Posted: 11/24/2012 9:55:35 AM EDT
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Western Digital 2Tb drive with 3 deployments worth of pics, music, and movies stumbled today. I finally got it to register, but now says it needs to be initialized. From my understanding this will kill all my data. How can I get this thing working again with all my data intact?
I was transferring a movie from my computer to the drive when something happened. The drive would not register on any of my computers. After about 20 minutes the drive would show under the disk utility and says it is not initialized. |
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I've only ever used the Data Rescue 3 software on my mac and had good results for some lots files. Here's a link to get you started while others chime in since I'm not a PC guy. |
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You can try Recuva for free..
or download a 'live CD' of linux and boot from it and see if it recognizes the drive. If both of those fail- you're probably fubared. Lemme know if you need help with the linux CD... Here's a quick tutorial: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/ |
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Quoted: Is there a normal harddrive inside? maybe you can pull it out and get a cable to go from usb to it That's a good call, these are pretty handy to have around for multiple reasons. |
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Is there a normal harddrive inside? maybe you can pull it out and get a cable to go from usb to it That's a good call, these are pretty handy to have around for multiple reasons. If it's an older drive that still has a Sata to USB board inside. A lot of the newer drives are natively USB. |
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You can try Recuva for free.. or download a 'live CD' of linux and boot from it and see if it recognizes the drive. If both of those fail- you're probably fubared. Lemme know if you need help with the linux CD... Here's a quick tutorial: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/ Recuva doesn't recognize the disk |
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Does the drive have a separate power supply, or is it powered by USB? Are you using a desktop or a laptop? If you have a desktop, plug it into one of the rear ports on the motherboard, rather than one of the front ones. Yes, seperate power supply run on a laptop |
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Is there a normal harddrive inside? maybe you can pull it out and get a cable to go from usb to it That's a good call, these are pretty handy to have around for multiple reasons. If it's an older drive that still has a Sata to USB board inside. A lot of the newer drives are natively USB. My 2tb seagate goflex has a regular drive inside so there is hope. |
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You can try Recuva for free.. or download a 'live CD' of linux and boot from it and see if it recognizes the drive. If both of those fail- you're probably fubared. Lemme know if you need help with the linux CD... Here's a quick tutorial: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/ Recuva doesn't recognize the disk Sorry bro. 
Sometimes the Linux CD idea will work because the Windows 'table of contents' got scrambled... but using Linux goes around the Windows errors. Takes less than 30 minutes to try it out and it's about your only other free option. |
| 99% sure what the problem is. There backup software which is total shit is corrupted. Doesn't matter if you used it or not. Its on a hidden part of the drive and it works with the usb adapter inside the enclosure. your data is not gone. Open up computer management and see if it show there |
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As stated it may work if you pull it out of the enclosure and hook it up as regular internal drive. I have 4 of thees 3 1TB and a 2TB that where supposedly bad that I,m using now
Do not tear up the usb adapter you may need it. Plug it in by itself and see it it shows as a cd drive. Sometimes that fixes it and you can plug your drive back in and read it 9power it down first) |
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Yes, it does show there what does it say about the file system ? and does the backup software show up as a CD drive ? Disk 1 Unknown 1863.01 GB Not Initialized to the right of that it says: (black line across the top) 1863.01 GB Unallocated Below that it says: CD-ROM 0 DVD D: NO MEDIA |
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Yes, it does show there what does it say about the file system ? and does the backup software show up as a CD drive ? Disk 1 Unknown 1863.01 GB Not Initialized 99% sure its the software Pull the drive out of the enclosure. Pull the usb adapter off. You can then hook it up directly inside a desktop computer and you may be able to read it. If not hook up the adapter by itself (with the power cord) and let it set for a while .Unhook it and hook the hard drive back up to it. The hard drive need to power up without the adapter at least once. When you put them back together it reloads the software from the firmware on the drive. It will more than likely destroy the enclosure when you open it But thats OK because you can buy another empty enclosure and use a utility to wipe that crappy backup software of it for good just formatting it doesn't get rid of it more on this later if you whant to go this way. I would I have never had one that didn't fail this way |
