Windows 7: WD Passport HD - Failed to recognize, Disk Not Initilized error

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I have exactly the same problem as described above and have very important data on the HDD.

Is there any known solution for this as I've been browsing all over the place and can not seem to find anything workable.

hey i have read all of the posts and followed all the instructions but nothing.... i still get the same issues... if anyone know the fix please post... apparently this is a common issue to WD PASSPORT.... maybe is a fabrication malfunction... tnks for helpping.

if the hard drive is formatted, isn't all the data is lost?

I am not sure in which context you are asking this question.

1. If you have wiped your disk clean - either with diskpart clean command or using any other third party software - and then format, then all data in it is lost even before formatting . By wiping you have effectively overwritten any data present in each sector with 00s or any other random hexadecimal number.

2. If one has accidentally formatted a drive - whether it is a Quick Format or Full Format - all data in most sectors is still present - if not overwritten by any fresh data. Formatting only writes a new File System but the data in most other sectors is still there and can be recovered . DR software like PhotoRec and Zero Assumption Recovery ignore the file system and go after the underlying data, so it will still work even if your media's file system has been severely damaged or reformatted. Most file formats can be recovered. Some cannot be recovered. But you will only get a bunch of files and the names and folder structure would be lost since the original Filesystem - which keeps the index of files/Folders - is now lost..