Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust...

CrayzeeMedic · 04-13-2008, 08:07 PM

It seems like the new WD MyBook Essentials 2.0 are just full of problems! I've had mine a little over 3 months and all was good, until recently. Just like the other posters, it just dies on you. There is power on it, and I strongly believe it's a MFT or other software issue. I have tried what was told to Grendel824 and attempted to use the TestDisk, and GetDataBack for NTFS, among others to at least see the files that are still on the drive.

Its a 500 GB external USB drive. When its plugged in, it will not show up on my computer, nor under Start>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management> Disk Management. Yet when I use the Testdisk or the GetDataBack for NTFS, it will show that the drive is there, sort of. In the attached screens you can see that its showing a WD Drive, but the size is messed up, and its reading it as a 2 TERABYTE drive instead of a 500 GB. Also the geometry seems to be a little messed up, as its showing 4294967295 Cylinders, 1 head, and 1 sector, with 512 sector size.

When I analyse the disk, it will show read error for the complete "2 Terabytes" and that is as far as I get. It will not show any type of partition or anything for me to go further to fix the drive where I can access my files.

As for GetDataBack, When it runs, it too shows the drive as a 2TB drive, and I can only get an I/O error on it. The attached screens show you what I see. The drive is still under warranty, but there's gotta be SOME way to get back into it before i resort to send it in, since all they do is format the drive and send it back to you... I need my important files! Any suggestions?? Thank you for your time!

CrayzeeMedic · 04-13-2008, 08:22 PM

Oh, and removing it from the casing to put it in the computer would be out of the question at this time, since it would void the warranty. (In case i HAVE to send it back in.) So any means aside from that would be welcomed!!! Also, attached are a few more screens, if needed!

**Deleted090308** · 04-15-2008, 01:38 AM

Hi

Replace the USB cable, try another USB port and do not connect the drive via a hub.

Please post a screenshot of Device manager with "Disk drives" expanded.

Run 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. Choose Advanced > press <Enter>.
E. Choose Boot > press <Enter>.

New screen - please post back with a screenshot.

Also - see if you can mount the drive with FindAndMount.

CrayzeeMedic · 04-15-2008, 02:49 PM

Thank you for the quick reply... The pics you wanted are attached...... and please keep in mind, this is not a 2TB drive... unless ive unlocked some kind of secrets!

TestDisk will only get me to your Step D.. And I have posted the pic that shows it saying I have no partitions at all. Find and Mount also shows no partitions, and a 2TB drive. Clearly something with the software is messy..

CrayzeeMedic · 04-15-2008, 03:20 PM

Also: If you think I should run WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows.... that would be a negative... it doesnt even recognize the drive. Cable test failed... and im absolutely sure its not the cables... used 3 different ones and get the same thing each time.

**Deleted090308** · 04-15-2008, 03:33 PM

Sorry - same answer to you and greycobalt:

I think you should have a chat with WD.
Ask them what the procedure is if you'd RMA the drive - do they replace HDD + enclosure "automatically, or do they examine if the drive works with another enclosure?

There's nothing more we can do without taking the HDD out of the enclosure - and that would void the warranty.

CrayzeeMedic · 04-16-2008, 07:31 PM

Im taking a stab at it. Its now out of the enclosure... and trying to find a way to make it internal...

CrayzeeMedic · 04-17-2008, 04:39 AM

Ok, how would I make it internal? The drive has this connector that I have never seen before... do I need a special cable? Heres a pic of the drive

**Deleted090308** · 04-17-2008, 05:35 AM

That's a SATA hard drive.
You need a cable like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812270093

grendel824 · 06-24-2008, 11:13 PM

Heh - hi, guys - I was mentioned above and now it looks like I have the same problem as the OP - my drive is also now clicking when I turn it on, which I understand is a baaad sign. I'm pretty sure (with as little about computer hardware as I actually know) that, even if most all the hardware in the MyBook goes to hell, that the actual disk where the information is stored should still have the info on it and it's just a matter of getting something else to read it.

