External HDD suddenly requires formatting, read as RAW instead of ntfs

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  1. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #11

    OK, thanks for the update. Good that you also put out the screenshot of PW.

    1. Was it showing only 2 TB before?

    2. In your first post you had mentioned that you used some Seagate software. Can you specify what exactly was that software? I have to check on it. You may also post the link.

    Run Partition Recovery wizard again. Do it at your leisure when you have enough time to run the Quick scan. ( you can cancel the scan/wizard anytime and that is not going to affect your data. Even if you had deleted some partitions earlier, the data will still be there. So let us try.)

    When the Partition Recovery Wizard finds all the partitions, post a screenshot. If it does not add up to 4 GB then we have to give up and take recourse to using PhotoRec where data recovery does not depend upon the file system. But it is going to be an excruciatingly long scan.

    Before running Partition Recovery Wizard again, please take your time to read How to perform lost partition recovery and deleted partition recovery under Windows? Partition Recovery Help.

    At the moment I am inclined to think that Partition Recovery Wizard is unable to deal with GPT or your HDD got messed up by the Seagate software before.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bits
    Thread Starter
       #12

    Hello again,

    Here is the link to the Seagate software I used: SeaTools for Windows | Seagate
    I honestly believe that it did not do any change to the HDD, it did not find any real problem. I used several scans, it did not ask for my permission to change anything, thus my belief that it actually did not do anything. I hope I am wrong on that.

    Unfortunately I do not remember if the first time I used partition wizard it showed 2TB or 4TB... sorry.
    The scan has been restarted (following the post you sent me step by step), here is a screenshot. So far it only detects 2TB for the entire disk. Should I let the scan go or can we expect that it will only detect the partitions on the 2TB it is working on ?

    Once again, thank you very much for your help.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails External HDD suddenly requires formatting, read as RAW instead of ntfs-screenshot-disk-management-5.png  
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #13

    OK, Seatools for Windows will only check your HDD if you had run only the Short test and long test.

    Unfortunately The Partition Recovery Wizard shows only 2TB. If you have the time, run a full scan. Let us see whether it finds 4TB. And yes, full scan will take a lot of time.

    If it does not find the missing 2TB, then perhaps you have to run PhotoRec.

    Unfortunately, I have no hands-on experience with GPT disks for I have no GPT disks for any experiments. So cannot say for certain whether PhotoRec also can scan full 4 TB. Anyway, we have to try.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bits
    Thread Starter
       #14

    Hey,

    I restarted the scan, this time full time (gonna take a day or two). I had an idea: would it be possible that my 4TB HDD be in reality 2 2TB HDDs ? If yes, could it be that one of them failed and now I can only access the only 2TB that are still working ?

    Yet, if it were the case, how could it be possible to have a bit more than 2TB accessible ....

    ++
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #15

    OMG! Your drive in Windows Disk Management shows as one 4TB drive and yes, two 2TB drives in Raid 0 can show as one single 4 TB drive.

    You must be knowing what you purchased in Amazon. Can you check on the specs of it?

    I shudder at the thought of one drive in RAID 0 failing. It is a catastrophy .

    I wish it is not that one drive failure.

    Let the full scan continue. Let us see whether Partition Recovery Wizard can see the full 4 TB.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bits
    Thread Starter
       #16

    Alright, here is the model of my HDD: Seagate Barracuda ST4000DM000. Amazon.com: Seagate Desktop HDD 4 TB SATA 6Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST4000DM000: Computers & Accessories

    If it can help, here are the info written on the HDD:
    SN; Z300JE1T
    ST; 100DM000
    PN: 1F2168-300
    FW; CC52
    DATE; 13484
    SITE; TK

    I don't really understand if it is a 1x4tb, 2x2tb or 4x1tb HDD. Well shit, it was so new I didn't have a back up for most of what was on it. I assume if one is dead, what was on it is lost ...
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #17

    OK, It is only a single 4 TB drive with four 1TB platters. ( you gave me a jolt.:))

    Continue with the PRW scan.

    EDIT: I don't know whether the Free Seagate DiskWizard software can help you in anyway. I had never dealt with more than 2 GB drives. So would call upon other experts and experienced users to pitch in and have a look at your problem. Otherwise I will go on with what I know and what I do not know. LOL.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bits
    Thread Starter
       #18

    I was ind of freaking out myself ;-)
    Quick question: do you have any way to prevent Window from installing an update and automatically restarting during the night ? The scan is half way through and I keep postponing four hours at a time ...
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 ultimate 64 bits
    Thread Starter
       #19

    found it, just had to google it ...
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #20

    Good. ( Went to Auchan for a long grocery shopping, came back and took a long nap and didn't peep into SevenForums for quite a while. )
      My Computer


 
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