Converting internal hard drive to external

gdare · 10-15-2009, 09:36 PM

I had a problem recently with my computer and had to send it back to the manufacturer. They had to reinstall windows and so they removed my hard drive and replaced it because I had a lot of data I didn't want to lose. So I got an external hard drive enclosure and put the old hard drive in it. When I plugged it in the computer told me I would have to format the drive to be able to use it. How can I recover what's on there without formatting?

Techie19 · 10-16-2009, 08:45 AM

You should be able to access you data on the external drive. When you plug in the external drive to your pc, im assuming through USB, you should be able to go to "My Computer" and see the drive. Then you can just double click on the external drive and access your data.

When you're told by the computer that you must format the drive to be able to use it, does it give you any other options like, Cancel, ok, or ignore?

Not sure really if it really matters, but is the drive set as Master, Slave, or Cable Select? You can try setting the drive to master, unless its already set to this mode.

Post your findings...

Techie19 · 10-16-2009, 08:49 AM

Just a thought, when the computer manufacturer replaced the hard drive and reinstalled Windows on the other drive, did you tell them you wanted the drive back and not to make any changes to it (like reformatting it).

Just a thought...

Techie19 · 10-16-2009, 08:51 AM

FYI, found this by doing a google search:

My response is a little old, but you never know who it could help. I had not plugged in my hard drive for a minute and actually thought I had misplaced the AC adapter during this last international move. Somehow, when I tried to access the information on my WD external hard drive, I got a message asking me to format the drive if I wanted to use it. The drive registered, but showed 0kb, like it had spontaneously self-deleted all the files.

However, after reading everything here, and nothing worked, I decided to try a partition restoration software. It is called Active Partition Recovery out of Canada. I bought the $40 version after spending hours trying other things to scan it, etc. I could see the files. I simply right clicked on the drive to restore the boot sector and everything reappeared.

Just thought I would pass it along.

gdare · 10-16-2009, 01:41 PM

I did ask the manufacturer to leave the old hard drive alone. When it asked me to format the drive I clicked cancel. I'm not really sure how to set the drive as master, slave, or cable select. I'll try to find some more info on the partition restoration and see if that helps. Thanks for the advice!

Techie19 · 10-16-2009, 05:16 PM

I should have asked this before, sorry, but what kind of hard drive is it? SATA or IDE? If SATA, then you don't have to worry about jumper settings. If IDE, there usually is a diagram rite on the drive showing the jumper settings configurations.

Try the following:
http://www.partition-recovery.com/

gdare · 10-16-2009, 08:59 PM

It's a SATA drive. I ran the scan on the drive and it found no partitions and it says bad (unreadable) sectors detected from 63 to 976768064 on hard disk 1. I think I'm just going to take it to the computer store here in town and have somebody look at it. Thanks again for the advice.

Techie19 · 10-17-2009, 05:07 AM

If its a SATA drive as you said then the jumper settings is not a concern as SATA drives dont have any. Sounds like the drive is no good based on the results you got from the scan. Good luck with trying to get your data back. Data recovery is expensive, but if taken to a dependable computer repair shop, it can be done. Post your findings.

**raptor_pa** · 10-17-2009, 06:17 AM

Computer repair shops are not the place to take a data recovery. Contact the recovery company up front. Like my company , most recovery companies providing data recovery do not fix PCs. Computer shops do not have the training or equipment to recover drives with serious issues. They usually send their DR jobs out to labs for the actual recovery. What that means is you actually pay a bit more for the recovery because the computer shop is going to add their fees onto the recovery job.
Unfortunately Techie is right tho, recovery is expensive. Part of the issue is that hard drives, unlike cars and appliances, are not designed to be repaired. There are no manuals like for cars, it's all accomplished by research, and trial and error.

Techie19 · 10-17-2009, 08:53 AM

Sorry, I meant to be more specific about using a Data Recovery service, but said a computer repair shop just talking in general. But you are correct.

