External HDD RAW. How to format it?

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  1. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
       #1

    External HDD RAW. How to format it?


    Hello, I tried all day to recover the drive with different software with no luck. So now Im trying to format it, and again no luck. I guess it has to go to the bin?



    What else I can try? In Disk Management it says: Healthy! Mad.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #2

    Hello,

    You might see if using the "Clean" (not "clean all") may be able to wipe the HDD to allow you to format it afterwards.

    Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

    If not, then you might scan the drive with a drive testing tool (ex: SeaTools) from the HDD's manufacturer to see if it passes or fails. If it fails, then the HDD is dead or failing.

    Hope this helps, :)
    Shawn
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Already done that with seatools. Short test - pass. Long test - fail.

    "clean" gives the same error as on the screenshot.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #4

    It's a dead drive then. R.I.P.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Brink said:
    It's a dead drive then. R.I.P.
    hehe, what if I rip it and connect to sata cable? Will that make any difference?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #6

    Nope. If it fails the drive test tool, it's a dead duck.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Brink said:
    It's a dead drive then. R.I.P.
    How to disassemble a Seagate FreeAgent Pro - Blog of Travis Hydzik

    some people here say that after connecting internally it worked? Ill try to rip it.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #8

    It won't hurt anything to try, but I'd run another test on it after it's connected internally to be sure. I don't think it'll help though.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #9

    There are only two things that can fail in an external HDD. 1. The interface electronics inside ( SATA to USB bridge) and 2. the physical HDD inside.

    In cases where the interface electronics fails, you can still retrieve the HDD by ripping open the enclosure, pulling out the HDD and connecting it as an internal drive.

    In your case, the short test passed which indicates the interface electronics is OK. The long test failed which indicates the HDD is bad.

    If both Short Test and Long Test had failed then it is indeterminate in that we don't know whether it is the interface electronics or the HDD itself that failed and it is worth taking a chance to try the HDD as an internal drive.

    However, if your drive is not under warranty to get a replacement, nothing prevents you to rip it open and try it and experiment.:)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    okay, update for future googlers:

    I ripped the case to pieces as its glued and I dont need it nor I want to spend hours to deattach it with some crazy tiny screws. Took the hard drive out of it, connected internally to pc. After that Windows 7 would not boot, just stuck at windows logo screen.

    So what I did, I tried hdd regenerate boot cd - didnt help, tried partition wizard boot cd - that would not start at all throwing errors, total rubbish.

    After that I tried seagate's seatools boot cd. The reason I didnt try it first is because when hard drive was connected via usb in its original case - seatools couldnt see it.

    Started testing the disk, long test showed > 100 errors. Apparently it fixed them and I thought oh yeah now I will boot fine. Nope, same stuck windows boot logo screen. And at last, via seagate's boot cd again I FULL ERASE the disk. It took 3,5 hours to complete. And voilą! I have a the disk now:

      My Computer


 
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