WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics: Too many bad sectors detected

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  1. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
       #1

    WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics: Too many bad sectors detected


    Western Digital - My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 (WDBACX0010​BBK-01)
    * The external hard drive was purchased in 2011.
    * It was working fine before. I stopped using it for.. 2 months? Recently, I started using it again.. only to experience this problem.
    * I've tested the external hard drive on my home laptop and office desktop PC. Experienced the same problems, as listed below:

    (0) WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics: "Too many bad sectors detected" message, as seen in attachment
    (1) Devices & Printers - "My Passport 0740" is detected
    (2) My Computer - Sometimes it shows G: drive, sometimes not at all
    (3) Partition Wizard - "Bad drive" message
    (4) Disk Management -
    * If you plug in the external hard drive, and then start Disk Management... only "Connecting to Virtual Service" message.
    *If you start Disk Management, and then plug in the external hard drive, "Disk 1 Unknown 931.48 GB Not Initialized; 931.48 GB Unallocated"
    (5) Internet: The internet won't work with the external hard drive plugged in
    (6) Other programmes: Sometimes programmes will hang with the external hard drive plugged in

    Could someone please help with this problem? I have a lot of important data stored inside.
    Thank you!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics: Too many bad sectors detected-test-results-quick-extended-test.jpg  
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #2

    Your drive is galloping towards its end and there is nothing much you can do to stop it - that's my guess that I hope is not true/does not come true. :)

    Stop using the drive further and get into data recovery mode. With the drive constantly creating more and more bad sectors some or most of your data may already be corrupt. Nonetheless try to recover whatever you can.

    Use PhotoRec for data recovery. It can recover data even if the file system is corrupt.

    Guide to using PhotoRec recovery software.

    Keep another external drive connected to copy whatever you can recover before running PhotoRec.

    As far as copying the found files see my post here My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated: ( Though I had mentioned it for TestDisk the same procedure applies to PhotoRec too)

    Good luck.

    ( Long blackout. I am typing in the dark with the inverter supply to the comp. Shutting down comp now to put lights on.)
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #3

    Sueling, I'm sure you are aware that Data Lifeguard is Western Digitals diagnostic tool. If it says the drive is/has failed, I would get my files off as soon as possible. For most any program to recover files, the drive has to be recognized. You can try Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console . If that will not work, sometimes Linux reads drives a little different than Windows so you could try Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS.

    Failing that, you may try Recuva. It is probably the best recovery program I am aware of. I hope some of this helps.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thank you for your replies. I'll give jumanji & essenbe's suggestions a try tomorrow.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I just bought a new external hard drive, to copy over the files.

    I'm going to try TestDisk first.

    Do I need to format it before using? It's a Samsung M3 Portable 1 TB USB 3.0.

    I have yet to install the bundled software. I don't plan on using Samsung Drive Manager, and will keep it on a CD-R. Is this a good idea?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #6

    1. You need not format your new drive. It would have already been formatted. Just copy a small file to it and check everything is Ok.

    2. You need not waste one CD-R to copy any crap/scrap that came with the new drive. Just copy all that into a folder on your internal drive just in case you need it later. After copying delete all folders/ files on the new drive including any test writes you did.( Do a Shift+Del to send those into a black hole)

    3. Suggest that you try Recuva first as suggested by essenbe - though I don't pin any hopes on it.

    4. Try PhotoRec in TestDisk instead of TestDisk itself. PhotoRec is much safer. Again I do not pin much hopes on it given the condition of your hard drive as stated by you. But yet we are compelled to try our luck hoping to scrape atleast something out of it.

    Good luck.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #7

    Aside from the good suggestions already given, I also would not install anything from the drive's CD. Those external drive program can often cause more trouble than being useful.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I followed your advice, and Shift + Delete the bundled software from Samsung.

    My Computer: Western Digital doesn't show up here.
    Recuva: Western Digital appears as Drive H; failed to scan due to "Warning: Unable to open drive".
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics: Too many bad sectors detected-recuva_popup.jpg  
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #9

    Ok. Try PhotoRec as suggested in post #2.

    If it could recognise the drive there is a fair chance of some recovery. ( I take this cue since Recuva did find the drive but could not open.)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Um, from what I understand, the first step is to reformat the external hard drive and then run PhotoRec. You don't need to clone the external hard drive first?
      My Computer


 
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