1TB WD external hard disk not initialized

[kaufmann]

I have an WD 1TB hard disk which failed to initialize recently. It gives me an I/O error message. I found a few old threads here with similar problem and tried out the suggested steps. I ran WD diagnostic tool and passed the Quick test and Extended test(Screenshot attached). I would like to avoid the zero test and formatting of my data if possible. The hard disk is almost full and recovering them after formatting would be really painful. I would be really grateful if someone could please help me out?

 

[HarriePateman]

Is you have a empty hard drive kicking about or somewhere to store you data, move it all to there.
Then format you drive, see if that works.

 

[sygnus21]

Hi kaufmann,

For some reason sometimes a drive may lose it's drive letter? I've had this issue a few times with my WD Passport drive at times. Anyway....

- Can you see it in Disk Management?

- If so, does it have a drive letter assigned?

- If not, right click the drive and assign a letter to it.

- Is it working now?

You might also try swapping cables, or if possible, use a shorter one.

Let us know.

 

[kaufmann]

Hi guys.. Thank you for your replies! I really appreciate it!!!

As for my issue, the hard disk does not get initialized. It appears as an virtual CD in My computer(screenshot attached). When i try to initialize it, I get an I/O error(screenshot attached).

To find the problem, I ran the WD diagnostic tool and it passed both the tests, as you may have noticed from the screenshot of my earlier post.

I am not sure what the problem is... Any suggestions?

 

[jumanji]

1. What is the exact model Number of your Western Digital Passport?

2. Did it come with Smartware and did you install it?

3. Have you at anytime used a virtual CDROM drive? If so when and for what purpose?

4. From when did this problem crop up?

5. Can you recollect anything that you did to your PC after which this problem cropped up? - such as installing a new software, playing a new Game etc.,

 

[kaufmann]

Hi Jumanji...

1. The exact model number is 0748
2. Yes, it did come with an smartware and I did install it.
3. I use virtual CDROM to install games using Daemon tools Lite. I guess the last time I used it was probably last month.
4. From last Sunday.
5. The last thing I did was transfer a few files to my friend's laptop. It worked fine. Ever since then, it's not detecting either in my laptop or any other laptop.

I have already tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers from disk management, it was of no use.

Also, I tried updating the WD firmware, but it fails and gives me an error.

 

[jumanji]

.........5. The last thing I did was transfer a few files to my friend's laptop. It worked fine. Ever since then, it's not detecting either in my laptop or any other laptop.........

Not even on your friend's laptop where you used it last time?

Is the same friend's same laptop within your reach now? If so connect to it again and if you can access your drive, copy all the contents to another drive. That would be the first thing I would do before I venture on to do anything else.

EDIT: Is it WDBBEP0010BBK? Check the label on the drive and confirm. Is it USB3?

 

[kaufmann]

I tried it on my friend's laptop too... It's the same result.
And yes... It's the same P/N code. It is USB 3.0.

 

[jumanji]

OK. Now do the following.

1. Get into Daemon Tools Settings. Some where in the Settings, there may be a means to disable virtual drives. Disable creation of Virtual drives. Done? leave it at that till your HDD problem is resolved.

2. Remove all external drives/ pen drives/ card readers/USB hubs etc., from your PC.

3. Do a drive cleanup to remove all non-present devices, drive letters and registry entries associated with those.

Download v 0.8.1 of the drivecleanup.zip from Drive Tools for Windows.

Unzip it to a folder, say drivecleanup.

You will have two folders Win32 and x64 each containing DriveCleanup.exe for 32 bit and 64 bit respectively.

Remove all USB storage devices from your system (except your Keyboard and mouse) and reboot.

Right click on the DriveCleanup.exe and run as administrator. (Use the *.exe file appropriate for your bit version of Windows.).

After the clean up act, reboot.

Now connect your 1TB external drive. The drivers will be loaded afresh.

Check whether your drive shows up. If not post a screenshot of Windows Disk Management - Full screen including CD/DVD ROM drives. Also check and tell whether any virtual CDROM drive is present in My Computer.

Now further questions: Are you using Smartware? Are you using a Password? Have you changed the settings in it recently? ( Unfortunately I don't know much about Smartware except that it has always been problematic.)

 

[kaufmann]

I am sorry, we were running on backup power and had no internet access yesterday. Hence the delayed update.

To sygnus21==>

A mutual friend of mine has the same hard drive, so I tried it with his cable. The result was same.
I tried it with my cable in his laptop, and his cable in his laptop. It was of no use.
Also, I am able to detect his hard drive with my cable, in my laptop.
So, I assume that there's nothing with my pc or cable.

To jumanji==>

As i couldn't find the settings to disable virtual drive creation, I have uninstalled it in advanced mode using revo uninstaller pro. Hope this will do for time being.

I tried running the drive clean up and it loaded fresh drivers when I plugged it in after booting the machine!!! But I am afraid there was no improvement in the result.
I have included the screenshots of My computer and diskmgmt.


As for the other part, Yes!!! I had set a password for drive lock and No I did not change the settings recently. The auto drive unlock was enabled for my laptop, hence it would load up automatically without the prompt for password.

 

[sygnus21]

To sygnus21==>

A mutual friend of mine has the same hard drive, so I tried it with his cable. The result was same.
I tried it with my cable in his laptop, and his cable in his laptop. It was of no use.
Also, I am able to detect his hard drive with my cable, in my laptop.
So, I assume that there's nothing with my pc or cable.

Based on what you present here, I'm 99.9 percent it isn't your PC and am just about equally sure the drive is bad.

Equally, with what you present, there's really no need for the procedures presented by jumanji as your laptop appears to be functioning correctly since you note you can detect your friend's drive.

