Solved Need to Recover Data from WD Passport External HD

[torre]

My Passport External HD suddenly failed.

- Replaced cable. Apparently this is not the problem.

- I have tried on another computer with same result.

- Light on HD is on but no sound of turning or no clicking sound.

- HD is recognized only in Disk Management. It does not show up under drives when clicking My Computer, thus I cannot access the drive.

- I downloaded Easeus Data Recovery (Trial) but when scanned does not find drive for Passport.

- I have not contacted WD, but searched their site for solutions/troubleshooting. Basically, they say use data recovery software. I do not want to pay many $$$ to send to a professoinal.

Anyone know of a Data Recovery Software or have ideas how I can access My Passport ? Thanks !

(Note: Passport is only about 15 months old and not really used that much. Not sure I would recommend WD to anyone)

 

[whs]

Try this: Rescue Kit Free Edition | PARAGON Software Group - free partition software, hard disk partitioning Else you can also try Recuva.

As what does it show in Disk Management. Best if you could post a picture.

 

[FuturDreamz]

It's possible the USB drive controller has failed. If it is no longer covered under warrenty, you should be able to remote the internal drive from the shell and insert it directly into your computer.

 

[torre]

Capture.PNG (39.9 KB)


Picture above. Disk 2 is the Passport.


FuturDreamz - This is an external HD. Can the HD be removed from the plastic case and attached/inserted to a laptop ?

 

[F5ing]

Yes, you should be able to remove the drive from the case. That's exactly what FuturDreamz was describing.

It looks like Disk Management sees it just fine, online and ready for you to partition. Since you've got data on there, you might want to try Testdisk to rebuild the partitions that are there: http://www.cgsecurity.org/

 

[whs]

If we are talking about Disk2, everything on that disk vanished - at least as Windows is concerned. If you have data on there, it may still be there and only the MFT may be corrupted. Try some of those recovery programs. Then you have to reformat the disk and allocate a new partition.

 

[F5ing]

Might be easier to go with Paragon first, recommended by whs earlier. If that doesn't do it for you, then try Testdisk.

 

[torre]

Thanks for the replies.

Having problems burning Paragon to a disk after download. Keep receiving error. Even so, I am concerned that the data recovery software will not recognize the Passport during a scan as I encountered with Easeus. I believe that is why no data is indicated under Disk Management for Disk 2 (Passport) It is not recognized by Windows.

If I remove external HD from the case as stated by futur above, how do you connect to a laptop ?

 

[FuturDreamz]

Capture.PNG (39.9 KB)


Picture above. Disk 2 is the Passport.


FuturDreamz - This is an external HD. Can the HD be removed from the plastic case and attached/inserted to a laptop ?

Usually yes. External HDD drives are usually just a standard 2.5"/3.5" sized SATA drive with a SATA to USB adaptor. It's possible the SATA to USB adaptor has failed. You should be able to dissasemble the shell and have a proper SATA drive inside.

As for connecting to a laptop, there's three possibilities:
1. use the SATA to USB adaptor. this assumes that you'r adaptor works, but the connection got loose
2. buy a adaptor, like this one (depending on what size of drive is inside)
3. pull out the laptop's hard drive and install this one. a bit more difficult to do, and is useless if you don't have another means of booting.

 

[F5ing]

Thanks for the replies.

Having problems burning Paragon to a disk after download. Keep receiving error. Even so, I am concerned that the data recovery software will not recognize the Passport during a scan as I encountered with Easeus. I believe that is why no data is indicated under Disk Management for Disk 2 (Passport) It is not recognized by Windows.

If I remove external HD from the case as stated by futur above, how do you connect to a laptop ?

Well, if you're having problems with burning the disk, and aren't even sure if it'll work anyway, you could just download and run testdisk (linked to above), it runs directly in Windows.

 

[torre]

Thanks all, leaning toward futur's recommendation, but will try teskdisk. Thanks sibbil.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
As a last resort I see that Windows hasn't assigned the drive a letter.
Just try in Computer management to assign a letter (Change / add Drive letter).

Can't do any harm and you *Might* just get lucky.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[gregrocker]

Install Partition Wizard Home edition, rightclick on the HD to Check File System. You may have to Add a drive letter in PW first.

If this fails try a Surface Scan of drive. Then File System check again.

Last resort is to take drive out of case, install into a laptop to run HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to see if it can repair the HD.

Any of these may repair it enough to copy out data. If not try Recuva - Features

 

[FuturDreamz]

Install Partition Wizard Home edition, rightclick on the HD to Check File System. You may have to Add a drive letter in PW first.

If this fails try a Surface Scan of drive. Then File System check again.

Last resort is to take drive out of case, install into a laptop to run HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to see if it can repair the HD.

Any of these may repair it enough to copy out data. If not try Recuva - Features

Maybe, but the "No Media" error seems to be like Windows can see the controller, but not the drive. It would be like trying to do a disk scan on a CD drive with no CD inserted.

 

[torre]

Installed the Partition Wizard. It does recognize Disk 2 (Passport) It will take almost an hour to scan.

Thanks all. Will report results, probably later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[gregrocker]

Watch for the autorun box to pop up which will mean that it has been repaired enough to access - let it complete anyway.

It is a partition and not Unallocated Space if it accepted a drive letter and is Checking File System. Looking good.

 

[gigagiggles]

torre, you may have overthought the problem and process.

I had one Passport. When I bought another Passport of the same size, the PC rejected the second saying it's sharing the same ID as the first. ???

After giving up initially and working around it by using it singularly, I tried again and went into disk management as you did. This time, I right-clicked the unrecognized Passport and selected one of the options (it may have been allocation). While I was at it, I also changed the name and drive letter. It's been working cooperatively ever since without loss of data from the allocation.

 

[torre]

Thanks greg. Only prob this is a 500GB drive, estimated time to complete is approx 5 hrs.

Before starting scan, I did a partial recover operation with the wizard which indicated the files were there.

But do you think my problem of the disk not being recognized is disk error or a power issue with the usb controller ? Thanks !

 

[torre]

torre, you may have overthought the problem and process.

I had one Passport. When I bought another Passport of the same size, the PC rejected the second saying it's sharing the same ID as the first. ???

After giving up initially and working around it by using it singularly, I tried again and went into disk management as you did. This time, I right-clicked the unrecognized Passport and selected one of the options (it may have been allocation). While I was at it, I also changed the name and drive letter. It's been working cooperatively ever since without loss of data from the allocation.

Thanks for the reply, but my problem is the Passport is not recognized and can't be accessed.

Also, I can't find the option to assign a drive letter to disk 2 (passport)

 

[F5ing]

Before starting scan, I did a partial recover operation with the wizard which indicated the files were there.

But do you think my problem of the disk not being recognized is disk error or a power issue with the usb controller ? Thanks !

This info, along with the screenshot you posted, makes it appear as though there is nothing wrong at all with your external drive (physical/electronics).

But system data at the very beginning of the drive got corrupted somehow. The data located there is necessary to allow the OS to access anything on the drive.

Is it possible that it was unplugged while files were still being written to it?