[HELP] Tools to recover data from External backup disk with bad sectors

[fire]

Hello Experts,

 

I have an external 4TB HDD which suddenly started giving Errors, Initially I use to get an error in windows informing me to run chkdsk and fix the bad sectors on the drive.

But everytime I ran the chkdsk it failed with an error that it can't fix the drive.

 

I was still able to access the drive in Windows, so I started pulling the data out of the disk by moving to another disk. After some time i reached a point where windows detects the drive but doesn't detect file system and Task Manager shows 100% disk usage even though there are no read/write activity on the disk.

 

Now running chkdsk gives an error:

Quote

The type of the file system is RAW.
CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives.

 

I tried using Minitool Partition Wizard to recover the partition but it shows the disk as Bad Disk and doesn't do anything. Acronis doesn't event detect the drive.

 

Are there more better tools which I can try to recover the data and possibly fix the drive?

 

Thanks

[Holmes]

Check the following link:

 

http://www.z-a-recovery.com/articles/raw-filesystem.aspx

 

Download zar data recovery and see if it can fix it.  If zar data recovery doesnt work try testdisk at the following link:

 

http://html5.litten.com/how-to-fix-external-disk-drive-suddenly-became-raw/

 

You can can try seagate seatools to run tests on it to see if it is faulty.

[fire]

1 hour ago, Holmes said:

Check the following link:

 

http://www.z-a-recovery.com/articles/raw-filesystem.aspx

 

Download zar data recovery and see if it can fix it.  If zar data recovery doesnt work try testdisk at the following link:

 

http://html5.litten.com/how-to-fix-external-disk-drive-suddenly-became-raw/

 

You can can try seagate seatools to run tests on it to see if it is faulty.

Thanks for your reply. I am currently trying testdisk and its been running for few hours now analyzing the disk.

 

I tried Seagate seatools already and let it run for more than 24 hours but it doesn't do anything, doesn't even show any activity in task manager. It detects that there is a disk but that's all.

 

If testdrive doesn't work i'm going to try ZAR data recovery as you mentioned above.

[LOQUILLO]

Hi fire if Seagate Tools don't work, and if you wanna to use ZAR the demo version have theses limitations:

There are the following limitations in the demo version of ZAR X:

Only (up to) four folders can be recovered in the demo version of our data recovery software.
The demo version is unable to load the scan result file. However, it does save these files to avoid having to rescan the disk when you got the full version.
In digital image recovery mode program operates as freeware with no functional limitations. List of known compatible digital camera models and image formats is available at the known camera compatibility list.

You need to get a license for to have the complete options.

For my the best choice is boot your machine with KNOPPIX, you will have full access to RAW system file archive and will can move recovered files to other harddisk drive

[fire]

Ok, so it seems like ZAR even doesn't detect the drive.

 

I'll download KNOPPIX now and they try it tomorrow if testdisk doesn't do anything by that time. I'm guessing I have to let testdisk too run overnight.

 

Thanks for your help and suggestions guys.

[Holmes]

Use seatools when you fix the raw filesystem problem you can use seatools smart feature to look at the drives smart information.

[child]

If you really want recover data, do as follow.

 

Use HDD Regenerator and choose scan and repair function. This utility try to repair your bad sector even there is no file system. Do not use re-generate all, which will clean all your data and re-generate all surface area.

It is better to connect your hard disk direct to PC (SATA or IDE or SCSI) otherwise it takes too much time and you will face not responding/No detect problem (this is all due to USB connection). 

 

Once you have re-generated, you can easy recover data with your choice software.

 

 

[fire]

testdisk is still running, seems quite slow:

 

Quote

Drive F: - 4000 GB / 3726 GiB - CHS 3519037440 1 1
Analyse sector   529006592/3519037439: 01%
Read error at 529006591/0/1 (lba=529006591)

 

Completed only around 504Gb after so many hours. Looks like its going to take few days to finish.

[knowledge-Spammer]

have u tryed http://www.usbharddriverecovery.net/bad.html?ref=yt-desc

 

[fire]

10 hours ago, LOQUILLO said:

Hi fire if Seagate Tools don't work, and if you wanna to use ZAR the demo version have theses limitations:

There are the following limitations in the demo version of ZAR X:

Only (up to) four folders can be recovered in the demo version of our data recovery software.
The demo version is unable to load the scan result file. However, it does save these files to avoid having to rescan the disk when you got the full version.
In digital image recovery mode program operates as freeware with no functional limitations. List of known compatible digital camera models and image formats is available at the known camera compatibility list.

You need to get a license for to have the complete options.

For my the best choice is boot your machine with KNOPPIX, you will have full access to RAW system file archive and will can move recovered files to other harddisk drive

I have to stop testdisk as it used all the space where i have this tool unzipped around 360GB log file.

Can you please tell me how to use KNOPPIX to recover files?