With that, have you contacted WD's tech support?

As a side note, you might want to free up some space on your other drives as they getting to a point where you wont be able to install or run any programs from them. This is where your external drive would help out, but if it's dead... you may need a new one.

Anyway try contacting Western Digital's tech support and go from there. They may even offer to send you a replacement depending on warranty.

Good luck.

 

[jumanji]

Hi Kaufmann,

1. The reason why I wanted you to stop Daemon from creating virtual drives is to confirm the source of the virtual drive. Even now your computer shows another drive F. If you do not have another physical drive (please confirm) then I am sure that it is coming from your Western Digital drive. WD drives may contain a VCD - and a troublesome one at it.

2. I was never in doubt of your cable because as per your first post screenshot, you had run Datalifeguard on your WD drive and as per indications it passed the test.

3. I am now inclined to think it is the Smartware that is preventing access to your drive. Now a question: Your drive is PW protected and no doubt you have instructed Smartware to auto access the drive with that. Now your friend used it. How? He knows the Password? What did he do to access the PW protected drive? If after this event your drive became inaccessible on your PC, I would definitely try to connect it with this event and Smartware rather than saying your drive is dead for sure.

4. Non-present devices and drive letters associated with those which Windows keeps in the registry can at times confuse Windows and prevent access to the drive. I tried to eliminate this possibility. Was it a cumbersome process - downloading a 25KB zip file, unzipping it, and clicking on the exe file?? You know it. I do it. Here it goes just clicking on an exe file.



Keep doing it periodically, to keep your computer clean to prevent that confusion and attendant problem.

5. Run the WD Lifeguard Diagnostics again. In the first post screenshot the drive is shown as zero capacity.( May be Windows and Smartware is responsible for it.) Please note and tell me whether the long test really runs. If it really runs to its capacity of 1 TB it should take a long time to complete. If it instantly gives a pass, then you should run the DOS version from a bootable DOS pendrive - overriding Windows and Smartware. In any case this will be necessary if you want to take it up with WD Tech Support. ( Your friend could have dropped and killed it.That possibility also exists. But I won't come to any conclusion merely on surmise ) If you don't know how to run the diagnostics from a pen drive let me know. I shall then give the instructions. I need a break now.

 

[kaufmann]

Hi Jumanji,

1==> Yes, the VCD shown is coming from WD drive.

3==>Yes, my friend knew the password to the drive.

5==> I am afraid you are right! The long test gives me the pass result immediately.
I do not know how to run the test from a bootable pendrive. Could you please post me the instructions.
I appreciate your help. Thanks a lot!

 

[jumanji]

I have read your post. May take some more time to work on it.

I have to brew my coffee and feed the fuel.

Please check after an hour or two.

 

[jumanji]

Before you run the Diagnostics, a) try to input your password and access the drive.( uncheck Remember the Password also) b) Try removing the security in the software and try to access the drive without the need for a password. I think the software settings allow it. c) Ask your friend whether he had changed the Password d) ask your friend whether he had accidentally dropped the drive.

I do not have a Western Digital external drive. I do not know anything about Smartware as already stated in the beginning. I just had a cursory glance an hour or so ago. When your friend accessed it on his user account, it would have asked for the password. After that when you plugged it in into your user account, it should have asked for the Password. Did that happen?

Please remember, if you have forgotten the password, or the password has been changed there is no way to access the drive except erasing the drive with the software and starting afresh.

The software also enables you to run the diagnostics and you should do it first.(with your cable and with your friend's cable) . You should be knowing better about the software. So try everything possible with the software. Only a person who has been using that software can give you better instructions. Since Sygnus21 had said he had dealt with WD drives, let us see whether he can throw more light on it.

Now to run Datalifeguard,

1. Run Datalifeguard Diagnostic for DOS: Use your own cable

With Rufus Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way , create a bootable MSDOS pen drive. Backup all data on your pen drive beforehand for it will be lost when Rufus formats the pen drive. Plug in your pen drive and run Rufus. Leave most of the things to default. Check your correct pen drive is shown. Select MSDOS in the drop down arrow in "Create a bootable disk using" and then click on Start.

Check the Support page for your WD model and download Data Liifeguard Diagnostic for DOS

If none, then Download dlgdiag_5_21.zip WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS / WD VelociRaptor and extract the contents to the bootable msdos pen drive you had created.

Plug in your WD external drive, Boot from the pen drive and against the command prompt type dlgdiag5.exe and press enter to run it.

Check that your drive is shown with the correct capacity and do the short and long test.

2. Repeat the same with the cable borrowed from your friend who has the same drive.

3. Repeat Data LifeGuard for Windows with your friend's cable.

Keep us posted on what you do and the results.. May be other people can help even if I can't any further than this.

 

[kaufmann]

Hi Jumanji,

I really appreciate your help. Even though I am worried about this day and night, I have no choice and will be gone for 3 days.
I will be back this weekend and will do the steps suggested by you. I will post the screenshots of the test. Hope you will still be there to help me out. Thanks!!!

 

[jumanji]

Not to worry. Take your time. The whole process itself may take time. Do it slowly and steadily without hurrying up.

Of importance is to read any and all documentation on the Smartware and try to get rid of the Security ( need for a password ) and also run the diagnostics in it to test the drive.

Removing the Security itself requires you to input the original Password. If you cannot remove it then it would mean that you have either forgotten the Password, or the Password has been changed.

I am also not sure whether Smartware allows you to run the diagnostics from it without gaining access to the drive with the Password.

In that case run diagnostics from DOS shutting down the Windows and Smartware which kicks in with the VCD.