Western Digital Ext. HDD 1TB, causing programs to stop responding.

VISHWAS123 · 01 Dec 2014

Hi
I have a WD Ext. HDD 1 TB that has stopped working following a virus.
I plugged it into my PC the day I got the virus and formatted the drive. The format took so long that I stopped the format once and I reformatted it multiple times. (There were only movies in it so I am not worried about file recovery).

Windows occasionally recognizes it as a Local disk with no capacity displayed at the bottom.
I ran chkdsk on it a couple of times but it hung on 37 percent or somewhere there.
It causes all my apps to stop responding, so I can't even access the drive.
However, I have noticed that the activity light of the drive just keeps on flashing endlessly, with no sign of stopping.

I also have a linux desktop so when i plugged it in, performance becomes sloppy and it displays an error saying that the drive cannot be mounted.

I can not run any checking apps as it freezes up my pc.
What do you suggest I do?

Thanks

Vishwas

CKWD · 01 Dec 2014

Hi there VISHWAS123!

I am sorry this has happened to you!

If the information on that drive is really not that valuable to you, you could use the WD Data Lifeguard software to fully write zeros to the disk. This would fully erase every bit of the drive, it's partitions and format, so that you could have the closest to a new hard drive. Then by using a new USB 3.0 cable (or just one that you are positive is working) plug it in to a PC clean from any malware or viruses. Format the drive in NTFS.

This way, if this works, you'll know that the problem is fixed and you have a fully cleaned, newly formatted external drive with an undamaged cable.

If the problem still hangs, then the drive is probably too corrupted to be fixed.

WD Data Lifeguard:
WD Support / Downloads / Other Products / Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows

I hope this helps!
Best of luck!

CK_WD

jumanji · 01 Dec 2014

I would fully agree with CkWD, that you should check your drive with Datalifeguard Diagnostics and then write zeros with it.

Since your system was infected - and we still do not know whether it has been cleaned perfectly to get rid of the infection - I would suggest that you run Datalifeguard Dignostic for DOS from a bootable DOS pendrive.

How to:

1. Download Rufus Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

2. Backup any data on a pen drive to another location, plug in your pendrive and run Rufus.

3. Check the correct pendrive is chosen in Rufus,select MSDOS from the dropdown arrow in "Create a bootable disk using" and click on Start. ( All existing data on your pendrive will be lost when Rufus formats the drive and that is why you should backup all data on it to another location as aforesaid)

Western Digital Ext. HDD 1TB, causing programs to stop responding.-01-12-2014-19-54-40.jpg

4. On completion close Rufus and your bootable DOS drive is ready.

Now,

1. Download Datalifeguard Diagnostic for DOS - WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS / WD Blue / SE / SE16 (SATA II) ( Please read the instructions on this page too)

2. Unzip the zip file to a folder and copy the dlgdiag5.exe file to the pendrive.

3. Using the onetime boot menu of your PC, boot into DOS on the pendrive.

4. Against the command prompt type dlgdiag5.exe and press enter.

Now you should be running the diagnostic tool.

Write zeros to the drive.

VISHWAS123 · 01 Dec 2014

hi guys,

Thanks so much for the prompt replies. I will first of all try the lifeguard program for windows before the one for DOS. Hopefully I will be able to fix this problem.
I will get back when i run the program on the drive.

Thanks again
Vishwas

VISHWAS123 · 01 Dec 2014

hi

Um... guys is this normal???????
4000+ hours?

VISHWAS123 · 01 Dec 2014

hi again

I aborted the mission and i decided to scan the drive first....
This is what happened.....

CKWD · 02 Dec 2014

Well, this is definitely not a good sign.
An unknown element has failed during the test making it overall incomplete. It probably won't be able to continue or do the test fully, and as I see it, doubtfully writing zeros, which could've helped a lot. I would suggest running @Jumanji's suggestion and see if you can get a kick from there.
If not, I don't think there'd be anything you could do so see if you could RMA the disk through the warranty check here:
WD Support / Warranty Services / Warranty Check for End User

Good luck!
CK_WD

VISHWAS123 · 03 Dec 2014

Hi

Thank you for the reply.
I will try @Jumangi's method also. But I don't have any memory sticks available, so can I use a CD+r instead?
Thank you for the link. I will check it out.

EDIT: I checked up my hard disk on the link you suggested and my drive is out of region as I bought it in India.
What do you suggest I do?
I will be going to India soon so can I return it then?
I bought the drive about a year ago and it has 3 years of warranty.

BIGGER PROBLEM: I read the instructions about the diagnostics tool for DOS, but my device is a My passport device meaning its serial number starts with WX....... but the tool is only meant for devices with codes starting with WD....
what should I do now?

Thanks again
Vishwas

CKWD · 03 Dec 2014

Hi again, VISHWAS123!

This is a quote from WD's “Worldwide Warranty Policy and Limitations”:

“No warranty service is provided unless the Product is returned to an authorized return center in the region (warranty regions are identified as Canada, U.S.A., Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, India and Thailand) where the Product was first shipped by WD, which may have regional specific warranty implications."

This is the whole article that would be useful to you, you would basically be needing proof of purchase, to prove through your serial number that the device is still in warranty and to package it as described:
WD Support / Warranty Services / End User / Worldwide Warranty Policy and Limitations

Here you could contact WD customer service to tell you further instructions and make it easier for you, I suggest you do that first:
WD Support

Best of luck!

CK_WD

VISHWAS123 · 04 Dec 2014

Hi again.

I have looked at the links you have listed. I will contact WD soon. I was still wondering about using a CD- R for the DOS version of the datalifeguard tool and also it is meant for serial codes starting with WD.... but mine starts with WX....
Will the tool still work or is there another version for it?

Thanks.
Vishwas