Disk Geometry for an external hard-drive? Where to get the information?

Thank you groves.damien.

I tried about 5 programs. The ones offering to look at the files and not let me copy them are not good. They had more trouble with the two I am currently using. I will try the Seagate link.

The problem seems to be encryption, physical damage (probably a little rust or the external drive was knocked over onto its side). There was a malware attack onto the main computer with trojans, rootkits, viruses, etc. It seem the culprits tried to cover their tracks and made the disk unrecognizable.

The only program that has worked is the testdisk photorec program being able to recover some files and then stop at certain sectors and not finish the job. Recuva could not recognize the file structure after ignoring it and not recognizing anything.

I cannot even re-format the external HDD. Windows does not recognize it and says it is encrypted or corrupted. Windows XP, Windows Vista Home Premium 32 and 64-bit, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit do not work with all these programs and plugging the device in. Even a different cable does not work.

I was under the impression if I remove a pre-made usb external drive's HDD that it is encrypted and just plugging it in wont work. I also don't know how to open a Western Digital enclosure without breaking it.

Are the connections soldered?

USAFRet: I understand those 3 options. I know those are the options. Nice picture, are you taunting anyone?

1. Professional data recovery costs a lot of money and if they are honest, after I give them a list of what I did and what did not work, then they may do what I cannot and it might cost less.
2. There was no back-up. After suggestions to whom I am recovering this media for about back-ups and what they needed to buy, they did not listen. I have been able to recover or go through other pieces of media and obtain stuff with Recuva and testdisk. But there is some older stuff stuck on the external HDD.
3. I will not give up yet. There are some other methods of back-up that will take longer.
4. There is a fourth option, maybe more? Since this external HDD is potentially bricked and I am learning what I need to about data recovery: I can get the disk geometry or at least understand how the professionals will do it so they can then do it later. If I brick this external HD, some stuff was protected and so be it.

The Seagate Recovery Suite does not recognize anything on my computer or it says my HDD's are unsupported.

diskpart.exe will not let me select a disk and I put commands into it and all that happens are the help list of commands keeps showing up. I am going in a circle.

I tried using gparted. There is one more thing I can try, but nothing is working. Would gparted format the HDD different than Windows XP, Vista or Win7? Is there a way to minimize data loss with the new partition erasing old information?

I cannot use the Windows disk error checker at start up or within Windows either. the external HDD is not recognized.

The Windows error messages when it cannot re-format are:

1. Windows cannot format the disk.
2. Windows cannot format O:\
Check to see that the disk and drive are connected properly, make sure that the disk is not read-only, and then try again. For more information, search Help for read-only files and how to change them.

I'll contact the hardware manufacturer to see what they have to say.

USAFRet no offence.