10-15-2009, 09:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
gdare Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista	Converting internal hard drive to external I had a problem recently with my computer and had to send it back to the manufacturer. They had to reinstall windows and so they removed my hard drive and replaced it because I had a lot of data I didn't want to lose. So I got an external hard drive enclosure and put the old hard drive in it. When I plugged it in the computer told me I would have to format the drive to be able to use it. How can I recover what's on there without formatting?

10-16-2009, 08:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external You should be able to access you data on the external drive. When you plug in the external drive to your pc, im assuming through USB, you should be able to go to "My Computer" and see the drive. Then you can just double click on the external drive and access your data. When you're told by the computer that you must format the drive to be able to use it, does it give you any other options like, Cancel, ok, or ignore? Not sure really if it really matters, but is the drive set as Master, Slave, or Cable Select? You can try setting the drive to master, unless its already set to this mode. Post your findings...

10-16-2009, 08:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external Just a thought, when the computer manufacturer replaced the hard drive and reinstalled Windows on the other drive, did you tell them you wanted the drive back and not to make any changes to it (like reformatting it). Just a thought...

10-16-2009, 08:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external FYI, found this by doing a google search: My response is a little old, but you never know who it could help. I had not plugged in my hard drive for a minute and actually thought I had misplaced the AC adapter during this last international move. Somehow, when I tried to access the information on my WD external hard drive, I got a message asking me to format the drive if I wanted to use it. The drive registered, but showed 0kb, like it had spontaneously self-deleted all the files. However, after reading everything here, and nothing worked, I decided to try a partition restoration software. It is called Active Partition Recovery out of Canada. I bought the $40 version after spending hours trying other things to scan it, etc. I could see the files. I simply right clicked on the drive to restore the boot sector and everything reappeared. Just thought I would pass it along.

10-16-2009, 01:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
gdare Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external I did ask the manufacturer to leave the old hard drive alone. When it asked me to format the drive I clicked cancel. I'm not really sure how to set the drive as master, slave, or cable select. I'll try to find some more info on the partition restoration and see if that helps. Thanks for the advice!

10-16-2009, 05:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external I should have asked this before, sorry, but what kind of hard drive is it? SATA or IDE? If SATA, then you don't have to worry about jumper settings. If IDE, there usually is a diagram rite on the drive showing the jumper settings configurations. Try the following: http://www.partition-recovery.com/

10-16-2009, 08:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
gdare Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external It's a SATA drive. I ran the scan on the drive and it found no partitions and it says bad (unreadable) sectors detected from 63 to 976768064 on hard disk 1. I think I'm just going to take it to the computer store here in town and have somebody look at it. Thanks again for the advice.

10-17-2009, 05:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external If its a SATA drive as you said then the jumper settings is not a concern as SATA drives dont have any. Sounds like the drive is no good based on the results you got from the scan. Good luck with trying to get your data back. Data recovery is expensive, but if taken to a dependable computer repair shop, it can be done. Post your findings.

10-17-2009, 06:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external Computer repair shops are not the place to take a data recovery. Contact the recovery company up front. Like my company , most recovery companies providing data recovery do not fix PCs. Computer shops do not have the training or equipment to recover drives with serious issues. They usually send their DR jobs out to labs for the actual recovery. What that means is you actually pay a bit more for the recovery because the computer shop is going to add their fees onto the recovery job. Unfortunately Techie is right tho, recovery is expensive. Part of the issue is that hard drives, unlike cars and appliances, are not designed to be repaired. There are no manuals like for cars, it's all accomplished by research, and trial and error. __________________

10-17-2009, 08:53 AM	#10 (permalink)
Techie19 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elizabeth, NJ Posts: 250 OS: XP Media Center SP3 My System	Re: Converting internal hard drive to external Sorry, I meant to be more specific about using a Data Recovery service, but said a computer repair shop just talking in general. But you are correct.