Solved Disk Management - Unknown / Not Initialized Drive

[bkcouturier]

I ran BIOS diagnostics on a Dell OptiPlex 3010 yesterday and received an error code (2000-0142) - short self test unsuccessful. I pulled the drive and swapped a new SATA drive to get the user back up and running quickly. I'm trying to connect the drive with the error to my laptop using a StarTech USB 2.0 to IDE SATA Adapter. When I open Disk Management I see Disk 0 (my laptop drive) and Disk 1 (the connected drive). It says Unknown / Not Initialized. When I right click and try to initialize it says "The device is not ready." I've tried the more actions > refresh / rescan. Now when I right click the option to Initialize Disk is grayed out and I can only see Offline and Properties.

I browsed through a thread from about 2 years ago and couldn't find a helpful solution.

The drive: Western Digital 250GB SATA / 16MB Cache - WD2500AAKX

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Have you attempted to run Western Digital's Data Lifeguard diagnostic software? It has a short test and an extended test.

Are you trying to recover anything from this drive? Or just trying to find out if it's broken?

 

[Gator]

Hi bk, can you post a picture of the full Disk management with the HD plugged in?

 

[bkcouturier]

Yes, I ran both and they both passed. I'm trying to recover user data to transfer to the new drive.

 

[bkcouturier]

See attached (2) images...

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Unknown and not initialized.

Sounds like you should first concentrate on recovering the partitions--as opposed to recovering the data. If you can do the former, the files may just be sitting there and you wouldn't need to do any formal file recovery.

I think the recommended tool is Partition Wizard--it has a couple of scans. Try the quick test first and see where it leads you. I'm not an expert on PW, but there are a couple of guys here who are quite skilled in partition recovery.

If you can't recover the partitions, then you would be forced to try data recovery apps proper.

 

[Gator]

I agree with ignatz. I found a thread that is pretty similar to your issue and there were steps provided to recover the partition via Partition Wizard.

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...-not-initialized-unallocated.html#post2386144

If you would like assistance with it I can call over someone who is more specialized in partition/hard drive recovery.

 

[bkcouturier]

Alright, I appreciate the advise. I might give that Partition Wizard a go. Thank you.

 

[gregrocker]

Plug the drive into it's PC alone and boot free Partition Wizard to post back a picture of its output which may be different without the USB controller in between. Attach pic using paper clip icon in reply box.

Then you can run Partition Wizard Partition Recovery Wizard - Video Help which is an undelete process in case the partition somehow got deleted which is a long shot in this case.

More likely you have a failing HD so as suggested boot and run the Extended Test for WD Diagnostics for Flash Stick.

 

[jumanji]

Yep, greg is absolutely right. When you get the device not ready message, that may be ( but need not necessarily be) due to the controller. So one of the first things that one should try is putting it on to a different controller. What else could be best than connecting it to a direct SATA port and its SATA controller?

You need not necessarily recall the customer's DELL desktop, but can connect it internally to any desktop that may be accessible to you immediately.

Once in, run Western Digital Datalifeguard dignostics for Windows to know the health of the drive.( If you can access the data copy it first even before running the diagnostics.)

EDIT: I do not know what the DELL error code "error code (2000-0142)" signifies. Let us know what it is that prompted you to change the drive.

And ignore all said in this post, if your problem is already resolved for I see the solved tick mark.