WD Ext HDD 1021 2TB Hard drive stopped working

You have done well so far.
Now download Minitools Partition Wizard Home Edition referenced by ICit2lol in post #2. Install and run it. Post a screenshot. If your problem drive shows up a bad disk, the prognosis is indeed bad.

You may also answer the following queries.

1. How long have you been using that external HDD?

2. Is it still under warranty? Can you RMA it and get a replacement?

3. Since you were ready to format it, I presume you have no data to be recovered. Confirm.

( Right now I am slightly indisposed and so may not respond immediately.)

I've Had the drive for 18 months no warranty. I do have stuff i would like to keep but if i have to format it it doesn't worry me to much.

As I feared, PW is showing your HDD as Bad Disk.

Now one last ditch attempt. Try to format it with HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool v1.2.2 HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool Free Download

( Right click on the exe file and Run as administrator to format.)

If it does not help, download Western Digital Lifeguard diagnostics for Windows WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS / WD RE2

Run the Quick Test. If it fails Extended Test. If the extended Test also fails, try Write Zeros and see whether you can initialise the Disk.( All this assuming that the software can see your external drive)

If everything fails, try Easus Partition Master 9.2.2 Free partition manager software to resize partitions - EaseUS Partition Master Free and try to format ( based on a miracle experience by another user here https://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-...ml#post2490715 )

If all these fail, you have to take the HDD out of the case and try it as a second internal drive in a desk top. (If it is only the interface electronics inside the enclosure that has failed your HDD may - note the word may - still be good. The above user referenced, used an IDE/SATA to USB connector)

If still your HDD does not work, the worst has happened. The HDD is dead as a dodo. ( Reason: If all the reserved sectors in the HDD are already mapped by the bad sectors and there is no more of it to accommodate further bad sectors created in the HDD, the drive controller will make it write protected, so that you can't write any more data that will only get corrupted. End of life for HDD.)

Now I have given you a full load of what to do so that I can relax for a week.:) ( I will only peeping in as an observer and not an involver, till I recover my health)

You can still report any problems in executing this plan, and I am sure others will help you to carry out the task. Good luck.

It says disk is error: write protected I think i will just go get a new drive and throw this on in the bin thanks everyone for your help it been greatly appreciated jumunji i hope your help gets better thanks again for your help

blindaussie said:

.......jumunji i hope your help gets better .......

You meant health, I suppose.:)

yes sorry

I bought my laptop off eBay about 6 weeks ago I have just found that the windows 7 is not genuine i went to dell and found out that i should have windows vista installed .I want to know if I buy the windows 7 upgrade and install it with the the original windows vista installed will it upgrade ok