How to recover data from External HardDisk, not showing in MyComputer

[abhishek1411]

External hard disk is connected and light is also blinking,

In Device manager, port is also showing under USB,
But when in Disk Management tool opens, I get a error message, "you must initialise a disk before logical disk manager can access it"

Can it deleted all the datas if i do the same ??


Pls help, I need to get back that data..very valuable data

 

[jumanji]

Hi abishek1411,

Welcome to Seven Forums.

Do not initialise your external drive. ( Though initialisation by itself, will not delete any data, proceeding further to create a new volume and /or formatting it may complicate the data recovery and even render it impossible.)

1. Please furnish full details of your external drive. Manufacturer, Model No, Model name, Capacity. All this info is absolutely essential to evaluate the problem.

2. For how long have you been using this external drive and when was the last time you used it without any problem in accessing it?

3. Do other external drive/s, Flash drive/s function normally in your system?

4. Have you tried this problem external drive on any other working PC?

Now go ahead and post a screenshot of Windows Disk Management with only your problem external drive plugged in. ( Please remove safely all other external drives/ pendrives/ USB Hubs/docks) Follow the guidelines here to post an untruncated full screenshot of WDM window with all info visible. Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Upload and post in Seven Forums: Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Taking Screenshots: https://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/148532-how-use-snipping-tool-vista.html

You will also post a screenshot of how your external drive presents itself in MiniTool Partition Wizard Free v 9.1. Download from http://www.filehorse.com/download-partition-wizard-home/old-versions/ , install and run it. ( Download only version 9.1 and not v10 and higher)

 

[abhishek1411]

Sir, please find the required details and suggest,

1. Please furnish full details of your external drive. Manufacturer, Model No, Model name, Capacity. All this info is absolutely essential to evaluate the problem.
MANUFACTURER - BUFFALO INC
Model No/Name - HDD PCU2(B)
Capacity - 500 GB

2. For how long have you been using this external drive and when was the last time you used it without any problem in accessing it?
I am using this external drive since 2011/12 and no issue with it, Last time I used it 1 year ago, till then was working fine. But now when I tried to copy some photos in it a month ago, I am facing this problem and could not get rid of it.

3. Do other external drive/s, Flash drive/s function normally in your system?
Yes, any other pendrive/external hard drive/phone mass storage working fine and normally in my system.

4. Have you tried this problem external drive on any other working PC?
I checked this drive with other PC/Laptops, but not working there too. Showing same error messages as its is like my laptop

Jumanji Sir, Kindly do some magical treatment to get back my data, SO many valuable photos, videos are there in it.

Snapshot of disk management attached for your reference.

 

[abhishek1411]

Screenshot

 

[jumanji]

Unfortunately I couldn't get any information on that Buffalo model, especially its capacity since WDM shows 2048GB. I shall leave it at that.

"You will also post a screenshot of how your external drive presents itself in MiniTool Partition Wizard Free v 9.1. Download from [url="http://www.filehorse.com/download-pa.../old-versions/"]http://www.filehorse.com/download-pa.../old-versions/[/URL] , install and run it. ( Download only version 9.1 and not v10 and higher)"

Please post the PW free v9.1 screenshot.

 

[abhishek1411]

Mini tool screen shot




Sir, Please advise something to get back the data. I really need that.

What could be any other solution ? ( If required, I am ready to pay possible amount for it)

 

[jumanji]

You are not following my instructions. I had very clearly told that you should download Partition Wizard Free v 9.1 from http://www.filehorse.com/download-partition-wizard-home/old-versions/ and not v10 and higher. ( In v 10/10.1/10.2.1 Partition Recovery is not free)

Further your screenshot is truncated on the right hand side. Can you see the File System ( next to Unused coloumn in it?

Data Recovery is a very painful, long and time-consuming process. Nothing can be done in a jiffy and nothing could be guaranteed.. We have to investigate what could have gone wrong, analyse and then formulate the strategy. We may try various methods. We may even go back and forth many times. We may jettison a particular method midway, and jump to another method based on the results. May work, may not work. If you do not follow the instructions, it is going to be much more difficult.

Anyway in this case PW shows your disk as Bad. The prognosis is not good. We shall now move on to the next step.

Download CrystalDiskInfo from http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html run it and check the health of your drive. Post a screenshot. Move the mouse pointer on the Health Status, read and post the message.

 

[abhishek1411]

Please check the status in Partition Wizard v9.1.

Also suggest me where to check health status in CrystalDiskInfo. ? I did not get any option there. ( I have installed [2017/03/03] CrystalMark 2004R7 (0.9.200.452) Portable Edition (zip) )

 

[jumanji]

Crystal Disk Info Sample screenshot:

As soon as you click/doubleclick on DiskInfo32.exe you should get a screen like the one below showing your Buffalo External drive.



( This is my 750GB Seagate external drive. The health status in your case may be different. Just hover your mouse pointer over Health Status and read the balloon message. If you can capture the screen alongwith the message well and good. Otherwise post the screenshot and the baloon message)

In your case, I suspect a defective Controller on the SATA to USB bridge electronics inside the enclosure and that is why your drive may be reading as 2048GB. Anyway let us see what happens as we proceed.