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Yes, it does show there what does it say about the file system ? and does the backup software show up as a CD drive ? Disk 1 Unknown 1863.01 GB Not Initialized 99% sure its the software Pull the drive out of the enclosure. Pull the usb adapter off. You can then hook it up directly inside a desktop computer and you may be able to read it. If not hook up the adapter by itself (with the power cord) and let it set for a while .Unhook it and hook the hard drive back up to it. The hard drive need to power up without the adapter at least once. When you put them back together it reloads the software from the firmware on the drive. It will more than likely destroy the enclosure when you open it But thats OK because you can buy another empty enclosure and use a utility to wipe that crappy backup software of it for good just formatting it doesn't get rid of it more on this later if you whant to go this way. I would I have never had one that didn't fail this way I'm going to try the linux thing real quick to avoid breaking open the drive. If it fails, I will try your technique. Thanks! I don't even see how to open this thing |
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Just take the data from your other backup drive. That's funny. I don't have a backup. If 30 years in IT have taught me one thing, it's that something worth keeping is worth backing up at least twice. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I keep one at home one in safety deposit box down the street and swap it out every so often. I work on servers and backups sometimes. i have seen huge tape backups take a shit. |
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Yes, it does show there what does it say about the file system ? and does the backup software show up as a CD drive ? Disk 1 Unknown 1863.01 GB Not Initialized 99% sure its the software Pull the drive out of the enclosure. Pull the usb adapter off. You can then hook it up directly inside a desktop computer and you may be able to read it. If not hook up the adapter by itself (with the power cord) and let it set for a while .Unhook it and hook the hard drive back up to it. The hard drive need to power up without the adapter at least once. When you put them back together it reloads the software from the firmware on the drive. It will more than likely destroy the enclosure when you open it But thats OK because you can buy another empty enclosure and use a utility to wipe that crappy backup software of it for good just formatting it doesn't get rid of it more on this later if you whant to go this way. I would I have never had one that didn't fail this way All I have are laptops, how do I power up just the drive itself without the usb adapter? |
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Timed this right to sit down at the desk.
When you open it there a a bunch of tiny plastic tabs the break off, that why I say destroy the enclosure. If you want to go back like it was I guess yiu could tape it back together. I wouldnt do it though because it WILL do it again. Im sure you have a SATA drive question is if it has a 4 pin molex like IDE drives or the standard SATA power connection. Not even sure what it is called. I think the only way would be another enclosure without a desktop. You need to know which power connecter you have because there all the standard sata now I believe |
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Just take the data from your other backup drive. That's funny. I don't have a backup. You're about to put in several hours of work, come up with nothing, but will have learned a valuable lesson. I'm sorry for your loss.  Bullshit nothing is certian. I have recovere mine and 3 others thats 4 out of 4 |
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I just bought a sata to usb adapter on ebay...I hope it will work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290725631299?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 |
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Just take the data from your other backup drive. That's funny. I don't have a backup. You're about to put in several hours of work, come up with nothing, but will have learned a valuable lesson. I'm sorry for your loss. Bullshit nothing is certian. I have recovere mine and 3 others thats 4 out of 4 Here's hoping for the guy, but your experiences and talk of "software" do not mirror what I've seen. All the external drives I've ever ripped open are quite simple simple devices not prone to failure like spinning metal. May he be so lucky 
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Just take the data from your other backup drive. That's funny. I don't have a backup. You're about to put in several hours of work, come up with nothing, but will have learned a valuable lesson. I'm sorry for your loss. Bullshit nothing is certian. I have recovere mine and 3 others thats 4 out of 4 Here's hoping for the guy, but your experiences and talk of "software" do not mirror what I've seen. All the external drives I've ever ripped open are quite simple simple devices not prone to failure like spinning metal. May he be so lucky FML, I sure hope so. I followed your instructions Armalite to the point of powering up the drive by itself. Will the sata to usb adapter I just ordered work? |
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Just take the data from your other backup drive. That's funny. I don't have a backup. You're about to put in several hours of work, come up with nothing, but will have learned a valuable lesson. I'm sorry for your loss. Bullshit nothing is certian. I have recovere mine and 3 others thats 4 out of 4 Here's hoping for the guy, but your experiences and talk of "software" do not mirror what I've seen. All the external drives I've ever ripped open are quite simple simple devices not prone to failure like spinning metal. May he be so lucky we are not talking about all drives just the western digital. I'd bet money is not the drive |