Would it be recommended to get some kind of other external drive set-up that I could transfer the HD into (I don't think I'd have room in my case to make it internal). I also have feds in the family with contacts who do drive-rips of suspect's computers, up to and including getting data off of formatted and destroyed drives - I wouldn't want to call in a favor just to rescue tons of MP3s, backed up data, movies (all legal, btw) and a smattering of pornography (hey, the Internet made me look), but it'd be better than nothing if I really do have no other option. Anything work out for the OP yet?

CrayzeeMedic · 06-25-2008, 04:31 AM

Not a thing.. even connecting it with SATA wont register it any differently than it does inside the enclosure. Im not getting a clicking noise, just the same stuff as mentioned before. ill elaborate here more in a day or so once i try one more method :)

grendel824 · 06-25-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrayzeeMedic

Not a thing.. even connecting it with SATA wont register it any differently than it does inside the enclosure. Im not getting a clicking noise, just the same stuff as mentioned before. ill elaborate here more in a day or so once i try one more method :)

Hey - good luck. Sorry to partially hijack your thread, by the way - I found my name in it and ended up posting here, but I'll take it somewhere else if it's inappropriate or bugs you. But our problems seem similar enough that any responses to either of us might help anyway.

Man, I hate hard drives!

CrayzeeMedic · 06-25-2008, 03:51 PM

Oh no dude, not bothering me at all! It just sucks that these $100+ piece of ****'s fall apart THAT easily! Even most of my computer guru friends are scratching their head for this one.... Still workin on it and will keep informed, and if you come across something that works for you, lemme know!

grendel824 · 06-25-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrayzeeMedic

Oh no dude, not bothering me at all! It just sucks that these $100+ piece of ****'s fall apart THAT easily! Even most of my computer guru friends are scratching their head for this one.... Still workin on it and will keep informed, and if you come across something that works for you, lemme know!

Thanks, you too - I know the thread where my initial problem was handled ended up with my drive working again, though it was after one try failed and before we tried another thing -it just started working again! So if you haven't already, try mimicking the steps I went through and maybe it'll work for you - I'm planning to try it when I have more time even though I seem to have a much different problem this time. I hate these things - you'd think a drive I bought for backup storage wouldn't die twice before my older-than-heck PC's drives. Is it just the MyBook's that suck, or are all of these gigantic external drives problematic?

How tech-savvy do you think one needs to be to open up the drive and try to put it in a PC case or some other kind of external device?

Anyway, this forum is great - it restores my faith in humanity to see people so willing to help out complete strangers for nothing. I hope there really is karma!

rockstat · 06-26-2008, 08:06 AM

WD has a problem with some of its hard drive line up. the header on the hard drives are weak so thats what causes the clicking noise [sometimes]. you should RMA it and get a new one.

I am using 6 WD internal hard drives right now and they have been working fine. But the day i got them to about 8 months into the year, all of them broke down on me one by one. ever since WD replaced mine with their more expensive top of the line Enterprise hard drives. These hard drives use the latest technology and don't have much problems with their headers.

grendel824 · 07-06-2008, 12:32 AM

Okay - I'm an idiot - what do you mean by "RMA"? (I DID try to look it up, but haven't run across an actual definition - just lots of mentions that assume I know what it means already. I'm sure they're out there, but I'm incompetent for some reason).

I also see LOTS of different takes on this - from "Your drive is dead and your data is gone forever, give up!" to "put it in a moisture-free bag and freeze it and it might work again long enough to get data off of it" to "do the SATA thing or get the actual disk to someone with a clean-room and equipment to copy it onto a new drive." to "try dropping it a little to see if it knocks something back into place"

People here seem quite a bit more competent (though a lot of solutions are just "um... hit it and hope it works" - just shows how weird technology is), so I'd rather get advice here, if there is any more...?

**Deleted090308** · 07-06-2008, 04:21 AM

Return Material Authorization (RMA)

grendel824 · 07-06-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eneles

04-15-2008, 01:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Hi Replace the USB cable, try another USB port and do not connect the drive via a hub. Please post a screenshot of Device manager with "Disk drives" expanded. Run 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. Choose Advanced > press <Enter>. E. Choose Boot > press <Enter>. New screen - please post back with a screenshot. Also - see if you can mount the drive with FindAndMount.

