180 GB on external drive unaccessible

Centigraf

Commendable
Nov 13, 2016
1
0
1,510
Hi

I've tried space sniffer as administrator, it says unaccessible 180 GB. I've run Sea Tools long generic and received a Pass. I've unhidden files and folders, unhidden protected files, there are 3 recycle bins showing on the external drive but all seem to be empty. There are also 2 folders named Found and Found 1 (if I remember the names correctly) these also seem to be empty.

I've run virus, malware & spybot scans and there are no problems there. Not long before this problem arose, I was typing something and one of the fingers of my left hand caught a key and a small message flashed on the screen but it didn't stay long enough to read it, I have no idea which key it was but it was in the lower left area of the keyboard around where the windows key is located, and, with typing so quickly I could have hit a key with my right hand at the same time and I'm wondering if this has done some weird system thing causing the space to become unaccessible.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how this can be resolved please?
 
Solution
Welcome to Tom's Hardware, @Centigraf!

I'd advise you to check how your external drive appears on another computer and see if you will be able to access the data from there. You mentioned that you have been logged as admin, so maybe you should also try to take ownership of the external drive in Windows and see if that will help you access those 180 GB.
Make sure you do a backup of the data as soon as you gain access to it. This is the surest way to avoid any potential data loss. It would also be very helpful if you post a screenshot from Disk Management in Windows of the external drive.
I'd also advise you to run both the Short & Long tests from your HDD's brand-specific diagnostic tool.

Keep me posted with...
Welcome to Tom's Hardware, @Centigraf!

I'd advise you to check how your external drive appears on another computer and see if you will be able to access the data from there. You mentioned that you have been logged as admin, so maybe you should also try to take ownership of the external drive in Windows and see if that will help you access those 180 GB.
Make sure you do a backup of the data as soon as you gain access to it. This is the surest way to avoid any potential data loss. It would also be very helpful if you post a screenshot from Disk Management in Windows of the external drive.
I'd also advise you to run both the Short & Long tests from your HDD's brand-specific diagnostic tool.

Keep me posted with the troubleshooting!
SuperSoph_WD
 
Solution