valiakuta

Hi
I have a WD500 Home edition usb external hard drive.
Yesterday I Disconnected it and didnt use "safe" unplugging..
The results:
It shows up in Device Manager and Disk management and in Windows Explorer,

I downloaded TestDisk and followed the steps as you described here
http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...-computer.html
I reboot but nothing.

My drive is "empty" and the capacity says 375GB used..But noting inside.
I tried this too:
[SOLVED] External HD not formatted all of a sudden,
but i cant find the "Repair FAT >" option
I try "Rebuild BS" but nothing.

Deleted090308

Hi, welcome to TSF.

How was the drive formatted? FAT32 or NTFS (or something else)?

Run TestDisk again, but follow these steps:

A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Choose Advanced > press <Enter>.
E. Choose Boot > press <Enter>.
New screen - please post back with a screenshot.



How to post a screenshot.

valiakuta

this is the result:
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5...ture167nr8.jpg

Deleted090308

At the screen you posted - choose "Backup BS", proceed and close TestDisk.

Reboot the computer.

Start TestDisk again - follow the same steps. "Repair FAT" should be one of the options now.
Select that, finish TestDisk.

Reboot again.

valiakuta

"Repair FAT" appeared but...
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3...ture168ix7.jpg

"FATs seems Ok, nothing to do"

and all my files still missing...

Deleted090308

Did you reboot a second time?

TestDisk again:

A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Select “Analyse” then <Enter>. The drive will be analysed.
E. Select “Backup” at the next screen, then <Enter>.
F. Press “Y” if the partitions were created under Vista – “N” if not.
G. Select which partition to analyse and press <P> to list any files in the partition.

Can you see your files/folders?

valiakuta

Yes I did a reboot..

"A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Select “Analyse” then <Enter>. The drive will be analysed.
E. Select “Backup” at the next screen, then <Enter>.
F. Press “Y” if the partitions were created under Vista – “N” if not.
G. Select which partition to analyse and press <P> to list any files in the partition."

after these steps i see this:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9...ture169kz1.jpg

and if I press "right" I see this:
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3...ture170wz9.jpg

Deleted090308

Not much to save there.

Try this:

A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Select “Analyse” then <Enter>. The drive/partition will be analysed.
E. Select “Proceed” at the next screen, then <Enter>.
F. Press “Y” if the partitions were created under Vista – “N” if not.
G. TestDisk should say “Structure OK” >> press <Enter>.
H. Select “Search” and press <Enter>.

TestDisk will perform a "deeper" search for files and partitions.
When the search is done (it will take a while) there will be a new window with (hopefully) more partitions/files to recover.
If you can see your files - choose "Write" and press <Enter>. Finish TestDisk and reboot.
If you cannot see your files - please post a screenshot of that window.


If no "new" files are found - try:
Recuva
Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier

valiakuta

ok now i see this:
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3...ture171nk1.jpg

Deleted090308

Choose "Write", then Enter. Proceed until TestDisk tells you to reboot.

valiakuta

I pressed Write
Reboot
Nothing.
Tryed "recuva" and "Roadkill"
Same thing.
No files..

Deleted090308

See if GetDataBack (for FAT) finds any files.

If you want to recover any files GetDataBack finds you have to pay ($70, I think).

valiakuta

Thanks for your support and your replies.
I will put a permanent link of your forum at my blog site.
GetDataBack seems to scan all of my lost drive and I thing that it will save my 375(!)GB lost data..
I will get back here as soon as I see what happens and reply if it worked

valiakuta

GetDataBack after a really "DEEP" search found my files !!!

---->http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1...ture172es7.jpg
(I had to run it for hours..)
And this was the result:
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3...ture173tv5.jpg
The problem now is that explorer still doesnt "see" any of my files..but GetDataBack can..
In other words,I think that I have To copy all of my lost files to another Hard Drive and then Re-copy them again to my WD500 (?)..
I hope that there is another less "painless" solution (355GB FOUND)
When I press "copy" button it says:
"CAUTION!:Never specify a directory on the drve you are going to recover!"
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1...ture174jp1.jpg

Deleted090308

No, unfortunately, that is what you have to do - copy the files to another HDD or burn (some of them) to DVDs.
Perhaps you don't want to keep all of the files???

We have tried to repair the boot sector and the partition table with poor results.
After you have recovered your files the drive has to be checked for mechanical errors with WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostic Tools, then reformatted (if it's OK).

valiakuta

Oh no..
Thanks eneles.
When I End With this mess,I am going to buy something without writing "WD" on it.
If not,I can see my self posting in this thread again... :)

Deleted090308

Good luck - and please keep us updated.