse conditions which could possibly corrupt the files.) If everything went Ok, format your ext.HDD in Windows 7.

    2. Boot from a live Linux CD/pendrive and if that could access the files, copy them to another HDD either to your internal drive if it has suficient space or to an external drive.

    https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...cy-backup.html

    or

    Lucid Puppy way to recover files from a non-bootable computer

    whichever you may prefer.

    3. Use TestDisk. Follow this guide in using.

    » How To Fix: External Disk Drive Suddenly Became RAW

    Note: You need not create a PartedMagic CD or pendrive. If your Windows is stable, install TestDisk - Windows version and follow the instructions on using TestDisk only.

    You may also refer to the guide here to familiarise yourself with TestDisk.

    Regain a lost drive using Test Disk - An Illustrated Guide

    Note: Post #23 therein also lets you know how to create a bootable DOS pendrive and run TestDisk with it, if you prefer to take Windows out of the loop.

    Let us know how you are progressing.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #4

    Hi Alexei F,

    Welcome onboard.

    I have seen your post in the PC Advisor forum too.

    And you have been advised to use TestDisk. ( but it is not me who advised. )

    Well, I shall go in a graded manner on this issue.

    1. Connect your external hard disk back into an Windows XP machine and check whether you can access the files. If you can, then copy all the files into another media - say another ext. HDD. (Check all your files are OK and not corrupted. Unfortunately you had run scan/check disc in adverse conditions which could possibly corrupt the files.) If everything went Ok, format your ext.HDD in Windows 7.

    2. Boot from a live Linux CD/pendrive and if that could access the files, copy them to another HDD either to your internal drive if it has suficient space or to an external drive.

    Peppermint3 - Create Live CD/DVD/USB To Use For Emergency Backup

    or

    Lucid Puppy way to recover files from a non-bootable computer

    whichever you may prefer.

    3. Use TestDisk. Follow this guide in using.

    » How To Fix: External Disk Drive Suddenly Became RAW

    Note: You need not create a PartedMagic CD or pendrive. If your Windows is stable, install TestDisk - Windows version and follow the instructions on using TestDisk only.

    You may also refer to the guide here to familiarise yourself with TestDisk.

    Regain a lost drive using Test Disk - An Illustrated Guide

    Note: Post #23 therein also lets you know how to create a bootable DOS pendrive and run TestDisk with it, if you prefer to take Windows out of the loop.

    Let us know how you are progressing.

    EDIT: I posted this in the other thread. After I posted, I noticed that you have created a new thread here. So I copied it here.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #5

    Again crossed.:)
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks! I don't have a working Windows XP computer, so skipped your stage 1. Am trying Stage 2, and then Test Disk / MiniTool Partition Recovery.

    I installed Live Peppermint 3, but in Step 1 on my installation, there doesn't seem to be any option for choosing CD/DVD instead of USB.

    jumanji said:
    1. Connect your external hard disk back into an Windows XP machine and check whether you can access the files. If you can, then copy all the files into another media - say another ext. HDD. (Check all your files are OK and not corrupted. Unfortunately you had run scan/check disc in adverse conditions which could possibly corrupt the files.) If everything went Ok, format your ext.HDD in Windows 7.

    2. Boot from a live Linux CD/pendrive and if that could access the files, copy them to another HDD either to your internal drive if it has suficient space or to an external drive.

    Peppermint3 - Create Live CD/DVD/USB To Use For Emergency Backup

    or

    Lucid Puppy way to recover files from a non-bootable computer
      My Computer


 

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