HDD will not initialize (write protected)

All of a sudden My WD elements SE stopped working. I had just finished moving some files to the HDD, I ejected the HDD with the safely remove hardware and media tool as part of Windows 7. I then realises I had forgotten to place some data on the HDD so I plugged the HDD back into the same USB port.

Now the HDD:

-Does not show in ‘My Computer’

-Cannot be initialized through disk management

-Says it is write protected from being initialized or put in an offline state

I have tried:

-The HDD connected to another computer

-Disconnecting HDD, uninstall drivers and reboot.

-Used a different USB cable from a drive that is working

I’m really at a brick wall. Weston Digital diagnostic tells me the drive is fine, smart scan never picked any issues up during any boot. I have not taken the drive out from its enclosure as the drive is only useful ad a portable HDD. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

as you will note from the pics, my other external HDD is fine, exactly the same external WD elements SE. the working one is 750GB and the not working one is 1TB:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive05.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive04.jpg

[Deleted]

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive02.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive01.jpg

Hello,

Have you connect the drive to a different computer? If so, do you encounter the same issue?

Hello!

I got the same problem after I put my laptop to sleep mode.

After that the drive just disappeared.

I hope you got some help on this issue, if you have please tell me.

//Tobias

Yes, I’ve tried it on numerous computers with the same problem on all. I’ve given it to a mate to look at. If I have any luck I’ll update the thread.

I narrowed it down to the USB interface issue. unfortinetly WD removed the S ATA port on this.

I had three technicians from polytech look at it  all said the same thing. Looks like I lose everything and have to do an RMA.

One of the problems with the USB port is the use of lead free solder. That’s a problem with a lot of today’s electronics. I would think that WD could find a USB port that attached more securely or redesigned the case so there was a boss behing the port to relieve pressupe when plugging the cable in. I’ve got a USB DVD player that did the same most likely. Did you try the drive in different positions and see if it will make contact long enough to get your data off?

Joe

Have thesame problem with my wd 500 gig portable hdd. Tried all types of recovery softwares but to no avail. Plz is there any way that I can format it if recovery is not possible?? Plz I need help… Thnx

I have the exact same problem, I have tried everythin without success. Please WD HELP US!

Same thing here, but mine is a My Passport 0730.  I see a lot of the same problem, but no answers.

same problem i am having it says disk is not initialized when you try to initialize it then it says write protected. 

and one more new thing my WD HDD is of 1 TB but now it shows its 2 TB and unllocated not initialized . what to do please help find a solution 

got same problem. Still no solution at all?

I am also facing the same problem. Have anyone got any support from the company?

If you want direct support you need to contact support directly.  Below is the contact information for WD’s Support. You can contact them either by phone or email.

To Contact WD for Technical Support
http://support.wdc.com/contact/index.asp?lang=en

The community is really a user to user forum.  So, we don’t provide direct support on the community.  Another thing, it might be more helpful to tell us what exactly is the problem, instead of saying I have the same problem.  In reading this thread, I saw issues that could have been caused by multiple things.  What exactly is going on with your drive?

hi ,

i am also facing thr same problem

in disk management it shows

disk

not initialized

and when i try to initialize it shows error that i/o device can’t be initialized

how does it appear back in window explorer?

usually, if a drive shows up in disk management, but not in explorer, it has some file corruption. you could try searching online for file recovery software that can restore a partition. or maybe go to data recovery. if you have the data, you might also try dlg diagnostics to write zeros to the drive, and restore the partition.  you can download if off wd’s support site.

wd  sl .no wxl1e61pjtv2

lucasda1 wrote:

All of a sudden My WD elements SE stopped working. I had just finished moving some files to the HDD, I ejected the HDD with the safely remove hardware and media tool as part of Windows 7. I then realises I had forgotten to place some data on the HDD so I plugged the HDD back into the same USB port.

 

Now the HDD:

 

-Does not show in ‘My Computer’

-Cannot be initialized through disk management

-Says it is write protected from being initialized or put in an offline state

 

I have tried:

 

-The HDD connected to another computer

-Disconnecting HDD, uninstall drivers and reboot.

-Used a different USB cable from a drive that is working

 

I’m really at a brick wall. Weston Digital diagnostic tells me the drive is fine, smart scan never picked any issues up during any boot. I have not taken the drive out from its enclosure as the drive is only useful ad a portable HDD. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

as you will note from the pics, my other external HDD is fine, exactly the same external WD elements SE. the working one is 750GB and the not working one is 1TB:

 

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive05.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive04.jpg

[Deleted]

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive02.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/dragg_racer666/drive01.jpg

external hdd not initialize showing write protected .

please give me how to acess my hdd