Retrieving data from broken external drive

Gromm

Gromm

Gromm

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5 Nov 2007
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99
So I backed up some important files onto an external drive, only for it to become unusable. My computer recognises that it's a drive, but is unable to open it, and just freezes when I try to open it.

Using EasyRecovery I can see all of the folder structures and files, but it's so slow at transferring data, I'm talking about like .1 of a kb a minute. Are there any other programs/methods that can get the files off this disk for me, at a faster pace than EasyRecovery?

Cheers guys
 
Don't think I can remove it, it's a Toshiba and has this metal casing around it. Don't expect it has a sata/ide port on it anywhere underneath the case.

I'll try knoppix, cheers. It's weird cos it recognises it as a drive, and even starts autoplay, but doesnt find any files and can't open it.
 
It seems to be full of bad sectors. I don't really know what to do now, as I don't want to damage it further. This is how it goes:

Windows recognises that it's a hard drive, and calls it Local Drive E:
Auto play opens, but can't find files
I can get properties open, and it says that it's a 0kb drive
Using a program such as Easy Recovery, I can see all the folder trees and files, file types and sizes
I can recover a few files from it quite quickly, one at a time using Easy Recovery, 50mb files and such. But some of them just stop randomly and won't carry on, I presume this is bad sector?

What do people suggest doing?
 
Might be an idea to wrap the hdd in an anti-static bag and leave it in ** freezer over night, get it out tomorrow evening, make sure there is no moisture on or around it and then try the process again.
 
Gromm said:
Don't think I can remove it, it's a Toshiba and has this metal casing around it. Don't expect it has a sata/ide port on it anywhere underneath the case.

I'll try knoppix, cheers. It's weird cos it recognises it as a drive, and even starts autoplay, but doesnt find any files and can't open it.
Click to expand...

If its the same as my Toshiba external caddy:

023695iw2.jpg


Theres four screws at rear of unit behind a glued on metal cover.

Then 2 screws beneath the stand once you remove it then it should slide out.

If its the same as mine was then it should be a western digital IDE drive.

Though this would invalidate any warranty remaining on it.
 
That's the beast, awesome. Don't really care about the warranty, gonna replace it with another Seagate internal drive and a MyBook external as I don't trust this. I'll look into it, cheers. Plugging an IDE into my PC isn't gonna screw anything up with the SATA drive I have in already is it?
 
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