external hard drive issue

[megazero_0]

HD Brand : WD , my passport
File System : NTFS
Windows : 7
I apologize for the general topic, but I would like to clarify the issue I am experiencing. I have several external hard drives, and the one I am referring to was purchased 13 years ago. It has not been damaged by water or impact.

When I connect it to the USB 3 port on my laptop, only 1 out of 4 partitions is visible. The other three partitions only display the drive names, without showing any volume information. Subsequently, my computer begins to fill a green progress bar at the top and becomes unresponsive (hangs). After a while, a message appears stating, "Format before use." I click on "Cancel."

First time I connected it, I received a message (Yellow exclamation in device manager) indicating that "drivers for the USB devices were not installed completely." I updated the drivers, and they now appear to be functioning correctly. The LED on the drive is blinking, and I can hear a buzzing sound, along with some movement inside the hard drive when I place my hand on it(I believe sound does not mean defecting and it's a natural sound)

Could you please assist me in retrieving my data, if possible? How can I check for the underlying problem? To be honest, this hard drive was my first one, and it contains all my important data, including old photos. I cannot bear the thought of losing them. Additionally, I would like to mention that I do not have confidence in handing it over to a technician or expert.

NOTE:defect drive of external HD is "O" , "P" , "Q" and "K"
Note: I have to eject HD by pulling it from the laptop's port and can't perform safety remove .

I attached 4 images
Disk 1 is my external Hard drive
thank you

 

[DrB0b]

I do not know your technical background but there are a few things I would try if I was in this position. If you need me to elaborate on any of the procedures mentioned below, please let me know. A simple Google will tell you how to use the items I refer to but I can help point you in the right direction.

First, I would use a Linux distro to see if it can view anything on the partitions in question or if it has the same hang up. Ideally on a different PC to avoid any USB or driver issues. This can be easily achieved by downloading Ubuntu, Mint, etc to a thumb drive or DVD and booting from it. If that OS can see your files, I would move them to another drive so you have a backup in case there is something wrong with the current disk they are on. If it also has issues viewing those partitions, then there likely is an issue with that drive. I would then go into recovery territory.

Easus DataRecovery and many other backup/recovery softwares will have the ability to retrieve files off of partially damaged partitions. If I was the tech you brought this to, I would likely to clone the drive before doing any other recovery to the drive. Doing intensive recovery from the mentioned software may damage the partitions even more and potentially beyond comprehensive data recovery from a specialist. This may give you at least a snapshot of the current setup and issues with your troubled drive. Then you can send that off for comprehensive data recovery if the software attempt fails or makes the corruption worse. All that being said, if this was my drive, I would likely attempt the software recovery first as each intensive/read write will potentially bring this drive closer to failure and I would want my best shot at getting anything off the drive. Even the clone will take a toll on the drive since it has to analyze sector by sector.

I know this data is on an external hard drive but please take this as a life lesson in backing up important data to multiple sources. Pics are easy to burn to a DVD/BluRay, drop on a thumb drive, or another external HDD and drop in a safe. Unfortunately, all storage media fails at some point so it is good to have a second copy. Obviously, online platforms such as Google drive, OneDrive, etc are options as well.

Feel free to wait for another knowledgeable TekTipper to weigh in as it is a good idea to hear multiple views especially when dealing with sensitive data or data you cherish. We have a lot of good people here willing to assist. Best of luck and I hope you get all of your pics back.

 

[megazero_0]

I do not know your technical background but there are a few things I would try if I was in this position. If you need me to elaborate on any of the procedures mentioned below, please let me know. A simple Google will tell you how to use the items I refer to but I can help point you in the right direction.

First, I would use a Linux distro to see if it can view anything on the partitions in question or if it has the same hang up. Ideally on a different PC to avoid any USB or driver issues. This can be easily achieved by downloading Ubuntu, Mint, etc to a thumb drive or DVD and booting from it. If that OS can see your files, I would move them to another drive so you have a backup in case there is something wrong with the current disk they are on. If it also has issues viewing those partitions, then there likely is an issue with that drive. I would then go into recovery territory.

