External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware)

Iwa · 11-04-2009, 11:36 PM

Hi Everyone,

My external HDD is a Western Digital, My book Essential Edition 1TB and my OS is Windows XP.

I've always been particular about turning it on/off properly and safely removing the HDD before turning my PC off.

Unfortunately, due to the new arrangement of my desktop, the USB cable have accidentally disconnected a couple of times which basically is the same with not removing the HDD before turning off PC.

- And exactly 8 hours ago, I couldn't access it no longer. My Computer shows the drive but no luck at getting into it. It asked to be reformatted.

- I checked Device Manager > Disk Drives (with my xternal HDD selected) > Properties > Volumes > Populate and it says my filesystem is RAW

- From MSDOS, I also tried running chkdsk G: (G refers to my drive) and it says filesystem FAT32 then after that, it says something like 'cannot enter boot record'.

- From MSDOS too, I tried G: it will say "The volume does not contain a recognized file system. Make sure all required file system drivers are loaded and the volume is not corrupted"

What should I do now? I really really need to recover all the data inside it again, I have very important data (work related, personal related)... I'm really devastated and depressed about this.. almost up to the point of giving up everything.. I tend to get very emotional with PC probs cause I take care of it so well and I hate it when things happen..

I've now disconnected the external HDD completely from my desktop to avoid even more damages.

Hoping anyone can shed some light, thanks..

**grimx133** · 11-05-2009, 12:04 AM

Have you read the sticky?
Have you "lost" a hard drive, partition or files in your computer?
The external interface may be a problem for testdisk, the hard drive may have to be removed from the enclosure and mounted internally in a desktop.

Iwa · 11-05-2009, 12:21 AM

Hi there,

I've read the sticky but I've not yet tested it coz I have no idea how to remove the casing of my Western Digital hardisc and testdisk seems a little technical for me to do so I decided to keep it my last option..

However, I am now trying to use a software called Zero Assumption Recovery ( http://www.z-a-recovery.com/) suggested by a friend to at least recover the files. Earlier, he suggested Recuva but I couldn't use it because I can't select the drive, it kept hanging. The ZAR now is currently in progress.

Should I stop the process and proceed with breaking my WD and trying testdisk?

I am very emotional and worried now and I can't think properly.. All I know is I really want the data back..

**raptor_pa** · 11-05-2009, 05:35 AM

@iwa - take a deep breath, recovery is a slow methodical process, if you rush it, or become too concerned about the data, you will lose the data. I do this everyday for a living, you have to carefully follow the steps and be patient, check and double check everything. I've had a 120GB drive copying data off for two weeks, ( it's a very sick drive LOL ) of course the customer would like his data faster, but I assure him the difference is not the time it's between getting his data back and not getting his data back. So take a deep breath, work carefully, read and re-read the docs for EVERYTHING you are going to run. For example, with ZAR or any other recovery software, make sure you output the recovered files to another disk, not the one that failed, or you will overwrite your data. if you move on to test_disk - read then re-read the sticky and awhen you dl test_disk read and re-read the docs, google any terms you aren't sure of to get a better understanding of what is going to happen. And when a tool is running - don't get impatient and abort the operation, many of the operations done by recovery and repair software can leave your disk in a worse state if stopped mid run.

Iwa · 11-05-2009, 05:56 AM

@raptor - thank you so much for that consoling reply. I'm feeling way relaxed now, thank you so much.

i'll do exactly as you say, i'll let ZAR finish first and hope it retrieves as much data as possible and then i'll try testdisk and the others until I managed to retrieve as much. I'm just worried that if I used the wrong software it will screw it up even more but now hearing your explanation, its all just the matter of time and software A may retrieve data A, and software B may retrieve data that software A couldn't, I think that's what you meant

Thanks for the reply :)

**raptor_pa** · 11-05-2009, 07:38 AM

Exactly, chances are unless there is a physical failure, the data is there and most if not all is recoverable, it can just be a slow process... :)

Iwa · 11-05-2009, 08:56 AM

Thank you..thank you again, I'll keep you updated with my progress!