04-15-2008, 03:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
CrayzeeMedic Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP Professional - SP 2	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Also: If you think I should run WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows.... that would be a negative... it doesnt even recognize the drive. Cable test failed... and im absolutely sure its not the cables... used 3 different ones and get the same thing each time.

04-15-2008, 03:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Sorry - same answer to you and greycobalt: I think you should have a chat with WD. Ask them what the procedure is if you'd RMA the drive - do they replace HDD + enclosure "automatically, or do they examine if the drive works with another enclosure? There's nothing more we can do without taking the HDD out of the enclosure - and that would void the warranty.

04-16-2008, 07:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
CrayzeeMedic Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP Professional - SP 2	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Im taking a stab at it. Its now out of the enclosure... and trying to find a way to make it internal...

04-17-2008, 05:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... That's a SATA hard drive. You need a cable like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812270093

06-24-2008, 11:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
grendel824 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 15 OS: Win98	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Heh - hi, guys - I was mentioned above and now it looks like I have the same problem as the OP - my drive is also now clicking when I turn it on, which I understand is a baaad sign. I'm pretty sure (with as little about computer hardware as I actually know) that, even if most all the hardware in the MyBook goes to hell, that the actual disk where the information is stored should still have the info on it and it's just a matter of getting something else to read it. Would it be recommended to get some kind of other external drive set-up that I could transfer the HD into (I don't think I'd have room in my case to make it internal). I also have feds in the family with contacts who do drive-rips of suspect's computers, up to and including getting data off of formatted and destroyed drives - I wouldn't want to call in a favor just to rescue tons of MP3s, backed up data, movies (all legal, btw) and a smattering of pornography (hey, the Internet made me look), but it'd be better than nothing if I really do have no other option. Anything work out for the OP yet?

06-25-2008, 04:31 AM	#11 (permalink)
CrayzeeMedic Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP Professional - SP 2	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Not a thing.. even connecting it with SATA wont register it any differently than it does inside the enclosure. Im not getting a clicking noise, just the same stuff as mentioned before. ill elaborate here more in a day or so once i try one more method :)

06-25-2008, 03:51 PM	#13 (permalink)
CrayzeeMedic Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP Professional - SP 2	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Oh no dude, not bothering me at all! It just sucks that these $100+ piece of ****'s fall apart THAT easily! Even most of my computer guru friends are scratching their head for this one.... Still workin on it and will keep informed, and if you come across something that works for you, lemme know!

06-26-2008, 08:06 AM	#15 (permalink)
rockstat Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Where ever I live Posts: 64 OS: XP_Pro-SP3/Vista_x64_SP1/Linux	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... WD has a problem with some of its hard drive line up. the header on the hard drives are weak so thats what causes the clicking noise [sometimes]. you should RMA it and get a new one. I am using 6 WD internal hard drives right now and they have been working fine. But the day i got them to about 8 months into the year, all of them broke down on me one by one. ever since WD replaced mine with their more expensive top of the line Enterprise hard drives. These hard drives use the latest technology and don't have much problems with their headers. __________________ ________________________________________________________ A mistake on your side does not constitute to a delay on my side Last edited by rockstat : 06-26-2008 at 08:14 AM.

07-06-2008, 12:32 AM	#16 (permalink)
grendel824 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 15 OS: Win98	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Okay - I'm an idiot - what do you mean by "RMA"? (I DID try to look it up, but haven't run across an actual definition - just lots of mentions that assume I know what it means already. I'm sure they're out there, but I'm incompetent for some reason). I also see LOTS of different takes on this - from "Your drive is dead and your data is gone forever, give up!" to "put it in a moisture-free bag and freeze it and it might work again long enough to get data off of it" to "do the SATA thing or get the actual disk to someone with a clean-room and equipment to copy it onto a new drive." to "try dropping it a little to see if it knocks something back into place" People here seem quite a bit more competent (though a lot of solutions are just "um... hit it and hope it works" - just shows how weird technology is), so I'd rather get advice here, if there is any more...?

07-06-2008, 04:21 AM	#17 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: Another WD 500GB MyBook Bites the dust... Return Material Authorization (RMA)