Easus DataRecovery and many other backup/recovery softwares will have the ability to retrieve files off of partially damaged partitions. If I was the tech you brought this to, I would likely to clone the drive before doing any other recovery to the drive. Doing intensive recovery from the mentioned software may damage the partitions even more and potentially beyond comprehensive data recovery from a specialist. This may give you at least a snapshot of the current setup and issues with your troubled drive. Then you can send that off for comprehensive data recovery if the software attempt fails or makes the corruption worse. All that being said, if this was my drive, I would likely attempt the software recovery first as each intensive/read write will potentially bring this drive closer to failure and I would want my best shot at getting anything off the drive. Even the clone will take a toll on the drive since it has to analyze sector by sector.

I know this data is on an external hard drive but please take this as a life lesson in backing up important data to multiple sources. Pics are easy to burn to a DVD/BluRay, drop on a thumb drive, or another external HDD and drop in a safe. Unfortunately, all storage media fails at some point so it is good to have a second copy. Obviously, online platforms such as Google drive, OneDrive, etc are options as well.

Feel free to wait for another knowledgeable TekTipper to weigh in as it is a good idea to hear multiple views especially when dealing with sensitive data or data you cherish. We have a lot of good people here willing to assist. Best of luck and I hope you get all of your pics back.

Hi and thanks for your kind response

First, I would use a Linux distro to see if it can view anything on the partitions in question or if it has the same hang up. Ideally on a different PC to avoid any USB or driver issues. This can be easily achieved by downloading Ubuntu, Mint, etc to a thumb drive or DVD and booting from it. If that OS can see your files, I would move them to another drive so you have a backup in case there is something wrong with the current disk they are on. If it also has issues viewing those partitions, then there likely is an issue with that drive. I would then go into recovery territory.

I have to install one, but I'm unsure if I could install it on the VM machine to test this.

Easus DataRecovery and many other backup/recovery softwares will have the ability to retrieve files off of partially damaged partitions. If I was the tech you brought this to, I would likely to clone the drive before doing any other recovery to the drive. Doing intensive recovery from the mentioned software may damage the partitions even more and potentially beyond comprehensive data recovery from a specialist. This may give you at least a snapshot of the current setup and issues with your troubled drive. Then you can send that off for comprehensive data recovery if the software attempt fails or makes the corruption worse. All that being said, if this was my drive, I would likely attempt the software recovery first as each intensive/read write will potentially bring this drive closer to failure and I would want my best shot at getting anything off the drive. Even the clone will take a toll on the drive since it has to analyze sector by sector

About software I'll ask you later among EAsus , Disk Drill , wondershareit , R-Studio . first, let me did I catch your point or not !
How could I perform a clone on my hard disk before going into recovery software? I attached the images I can't also open the drive.Windows detect 4 partitions, one of them is shown, and just one explanation from my side missing : after I ejecting HD's port from laptop directly without safety remove option it was shown something like : " The request could not be performed because of an i/o device error"

Doing intensive recovery from the mentioned software may damage the partitions even more and potentially beyond comprehensive data recovery from a specialist.

How could I understand that scanning through recovery software may damage it more?
Should I check the existing bad sector via software or the CHKDSK command in Windows or is there any better software that minimizes damage possibility?

if this was my drive, I would likely attempt the software recovery first as each intensive/read write will potentially bring this drive closer to failure and I would want my best shot at getting anything off the drive. Even the clone will take a toll on the drive since it has to analyze sector by sector.

Honestly, could you please re-explain this paragraph again in simple words?

We have a lot of good people here willing to assist. Best of luck and I hope you get all of your pics back.

I am more than grateful.

so If I want to summarize your advice: First try to check with Linux Ubuntu .
then I confused! I am so sorry because you let me ask further more ,

thanks and regards
Hop you could help me to achieve my result .