Solved External Hard Drive is unlocated

[psychopotato]

Hi,

I've been browsing threads here to fix my external hard drive but unfortunately, no success at all. Every time I plug the hard drive, it is not showing in my PC, but it I can see that is plugged because it is showing in the "Safely Remove Hardware" section at the bottom right. I also tried the Mini Partition Wizard Tool but still I cannot resolve the issue. The tool cannot locate the hard drive.

 

[whs]

It seems to have partitions but those are not shown in all cases. Try to run a chkdsk /r on it. Maybe it gets fixed.

 

[psychopotato]

Would you mind to walk me through on how to do that?

 

[Layback Bear]

Your unallocated drive needs a Partition letter.

 

[psychopotato]

Your unallocated drive needs a Partition letter.

okay, so how do i place a partition letter?

 

[Layback Bear]

Some tutorials by Brink that should help you. Please read all first.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/168358-format-hdd-usb.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/82994-drive-letter-add-change-remove-windows.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html

 

[psychopotato]

Some tutorials by Brink that should help you. Please read all first.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/168358-format-hdd-usb.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/82994-drive-letter-add-change-remove-windows.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html

I tried the tutorials you povided ..still no luck
In the Computer Management, the drive is not listed. While in the command prompt, there is no volume for Data Back up or Removable Storage.

 

[DavidE]

I think the screen print in post #1 is displaying info for the Internal HD (Disk 1), where Windows is installed.
I don't see a 2nd physical HD listed, for the External Drive.

Assuming the External HD is USB, i would try a different USB port.
If you're connected with USB3, can you try a USB2 port?

Can you connect this External HD to a different PC, and see if it has the same problem ?

Is this a new External HD, and nothing on it that needs to be saved ?
Or is it a new problem, and it worked before on this PC ?

For problems like this a proper Disk Management screen print helps:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[psychopotato]

I think the screen print in post #1 is displaying info for the Internal HD (Disk 1), where Windows is installed.
I don't see a 2nd physical HD listed, for the External Drive.

Assuming the External HD is USB, i would try a different USB port.
If you're connected with USB3, can you try a USB2 port?

Can you connect this External HD to a different PC, and see if it has the same problem ?

Is this a new External HD, and nothing on it that needs to be saved ?
Or is it a new problem, and it worked before on this PC ?

For problems like this a proper Disk Management screen print helps:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

I already tried to connect it to different ports and used other computers as well. There is a sound every time it is plugged but it is not showing in my PC.

 

[DavidE]

If it's a new HD, i would RMA it and get a new HD.
If it's not new and has data you need, see if a data recovery expert can help.

 

[psychopotato]

If it's a new HD, i would RMA it and get a new HD.
If it's not new and has data you need, see if a data recovery expert can help.

it is okay if the files will not be recovered, the hard drive is more important to be fixed than the data in it.

 

[jumanji]

Sorry to say that your HDD is dead as a dodo. When you try to initialise it says it can't find the sector requested. In this case it is the all important sector 0 - the very first sector on your HDD. The initialisation process writes the MBR code in sector 0. If it cannot read/write into that sector that is the end of the story.

Sector 0 is the heart of the HDD. When that sector has gone bad, nothing can be done.

 

[psychopotato]

Sorry to say that your HDD is dead as a dodo. When you try to initialise it says it can't find the sector requested. In this case it is the all important sector 0 - the very first sector on your HDD. The initialisation process writes the MBR code in sector 0. If it cannot read/write into that sector that is the end of the story.

Sector 0 is the heart of the HDD. When that sector has gone bad, nothing can be done.

Oh! that's bad news! But thank you everyone for your help! much appreciated!

 

[CKWD]

Hello!

Unfortunately, it does look like your drive has suffered damage and the system cannot recognize it correctly, and give access to it. :/

Did you try connecting the drive in another USB port and on another PC, like DavidE suggested? Was the result the same? Youc ould try one last thing, to boot to a Live Linux-based CD and see if the drive would be recognized there.

Tutorial to create live Peppermint CD by Golden:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/256518-peppermint-live-cd-dvd-usb-create-emergency-backup.html

If it's not, then you should replace it, because as Jumanji said, it's sectors 0 even cannot eb found, meaning the drive is dead. :/

CK_WD

 

[psychopotato]

Sorry to say that your HDD is dead as a dodo. When you try to initialise it says it can't find the sector requested. In this case it is the all important sector 0 - the very first sector on your HDD. The initialisation process writes the MBR code in sector 0. If it cannot read/write into that sector that is the end of the story.

Sector 0 is the heart of the HDD. When that sector has gone bad, nothing can be done.

May I know by the way what caused this problem?

 

[jumanji]

The most common cause is ageing and loss of magnetic properties in the platter. Wear and tear of the mechanical parts also can cause the heads scrape the platter. Any impact - like dropping the HDD- also can do that.

When a HDD starts developing bad sectors on its own accord, usually there will be some warning signs and symptoms. Even the OS can alert you to backup all the data.. But when Sector 0 becomes a bad sector it will be a sudden death.Here today, gone tomorrow.

 

[psychopotato]

The most common cause is ageing and loss of magnetic properties in the platter. Wear and tear of the mechanical parts also can cause the heads scrape the platter. Any impact - like dropping the HDD- also can do that.

When a HDD starts developing bad sectors on its own accord, usually there will be some warning signs and symptoms. Even the OS can alert you to backup all the data.. But when Sector 0 becomes a bad sector it will be a sudden death.Here today, gone tomorrow.

Thank you for the info! Now my HDD can rest in peace.