Can't Access my Hard Disk

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derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
0
10
Hey guys
i know this have asked a million times but bare with please
yesterday I plugged my external hard disk on my laptop it showed up but it usually shows how much space left and the name i rename it but now it only says (external hard drive G)
when i try to access it it takes a long time and eventually won't open or the computer freeze but when I unplug it it goes back to normal.
I try plugging it in my sister's new laptop and it has the same problem
this is literally my life in a form of files
i would be devastated if they're gone for good
so i would appreciate any help possible
thank you in advance
 
Solution
J
According to the above, your HDD has a lot of bad sectors (which makes some of the data unreadable), and this is what's causing the occasional crash.
In my opinion, the best way to tackle this would be first of to get a new, additional hard drive (of the same capacity), and then use ddrescue from systemrescuecd (to clone it while ignoring the bad sectors) this will likely work quite well (provided the damage is not too severe).

Links:

systemrescuecd:
http://www.system-rescue-cd.org/

universal usb installer (if you wanna boot it from a flash drive):
https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

basic ddrescue guide (see "Cloning directly to a new disk")...
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doolittle

doolittle

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Jul 19, 2004
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Only thing you can do is disassemble it (example here) and then try to connect to a PC via SATA or IDE or whatever port it's using to the USB. This would eliminate the USB interface as the problem, and if the drive is working then it would be recoverable. If it is working you can use something like Recuva and try to recover the files.
 
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D

derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
0
10


it works fine when i plug it in my TV and i can play the movies i have inside
but can't open it on my laptop or my sister's laptop
so idk whats the problem
 
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A

ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
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NOW LET'S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT, CAPICHE?

Assuming that the data on the USB external drive "...is literally (your) life in a form of files", and furthermore, that "(You) would be devastated if they've gone for good")

And you're not (as we will assume, overdramatizing the situation)...

Your ONLY intelligent course of action is NOT TO ATTEMPT "DISASSEMBLE" THE DEVICE or manipulate in ANY WAY that external device. Rather, you should get in touch with (hopefully) a reliable data recovery service to determine if recovery of the data is possible/practical. Expensive? Yes!

It's a bitter lesson you've learned - when data is especially important/critical/crucial to you...YOU MUST MAKE MULTIPLE BACKUPS. Depending upon a single backup source is playing Russian roulette.
 
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J

jason201

Prominent
Feb 20, 2018
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765

I'd say you're going way too far here!
External hard drive = hard drive sitting inside an enclosure.
Nothing wrong with removing it from said enclosure, and trying to hook it up directly to the computer (or via a different USB>SATA adapter) if it all possible (some external drives have the USB port integrated into the drive electronics)
Also, in general, the only thing one shouldn't do at home is open the HDD down the platter level!
Trying a PCB replacement by itself is perfectly safe though (not that I think this is required in this case, but just wanted to point that out)
 
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A

ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
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Jason:
One of primary reasons (there are other reasons as well) we encourage users to purchase a USB external enclosure + a HDD (or SSD) of their choice to install in the enclosure - RATHER THAN PURCHASING A COMMERCIAL "ONE-PIECE" USB external drive for storage/backup purposes, is PRECISELY because of the straightforward/simple operation the user can employ in removing the HDD (or SSD) from the enclosure in order to install the drive INTERNALLY in the PC. That operation is something we generally always recommend when the user is troubleshooting a USBEHD where its data cannot be accessed via the USB interface or other problems with the external drive have been encountered. We find that when the user is working with a commercial unit that option is frequently unavailable to the user because of the design of the commercial unit or other factors inherent to the commercial product, e.g., proprietary SATA data connectors.

So I'm in total agreement with you on that specific aspect.

The problems we frequently encounter with users is that too often those users are swayed by (well-meaning) responders suggesting or urging them to undertake relatively complex procedures involving physical changes involving the failing or defective drive. In too many cases we've come across over the years the consequences of such have been devastating in that a total (or near-total) loss of data has been the result - never to be resurrected. So where the data involved is absolutely critical to the user, and its loss cannot be tolerated, our advice is to seek the assistance of a reliable commercial data recovery service without further ado. Naturally we're aware this can be (and usually is) an expensive service. And the user is so advised.
 
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RolandJS

Reputable
Mar 10, 2017
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This may be a dumb question on my part -- is there any way to connect another media storage device to that TV and somehow "copy" the contents of the problematic drive onto a 2nd drive? I have never had such a setup, hence my asking.
 
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D

derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
0
10


unfortunately where I live i don't have services for data recovery...sucks i know



 
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D

derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
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10


downloaded and open it and i can see hard drive C and other drives then i closed it and plugged my hard disk and clicked on the program and it didn't open
once i removed my hard disk it opened
ugh tat's whats bugging me about it. whenever i opened a recovery program it freezes and u literally can't do anything
but the moment i remove my hard disk it goes back to normal tried this with every program and the same thing
even in disk mngmt i plug and refresh and it freezes.
 
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D

derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
0
10


i don't think so
 
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D

derpga

Feb 17, 2018
6
0
10


wait
somehow it showed the hard disk when i moved it???
this is what it shows

sWii8WPg.png
 
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J

jason201

Prominent
Feb 20, 2018
231
8
765
According to the above, your HDD has a lot of bad sectors (which makes some of the data unreadable), and this is what's causing the occasional crash.
In my opinion, the best way to tackle this would be first of to get a new, additional hard drive (of the same capacity), and then use ddrescue from systemrescuecd (to clone it while ignoring the bad sectors) this will likely work quite well (provided the damage is not too severe).

Links:

systemrescuecd:
http://www.system-rescue-cd.org/

universal usb installer (if you wanna boot it from a flash drive):
https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

basic ddrescue guide (see "Cloning directly to a new disk"):
https://www.technibble.com/guide-using-ddrescue-recover-data/

Good luck.
 
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Solution
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RolandJS

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Mar 10, 2017
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Also, on another computer if necessary, make a USB and/or DVD boot of any Puppy Linux, boot it, use its file manager to copy off whatever folders and files that have not been corrupted onto any affordable external media.
 
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RolandJS

Reputable
Mar 10, 2017
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I'm at school and cannot walk OP through this process -- others, please chime in with "road-signs" as to where to look for information regarding the easiest Puppy Linix to download and install onto a USB or DVD. Thanks!
 
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