WD Elements USB drive- master boot record error, won't format, won't zero out

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Pemo33

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Apr 23, 2017
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Hello
Running win 10 on Dell laptop. WD external drive will not respond.
I tried cmd chkdsk, format and repair switches with no effect. Tried WD app for repair but error message states bad sectors and test failed. Tried to write with zeroes but would not complete due to bad sectors. Killdisk running but shows message the request failed due to fatal device hardware error. I do not need to keep any data on drive, I would just like to clean it and if possible use it again for system back up.
Problem started due to removing USB cable without asking for permission first!
Ever since then win Explorer has labored intensely to open, read drive contents, or at times recognize drive at all so I wanted to throw in towel and just reformat.
No matter how I tried using Windows, or later with other apps, format fails or times out (program not responding)
What can I do if anything to "force" ? A format. I believe the drive is still working but so facokta'd it doesn't know how to respond Anymore!
Is it time to toss it, or is there a way to restore it to former Self?
Semi computer literate, enough to get myself into trouble but not Out!
Thanks
 
Solution
drtweak
The thing about the WD Elements drive is the USB controller is built into the hard drive controller so you can just rip it open and plug it into a SATA port. Install Crystal Disk Info and then run it with the USB drive plugged it. Post back what it says (if it can read the drive), but honestly it sounds like the drive is too far gone and it happens. If it is under warrenty still i would try to get it RMAed.

Also with External hard drives that rely on power from USB ports i always use the safely remove device because what happens is the hard drive will properly spin down and the heads can properly park. if you just yank it if can cause issues.
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drtweak

drtweak

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Sep 17, 2012
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The thing about the WD Elements drive is the USB controller is built into the hard drive controller so you can just rip it open and plug it into a SATA port. Install Crystal Disk Info and then run it with the USB drive plugged it. Post back what it says (if it can read the drive), but honestly it sounds like the drive is too far gone and it happens. If it is under warrenty still i would try to get it RMAed.

Also with External hard drives that rely on power from USB ports i always use the safely remove device because what happens is the hard drive will properly spin down and the heads can properly park. if you just yank it if can cause issues.
 
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Solution
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Pemo33

Prominent
Apr 23, 2017
2
0
510


Thank you for the reply-
I think your right about it being too far gone. Zero-ING out completed but operation failed, too many bad sectors. No harm no foul, didn't loose any info, just the piece of equipment, so I'm moving on...!
Thanks again, found this site to be helpful and great for "reference"
Pemo
 
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