External HDD died, need help recovering data for backup

I've been getting ready for a disk replacement after 7 1/2 years but the disks arrived too late to avoid anything problematic.

My external HDD gave a cylindrical error while reading some data in a program so I knew this was going to be the end of it. I tried to avoid running chkdsk and suffer so I had time to backup but my harddrives won't come in the mail until tomorrow. I tried to navigate to the directory that gave the cylindrical error and half the files couldn't be found, as expected, going back the entire file tree containing couldn't be found either so I tried running chkdsk anyway and just go with it but it couldn't "load a RAW partition", so the boot sector of the drive failed, without thinking I shut off the drive and turned it back on.
Big mistake because now nothing loads at all.

I tried chkdsk /R, which did not work.

I downloaded testdisk and I'm running an analysis right now, its working, but extremely slowly (has been running for more then a day and is at 1%) and often gets stuck on a cylinder for several minutes to half an hour often resulting in a read error.

I have EasUS Partition Manager Pro 10.5 and HDD Regenerator as well if this does not help.

I'm not really familiar with testdisk, I never used it before, I did read the "manual" but that's only describes one scenario, mine already differs from whats on the site so I could use some help in how to fix this so I can access my data, copy and paste everything to the new HDD when it arrives and then zero out the old drive, hoping for the best and using it as "extra storage if needed for junk" or toss it.

So far the test results are as followed (many more read errors but can't paste them all), I know they're bad, I could use some help/instructions on how to best approach this with minimal to no data loss if possible. Thanks!

Code:

Drive I: - 4000 GB / 3726 GiB - CHS 60800 255 63, sector size=4096

Partition table type (auto): None
Drive I: - 4000 GB / 3726 GiB
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Drive I: - 4000 GB / 3726 GiB - CHS 60800 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=117 sector=53
BAD_RS LBA=1970422794 5742108
check_part_i386 1 type 72: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1952803941 1051071
check_part_i386 2 type 6C: no test
BAD_RS LBA=543519776 5886830
check_part_i386 3 type 69: no test
BAD_RS LBA=2576089098 4327893
check_part_i386 4 type 0A: no test
Current partition structure:
1 * Sys=72 122653 37 19 244069 167 55 1950556267

Warning: Bad ending sector (CHS and LBA don't match)
2 * Sys=6C 121556 107 61 235842 24 32 1835999333

Bad relative sector.
3 * Novell 33832 138 3 153284 27 42 1918989427

Bad relative sector.
4 * OS/2 Boot Manager 160354 33 10 160357 71 25 50605

Bad relative sector.
Only one partition must be bootable
Space conflict between the following two partitions
3 * Novell 33832 138 3 153284 27 42 1918989427
2 * Sys=6C 121556 107 61 235842 24 32 1835999333
Space conflict between the following two partitions
2 * Sys=6C 121556 107 61 235842 24 32 1835999333
1 * Sys=72 122653 37 19 244069 167 55 1950556267
Space conflict between the following two partitions
1 * Sys=72 122653 37 19 244069 167 55 1950556267
4 * OS/2 Boot Manager 160354 33 10 160357 71 25 50605

