Initialize External HDD Error

sn1083 · Jul 26, 2014

So I have a Western Digital Passport that was working fine until one day while moving files it was no longer responding and it just sat there for about 20 minutes so I unplugged it. Ever since doing that however my computer has been unable to read it and when I go in to Disc Management it says that I need to initialize it.

https://stevennguyening.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/hdd-error.jpg

So if I do this, will all my files be erased? There are some important files that I need to get off of there. I've tried a few data recovery programs, but none of them can read the HDD either.

popatim · Jul 26, 2014

Yes initializing the drive may overwrite data that you want to get back.
Try using testdisk to recover the partition. Instructions are on their (CGSecurities) website.

sn1083 · Jul 28, 2014

I downloaded and tried using testdisk, but it doesn't look like the software can read or detect my HDD, same problem I'm having with other software

popatim · Jul 28, 2014

Its seems that the drive or the internal usb controller is having an issue. Soome of these drives are not sata drives on the inside but rather have an integrated usb to sata chip on them.
So which specific model# is this?
Do you feel it spinning up?

It may be possible to open the drive up, extract the sata drive to install in another pc, and recover the files (if the drive is actually still good) This of course, voids any warranty.

Yuna · Jul 29, 2014

Try using this software http://www.partition-recovery.com/ if it works, proceed in recovering data from your hard disk (youtube has lots of tutorial on it)
If it doesn't work try using another computer to read from the hard drive, try using another usb cable. If all else fail, if the warranty is still intact; send it
to the shop you bought it, and finally if none of the above works, remove the hard disk enclosure and plug it directly to a sata port on the motherboard, if it works get another hard disk enclosure for the hard drive. Good Luck to you, it hurts to lose precious data

sn1083 · Jul 30, 2014

popatim :

it's a WD Passport, WDBACX7500

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=215&lang=en

And yes, it's definitely spinning, but the sound it makes is a little different from before when it was working normally, though it's hard to describe. I contacted WD Support and they referred me to a 3rd party Data Recovery service.

I know absolutely nothing about PCs or hardware and was hoping to find a simple solution, but it seems complicated. I'll try Yuna's solution and if all else fails I guess I'll just bite the bullet and contact that data recovery service.

Yuna · Jul 30, 2014

sn1083 :

popatim :

it's a WD Passport, WDBACX7500

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=215&lang=en

And yes, it's definitely spinning, but the sound it makes is a little different from before when it was working normally, though it's hard to describe. I contacted WD Support and they referred me to a 3rd party Data Recovery service.

I know absolutely nothing about PCs or hardware and was hoping to find a simple solution, but it seems complicated. I'll try Yuna's solution and if all else fails I guess I'll just bite the bullet and contact that data recovery service.

Good luck in recovering your data.

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