11-04-2009, 11:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Iwa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) Hi Everyone, My external HDD is a Western Digital, My book Essential Edition 1TB and my OS is Windows XP. I've always been particular about turning it on/off properly and safely removing the HDD before turning my PC off. Unfortunately, due to the new arrangement of my desktop, the USB cable have accidentally disconnected a couple of times which basically is the same with not removing the HDD before turning off PC. - And exactly 8 hours ago, I couldn't access it no longer. My Computer shows the drive but no luck at getting into it. It asked to be reformatted. - I checked Device Manager > Disk Drives (with my xternal HDD selected) > Properties > Volumes > Populate and it says my filesystem is RAW - From MSDOS, I also tried running chkdsk G: (G refers to my drive) and it says filesystem FAT32 then after that, it says something like 'cannot enter boot record'. - From MSDOS too, I tried G: it will say "The volume does not contain a recognized file system. Make sure all required file system drivers are loaded and the volume is not corrupted" What should I do now? I really really need to recover all the data inside it again, I have very important data (work related, personal related)... I'm really devastated and depressed about this.. almost up to the point of giving up everything.. I tend to get very emotional with PC probs cause I take care of it so well and I hate it when things happen.. I've now disconnected the external HDD completely from my desktop to avoid even more damages. Hoping anyone can shed some light, thanks..

11-05-2009, 12:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,130 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) Have you read the sticky? Have you "lost" a hard drive, partition or files in your computer? The external interface may be a problem for testdisk, the hard drive may have to be removed from the enclosure and mounted internally in a desktop. __________________

11-05-2009, 12:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
Iwa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) Hi there, I've read the sticky but I've not yet tested it coz I have no idea how to remove the casing of my Western Digital hardisc and testdisk seems a little technical for me to do so I decided to keep it my last option.. However, I am now trying to use a software called Zero Assumption Recovery ( http://www.z-a-recovery.com/) suggested by a friend to at least recover the files. Earlier, he suggested Recuva but I couldn't use it because I can't select the drive, it kept hanging. The ZAR now is currently in progress. Should I stop the process and proceed with breaking my WD and trying testdisk? I am very emotional and worried now and I can't think properly.. All I know is I really want the data back..

11-05-2009, 05:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,756 OS: XP	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) @iwa - take a deep breath, recovery is a slow methodical process, if you rush it, or become too concerned about the data, you will lose the data. I do this everyday for a living, you have to carefully follow the steps and be patient, check and double check everything. I've had a 120GB drive copying data off for two weeks, ( it's a very sick drive LOL ) of course the customer would like his data faster, but I assure him the difference is not the time it's between getting his data back and not getting his data back. So take a deep breath, work carefully, read and re-read the docs for EVERYTHING you are going to run. For example, with ZAR or any other recovery software, make sure you output the recovered files to another disk, not the one that failed, or you will overwrite your data. if you move on to test_disk - read then re-read the sticky and awhen you dl test_disk read and re-read the docs, google any terms you aren't sure of to get a better understanding of what is going to happen. And when a tool is running - don't get impatient and abort the operation, many of the operations done by recovery and repair software can leave your disk in a worse state if stopped mid run. __________________

11-05-2009, 05:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Iwa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) @raptor - thank you so much for that consoling reply. I'm feeling way relaxed now, thank you so much. i'll do exactly as you say, i'll let ZAR finish first and hope it retrieves as much data as possible and then i'll try testdisk and the others until I managed to retrieve as much. I'm just worried that if I used the wrong software it will screw it up even more but now hearing your explanation, its all just the matter of time and software A may retrieve data A, and software B may retrieve data that software A couldn't, I think that's what you meant Thanks for the reply :)

11-05-2009, 07:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,756 OS: XP	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) Exactly, chances are unless there is a physical failure, the data is there and most if not all is recoverable, it can just be a slow process... :) __________________

11-05-2009, 08:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
Iwa Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	Re: External HDD has converted to RAW Filesystem, What should I do? :( (Hardware) Thank you..thank you again, I'll keep you updated with my progress!