search_part()
Drive I: - 4000 GB / 3726 GiB - CHS 60800 255 63
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669440(41/171/3)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,669440(41/171/3)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669440(41/171/3)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,669442(41/171/5)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669447(41/171/10)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669449(41/171/12)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,669455(41/171/18)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,669696(41/175/7)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669696(41/175/7)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,669698(41/175/9)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669703(41/175/14)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,669705(41/175/16)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,669711(41/175/22)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671232(41/199/31)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671232(41/199/31)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671232(41/199/31)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671234(41/199/33)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671239(41/199/38)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671241(41/199/40)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,671247(41/199/46)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671488(41/203/35)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671488(41/203/35)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671490(41/203/37)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671495(41/203/42)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671497(41/203/44)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,671503(41/203/50)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671744(41/207/39)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671744(41/207/39)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,671746(41/207/41)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671751(41/207/46)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,671753(41/207/48)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,671759(41/207/54)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672000(41/211/43)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672000(41/211/43)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672002(41/211/45)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672007(41/211/50)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672009(41/211/52)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,672015(41/211/58)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672256(41/215/47)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672256(41/215/47)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672258(41/215/49)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672263(41/215/54)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672265(41/215/56)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,672271(41/215/62)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672512(41/219/51)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672512(41/219/51)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672514(41/219/53)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672519(41/219/58)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672521(41/219/60)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,672527(41/220/3)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672768(41/223/55)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672768(41/223/55)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,672770(41/223/57)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672775(41/223/62)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,672777(41/224/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,672783(41/224/7)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737280(45/227/55)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737280(45/227/55)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737280(45/227/55)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737282(45/227/57)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737287(45/227/62)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737289(45/228/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,737295(45/228/7)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737536(45/231/59)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737536(45/231/59)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737538(45/231/61)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737543(45/232/3)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737545(45/232/5)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,737551(45/232/11)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737792(45/235/63)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737792(45/235/63)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,737794(45/236/2)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737799(45/236/7)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,737801(45/236/9)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,737807(45/236/15)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738048(45/240/4)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738048(45/240/4)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738050(45/240/6)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738055(45/240/11)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738057(45/240/13)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,738063(45/240/19)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738304(45/244/8)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738304(45/244/8)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738306(45/244/10)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738311(45/244/15)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738313(45/244/17)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,3,buffer,738319(45/244/23)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738560(45/248/12)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,2,buffer,738560(45/248/12)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(732,1,buffer,738562(45/248/14)) read err: read after end of file

A lot more of that.but I reached the character limit.

External drive 4TB. Manufacturer/ Model Number/name ????????

My instinctive feeling is that you have lost the race. But 10% of the times my instinct can go wrong. Under that premise,

Stop Test Disk forthwith and safely remove your external drive. If safely remove icon is not there, shut down your PC and then plug out the faulty drive.

Download and install Partition Wizard Free Edition 9.1 from Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online

Now plug in only your faulty external drive. No other USB storage/USB devices except your Keyboard and Mouse.

Take a screenshot of how your external drive looks like in Windows Disk Management. Save it. Close Windows Disk Management.

Run Partition Wizard and take a screenshot of the first screen of it as soon as you launch the program, again showing your external drive. Save it.

Safely remove or remove after shut down your external drive. ( Keep it running only for the minimal time required for the screenshots.)

Post the screenshots.

WDM :Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image
Snipping Tool How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista
Upload to Seven Forums: Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Lacie external drives use Seagate HDDs inside. Check the health of your drive using SeaTools for Windows.

How to use SeaTools for Windows

Already did.

It was "degrading" because of heat issues but nothing critical, no major amounts of corrupt sectors or unallocated sectors, until a few hours before I made this post, then the scans failed to produce any results.

I'm trying to run Hiren's boot right now but I can't seem to load the HDD in any of the DOS programs but there isn't much on it that could fix things in the windows version. Maybe partition magic? or Parted Magic in the linux distro.

ok it looks like i'm making minimal progress, but progress nonetheless.

I found testdisk in the linux distro as well, ran it, found my partition LaCie (spelled correctly) no problem, found the drive and correctly displayed the right model Seagate harddrive, blocks used, size and storage used etc..

I ran a quick test and it said that the file structure was ok, i'm trying to get more out of it and see what I can and can't fix.

Progress: I think its displaying a lot my files at the moment in testdisk

Very true.
I'm still deep scanning it, the last scan was just a quick one.
The main problem is that the cylinder that held both my partition table and my main MFT broke down so right now I'm recreating the partition table and recovering a backup MFT.
Once that is done i'm going to restore files not found through MFT then run forensic like programs to recover things left over in bad clusters, starting with PhotoRec and working my way up until my recovery is "good enough" or "as good as it gets".
Then I'm going to zero the disk, run a fschk/chkdsk and use it as junk storage.
It won't be reliable but it isn't dead, the parts that gave up where unfortunately the parts that both index the drive and make it recognizable for Windows. While Linux had no problem mounting it or reading it, go figure, disk checks still only show it as degrading not as imminent failure either.
I will update this every now and then, it might be helpful for others in the future if I find a way to recover things.