Locked Data recovery on 500GB WD External Hard Drive.

[darbz7344]

Hello Everyone especially to the Admins and Top contributors,

So, I've been trying to recover the files on my 500GB WD External HDD. I've tried different software like Disk Drill, EaseUs Data Recovery, Disk Master, and Wondershare Recoverit, but nothing seems to work.

They say the same thing though when I'm attempting to recover the files is that "there are bad sectors in the drive". I tried HD Sentinal and it says "the status of the disk is unknown", when I run surface test, it keeps repeating Error 21 device not ready while reading through the blocks.

I wanted to recover the files on my HDD first but I'm losing hope that it might be impossible.

Can anyone please help me?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Un4Given]

try this i think this will help you External hh is easy to recovery

Torrent - iSumsoft Data Refixer 3.0.1.2 x64

iSumsoft Data Refixer is a powerful data recovery software for recovering deleted and lost files from Windows computers. It uses advanced technology to deeply scan the hard drive or partition to find all the lost files and enables you to recover them quickly with one click. * Retrieve deleted...

www.teamos.xyz

 

[SlavkoPejic]

Your external HDD is damaged.

 

[wangai2019]

you need to open a working hdd in a dust free environment, remove the read head and swap it with the problematic hdd read head.

 

[Uncle Mac]

life goes on...do format and use hdd for other things...

 

[DGrigorescu]

I agree with @wangai2019 . Only a "mechanical" solution can help. Some IT shops charge for this lots of money. If you continue with recovery software your hdd will die soon. If you format and use will give errors, sometimes slow speed and will die later. A fact is clear - you can't trust it anymore. Even if you continue to use it make backups if you care about the data.

 

[SiteWizard]

@darbz7344 write "They say the same thing though when I'm attempting to recover the files is that "there are bad sectors in the drive". I tried HD Sentinal and it says "the status of the disk is unknown", when I run surface test, it keeps repeating Error 21 device not ready while reading through the blocks."
1 question how old is that drive ???
because you have bad sectors on it
So your drive is going total loss...

 

[Proteus]

Unfrotunately, the drive has probably started, if not finished failing. You could pay BIG $$$ to have data retrieved, OR, you could do like some of us have had to do in the past, which is cut your losses and just buy a new HD. I preach to MYSELF about backup, backup, backup..... BUT, when a drive fails for me, Im back in under an hour with EVERYTHING I had before. I have all kinds of stuff for DOS/Win3.x (80's-90's), Win95/98/2000 (90's), WinXP (2000's) etc..... ALL backed up mostly on DVD's.

I guess what Im saying is that there comes a time when the time and money involved FAR eclipses the repair of the hardware. Drives are SO cheap at the moment you could get 3 or 4 nice sized SSD's for the price of what you would pay the technicians to recover data IF it is even possible to recover. Last year I lost 3 terrabyte of data. ALL my built OS's as well as VIP OS's gone in a flash (actually a flash of lightning). I tried for 2 days to get it back to NO avail. Wound up buying a reconditioned 4tb mechanical Hitatchi on amazon for $40 and its still purring like a perfect little kitty. (used for storage only since its mechanical).

 

[pleiadians]

As a last dich effort you could remove the disk from it's external case and put it in a pc as a secondary drive. Data recovery software doesn't work so well on usb /external devices and work better as in internal sata device. There is software like hdclone, clone bad disk, partition bad disk etc, that can clone the working part of the disk and ignore the bad sectors. Sometimes usb drives are not getting enough power and running them internally can solve problems. Hopefully it's not totally gone yet.

 

[SydneyM]

You could give it a last try as @pleiadians said and use R-Drive Image or Clonezilla that would clone anything it can if not all to another drive.

 

[wangai2019]

As a last dich effort you could remove the disk from it's external case and put it in a pc as a secondary drive. Data recovery software doesn't work so well on usb /external devices and work better as in internal sata device. There is software like hdclone, clone bad disk, partition bad disk etc, that can clone the working part of the disk and ignore the bad sectors. Sometimes usb drives are not getting enough power and running them internally can solve problems. Hopefully it's not totally gone yet.

this is also a good solution. try it!

 

[pleiadians]

R drive or Clonezilla or most of the usual clone solutions will fail on encountering difficult sectors, hdclone or clone bad disk have an option to skip these sectors. Running chkdisk usually only causes more trouble on a failing disk as it over works it.