33 minutes ago, knowledge said:

have u tryed http://www.usbharddriverecovery.net/bad.html?ref=yt-desc

 

I'll try this tool, thanks.

7 hours ago, child said:

If you really want recover data, do as follow.

 

Use HDD Regenerator and choose scan and repair function. This utility try to repair your bad sector even there is no file system. Do not use re-generate all, which will clean all your data and re-generate all surface area.

It is better to connect your hard disk direct to PC (SATA or IDE or SCSI) otherwise it takes too much time and you will face not responding/No detect problem (this is all due to USB connection). 

 

Once you have re-generated, you can easy recover data with your choice software.

 

 

I'll try this tool, thanks.

9 hours ago, Holmes said:

Use seatools when you fix the raw filesystem problem you can use seatools smart feature to look at the drives smart information.

Seatools takes forever even for Short Drive Self Test.

[fire]

So I tried Disks tools under Accessories in KNOPPIX and it throws this error:

 

[Ghazi]

@fire Better try child's suggestion. It your last resort. Also if it takes forever then don't waste time on it. Better send it to professional if you can afford it. They have special machines to recover data. Even if the head is damaged they will put in a similar model drive and recover data from it.

P.S I am not advocating that you must send it to a professional but its my experience that physical damage to a disk is not recoverable by software

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hQZ09sdcRs

 

[fire]

44 minutes ago, Ghazi said:

@fire Better try child's suggestion. It your last resort. Also if it takes forever then don't waste time on it. Better send it to professional if you can afford it. They have special machines to recover data. Even if the head is damaged they will put in a similar model drive and recover data from it.

P.S I am not advocating that you must send it to a professional but its my experience that physical damage to a disk is not recoverable by software

  Hide contents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hQZ09sdcRs

 

i certainly can't send the disk to Professionals, it would be quite expensive.

 

How do I connect this external Desktop Drive to Laptop via SATA port? any recommendations for a cable which I can use? I found this on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/SMAKN-22-pin-Female-Power-Extension/dp/B00L9R3AKA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455808845&sr=8-1&keywords=SATA+EXTENSION

[jcvo]

test ufs explorer pro this in the forum there if you have access to the disk with this program

[LOQUILLO]

Its

23 hours ago, fire said:

So I tried Disks tools under Accessories in KNOPPIX and it throws this error:

 

 

You could mount HD into your machine and use chkdsk /f /r on Windows

Remote I/O error: this is a hardware error, disks or heads damaged.

[child]

@fire, AS I told you, you just waste your time.  (or may be you want to do all experience yourself)

 

In simple words:

1. If there is hardware error (including data/power cables & physical bad sectors) you can't recover hard disk unless you remove/resolve hardware problem.
2. If there are bad sectors (not physical, only magnetic) the only solution is regenerate the sectors (HDD regenerator or SpinRite etc) than use any Data recover software (as you like, because I like to use Active@ suite (Undelete, File Recovery, Partition Recovery), GetDataBack for FAT/NTFS. As per my experince sometime only parition recovery restore all data. If you want bootable sulotion than I prefer Active@ Boot Disk

 

Remember onething. Data recovery power consuming & time consuming job, I do not suggest to use any laptop for this purpose, otherwise you will face these types of error

 

Is up to you what you choose, I can't teach you more than this at the moment.

 

bye

[LOQUILLO]

Too, you could convert to NTFS partition and use a recovery program (GetDataBack Recovery NTFS) for to get again alls the files.

You need to use a desktop machine not a laptop

[fire]

Thanks guys, I don't have a desktop so that's not an option.

I'll keep trying the recovery, i don't have a problem leaving the laptop dedicated to recovery process for a couple of days as I got another laptop for normal use.

 

I have ordered a SATA cable to connect the disk directly using the SATA port so that might help.

 

One strange thing, the disk is not making any strange noise like I saw it on most of the youtube videos.

[Ghazi]

@fire open the hard disk if you can then you have to connect it by sata cable. If ther is an e-sata port in your laptop it will work also but have to give power to hdd at all times because a power failure can be devastating. Try your luck with hdd regenerator or other software if they can remove bad sectors. If it takes couple of days then it is damaged for good

[fire]

So the SATA cable that I thought would work, doesn't work with External Desktop drive. I think that cable doesn't provide power to disk. Does anyone know of a cable that would allow me to connect this Desktop external drive to Laptop SATA port?

[humsearshad]

use minitool power data recovery-technician edition(for faster recovery)

i used it on my damaged hdd 6-7 months ago and recovered all except 2 documents from a 500GB hdd containing 320-350GB of data.

use the undelete recovery option first then go for damaged partition recovery if required.

it took around 3-4 hours to recover 320-350GB of data.

[Webdoc]

It may have been said already somewhere and I know it's extra hard drive cost, but it's always best to have a backup of your backup this was the first bit of advice I ever got way back when I started my computer life, and to date  it has saved me losing data countless times.

 

I hope you get this sorted.