Internal hdd and Exernal enclosure

Nanashi Fei · Sep 20, 2013

Hi,

I just bought a new HDD WD 2TB hdd. I have connected it with my pc and format it from raw to NTFS.

When I remove the hdd from my pc and try to use it on an external enclosure it asked me to format.

When I format it with the external enclosure and connect it with my pc it as the same thing to format the hdd.

Is there a special way to format the hdd so that both internally and externally i will get access?

Sorry for my english.

lonewolf7 · Sep 20, 2013

No there is no special way to format. Just the regular way with NTFS will do. I think there is a problem with the drive itself or the file system getting corrupted every time when exchanging between internal and external.

Do one thing, plug the drive internally, and check the disk in CMD : chkdsk X: /f/r (X is the drive letter, yours may be different). See how it goes.

Nanashi Fei · Sep 20, 2013

lonewolf7 :

Thanks for the reply. I have try in CMD but it is telling me something about permission.

I don't think it is corruting my file system as if i put it back internally it will detect.

The same if i format the hdd with my external enclosure it will not work when i put it internally but will work if i put it back in the external enclosure.

lonewolf7 · Sep 20, 2013

I understood that from your first post, and that's a bit of strange thing happening there. Either replace the HDD or the external enclosure.

And what is your full system specs ?

Nanashi Fei · Sep 20, 2013

I have like 4 HDD. The 3 old one was format from the external enclosure and when I try to connect them directly on my pc it asked me to format.

I have an I5 3 ghz quad core with 8 gb.

lonewolf7 · Sep 20, 2013

I think the problem lies on the external enclosure, try to replace it.

fzabkar · Sep 20, 2013

It could be that your enclosure is configured with a sector size of 4KB.

You can determine the actual LBA size reported by the enclosure using the following command:

fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo x: (where x: represents the drive that you are checking)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2510009

Here is a similar thread:
http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25798

Nanashi Fei · Sep 21, 2013

Hi,

Maybe the enclosure has some problem?

I can't use fsutil it is telling me i don't have some rights .

But when i try to format the hdd with the enclosure the first option is 4056 i think.

Nanashi Fei · Sep 21, 2013

SOme update :

I have try to attached the hdd with another pc and it is working.

And the enclosure i have is masscool UHB-302UPS

fzabkar · Sep 21, 2013

Another way to see the physical sector size of your enclosure is to use a disc editor such as DMDE (freeware).

http://dmde.com/

Launch DMDE.

Uncheck the Show Partitions box.

Select your Physical Drive, and OK.

This should display sector 0 (= LBA 0).

Near the top of the window you should see the range of sectors, ie "Sectors 0 - n".

What is the value of n?

Nanashi Fei · Sep 21, 2013

Hi

If i am not wrong n = 48837865

When i connect it directly to my pc n is much more

fzabkar · Sep 21, 2013

48837865 sectors x 4096 bytes per sector = 200 039 895 040

ISTM that one digit is missing.

Nanashi Fei · Sep 22, 2013

Lol dunno what I must understand by this.

But thanks for helping I think as long I can connect the hdd to other pc its ok I don't need to fear that when I buy a new pc I won't access my hdd. I will try to get another external enclosure to try them.

fzabkar · Sep 22, 2013

When the drive is inside your PC, it reports that it has approximately 4 billion sectors with a size of 512 bytes per sector, resulting in a total capacity of 2TB.

When the drive is inside your enclosure, it becomes a "USB mass storage device" and reports that it has approximately 0.5 billion sectors with a size of 4096 bytes per sector, once again resulting in a total capacity of 2TB.

When the drive is formatted inside your PC, the file system has 512-byte sectors.

When the drive is formatted inside your enclosure, the file system has 4096-byte sectors.

A 512B drive with a 512B file system is matched.

A 4KB drive with a 4KB file system is matched.

If you format the drive inside your PC and then install it in your enclosure, this results in a 4KB drive with a 512B file system. That is a mismatch.

If you format the drive inside your enclosure and then install it in your PC, this results in a 512B drive with a 4KB file system. That is a mismatch.

Nanashi Fei · Sep 23, 2013

Ah ok is there a solution to make correct this?

fzabkar · Sep 23, 2013

Just keep your drive inside the same enclosure, or buy an enclosure with a 512-byte sector size.

Nanashi Fei · Sep 24, 2013

OK Thanks i will try to get another enclosure.

Internal hdd and Exernal enclosure

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