 

[Mr.UnKn0wn]

USE The Disk Drill is the best , i am a technical support in my brother company and after to use first time disk drill i delete the others... is really good , and recovery folders(all folder) is support all disk HDD, NVME, SSD, EXTERNAL DISK... or find the same disk and change the hardware on disk

 

[Jimmy Collaros]

USE The Disk Drill is the best , i am a technical support in my brother company and after to use first time disk drill i delete the others... is really good , and recovery folders(all folder) is support all disk HDD, NVME, SSD, EXTERNAL DISK... or find the same disk and change the hardware on disk

I have never use Disk Drill but i read the post of @Mr.UnKn0wn and i gave a try for lost data in an external disk. I downloaded the latest version from here and it really worked.
But my disk is not damaged.

 

[pleiadians]

If a disk is physically failing you need to move as much data to a working disk first, if you run software like disk drill it will stress the failing disk and cause further collapse. Data recovery software puts great stress on the physical disk. If a disk if physically failing, you may only have one go to get at the data and that should be to move it to somewhere stable for analysis later. Data recovery software can not fix a physical issue. Software like Spinrite and HDD Regenerator used to be good for unmarking sectors that were marked as bad but were not bad, but I haven't used them in a long time. If the disk is very hot or making strange clicks or noises, then it is probably failing. Patience is necessary for data recovery, many slow gentle steps. You are going to have to buy a new drive anyways, take your time and don't panic. My advice is to use hdclone (available onsite) to clone the failing drive to a new drive, then use data recovery like disk drill on the new drive. It's a lot of time and work but safest.

 

[evilzfather]

take some professionals help . Since you need to swap working head with problematic hdd read head.

 

[Mr.UnKn0wn]

Another way is clone the disk with Paragon Hard disk Manager...

 

[DGrigorescu]

First of all think: what is the most important data for me? If you can copy paste those files/folders asap. In most cases torrents can be redownloaded, so copy asap personal things. Then clone or watever. If the operation will fail and hdd will die at least you saved valuable things. Don't check for errors - the more strees the less chances to recover.

 

[darbz7344]

try this i think this will help you External hh is easy to recovery

Torrent - iSumsoft Data Refixer 3.0.1.2 x64

iSumsoft Data Refixer is a powerful data recovery software for recovering deleted and lost files from Windows computers. It uses advanced technology to deeply scan the hard drive or partition to find all the lost files and enables you to recover them quickly with one click. * Retrieve deleted...

www.teamos.xyz

I will try this one and give feedback.

As a last dich effort you could remove the disk from it's external case and put it in a pc as a secondary drive. Data recovery software doesn't work so well on usb /external devices and work better as in internal sata device. There is software like hdclone, clone bad disk, partition bad disk etc, that can clone the working part of the disk and ignore the bad sectors. Sometimes usb drives are not getting enough power and running them internally can solve problems. Hopefully it's not totally gone yet.

I have been considering this doing this but haven't found time to. The drive is not making any weird noises or clicks, it's just it takes time for the drive to be recognized by the computer. Then when it is recognized, at first it shows the drive name, the remaining and used space like everything is normal, then the windows Disk Fix option comes up, I try to fix but nothing happens, the disk is led is left on but not blinking like there is no activity. Then after a few minutes, the drive becomes unrecognized though I can still get in the drive and see the folder names, however, everything is empty. I've tried cloning this disk but nothing works, however, I will try your recommendation and give feedback.

take some professionals help . Since you need to swap working head with problematic hdd read head.

I can't afford expensive tech. help because I don't have the money for it, I can't even buy parts to upgrade my PC because all my money goes to the family. I see this as an opportunity to learn, and hopefully, be able to help someone in my area who is having the same problem.

First of all think: what is the most important data for me? If you can copy paste those files/folders asap. In most cases torrents can be redownloaded, so copy asap personal things. Then clone or watever. If the operation will fail and hdd will die at least you saved valuable things. Don't check for errors - the more strees the less chances to recover.

Thank you for your insight. I will try cloning the drive again using the mentioned software and see how it goes. The files on my disk have sentimental value, family pictures, and documents.

Another way is clone the disk with Paragon Hard disk Manager...

I will definitely try this. And give feedback.

I really appreciate everyone's suggestions from the bottom of my heart. I will keep you posted.

 

[Proteus]

Thanks everyone for the info provided. I think we can close this now. Good Luck!