external HDD can't be initialized "the device is not ready"

[jumanji]

Hi dellstudio 1234,

Welcome to SevenForums.

An I/O device error and CRC errors on an external HDD mostly point to a failing/failed hard drive.

Since you had indicated that you tried diskpart clean all, I presume that you are not keen to recover anything from your ext. HDD.

Try the following:

1. Change the cable to the HDD and check.

2. Try the HDD on another computer with the new cable. If the same problem persists then it is certain that your system has nothing to do with this error and points to a faulty HDD.

3. Run the manufacturer's diagnostic/repair utility. If it cannot repair, go for a warranty return ( if within warranty).

4. Not to leave it to any chance, download HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool ( the Windows executable that requires no installation) and Run it as administrator on the external HDD. If it can detect your HDD, it will try to do the same job as diskpart-clean all. You will see a running dialog that will indicate if it encounters any errors. If it successfully reinitialises the external HDD - which may take quite sometime - you have to format it - but I am skeptical. It is just to satisfy yourself that you have done everything possible.

This article is worth reading. Good Luck.

 

[Night Hawk]

I wouldn't make it a habit to be using the "Clean All" command! When in DiskPart and you have selected the correct drive simply enter the clean command. If you enter the clean all command at the wrong time that will wipe more then one drive!

The DiskPart tool being the built in partition mahager showing a large error definitely isn't good! And I would tend to agree with jumanji that the drive could be history!

The WD support tools would be the Data Lifeguard tools available at the WD support site. You will first need to select the model series of the external drive you have there however starting with the main support page for Downloads Select Product

The guide for testing a drive is seen at How to test a drive for problems using Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for Windows

 

[dellstudio1234]

hello windows seven forum gods,
Ok i tried everythin,the WD support tools said 60 days to assing zero's to it and after running it for 4 hours it said 80 days so i quit the damn thing and ran the hdd low level format tool.18hrs later the damn thing still didnt intialize,ran the cmd clean all again and it said I/O device error again..al thats left to do is perform an autopsy on the damn thing,maybe give it a peace pipe boost ....anyway thanks very much for ya free advice.yall are the gods i worship

 

[jumanji]

We are no Gods, but only God's creations.

 

[Night Hawk]

hello windows seven forum gods,
Ok i tried everythin,the WD support tools said 60 days to assing zero's to it and after running it for 4 hours it said 80 days so i quit the damn thing and ran the hdd low level format tool.18hrs later the damn thing still didnt intialize,ran the cmd clean all again and it said I/O device error again..al thats left to do is perform an autopsy on the damn thing,maybe give it a peace pipe boost ....anyway thanks very much for ya free advice.yall are the gods i worship

Have you been checking the Disk Management tool to see if anything appears there? Again the Clean All command is one to be used cautiously. If the external drive is seen as Disk 2 in DiskPart you would try the following commands.

List Disk
Select Disk 2(or correct actual number for drive)
clean
create partition primary(could be logical or extended as the alternatives)
format fs ntfs quick(alternate command format fs=nt60)
assign
exit

Once you enter those commands in in that order and you still don't get anywhere then you know there's a hardware problem for sure. It might be only the usb cable or the controller card in the drive's casing and not the drive at all.

The one sure way to find out if the drive is toast would be removing it entirely from the casing to either toss in another external enclosure or install internally and direct off the board from a sata port. I did that back in 2009 when needing an extra drive for testing 7.

 

[azskycop]

Same Problem....not fixed

I have the same problem with an external 3tb drive that was working fine. This morning the computer locked up and after a re-boot the drive was could not be seen at all listed in "computer"

In "disk management" it shows "drive 2" but will not initialize, now it will not even give that option. A right click only says "offline, Properties, and help". Properties does say the device is working correctly.

"diskpart" "list" command only shows disk 0 and disk1. However if I use "select disk 2" it will say "disk 2 is now the selected disk". Anything after that I get an error message.

I have tried plugging into other computers, no luck. Tried several recovery programs, none of them can "see" the disk.

I am guessing the file system is corrupt. Is there a way to recover this without deleting all info on the disk????

Please help.

Thanks!!!

 

[Golden]

@azskycop - create your own thread please, otherwise you muddy the existing one

 

[azskycop]

@azskycop - create your own thread please, otherwise you muddy the existing one

I can do that, I just thought my problem was the same or close enough to what was already here.

New Thread here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/261251-usb-hard-drive-will-not-initialize.html

 

[deepaklost]

it worked for me... i used the 2nd option wer it asks some MBR or something which is for 2tb or above... mine was 500gb but u clicked 2gb n above option n it went for online n i formatted with ntfs n thats it .....worked...woohoo....

thank you all.......