I am hoping someone can help me as it seems I lost all my pictures that I had on MY PASSPORT. I hadn’t updated the files so I connected MY PASSPORT to my computer. It came up differently that previous times. It showed files and I clicked on mine, opened the picture file and only the most recent pictures were on there. I am devastated as I had all my pictures on there thinking they would be safe. Can someone please help
Your file system might be corrupted. Do you use Windows, and maybe exFAT, FAT or NTFS as file system?
With some research about recovery programs you could restore your files.
Thank you for responding to my request for help. I am using a Windows 10 and my file format is NTSF. I am still researching to find a solution. If you have any suggestions or advice to help me recover my pictures I would appreciate it.
Thank you
Try a Data Recovery software like Disk Drill Data Recovery or EaseUS Data Recovery.
Thanks again. I have downloaded Disk Drill and started to use it. It kept retrieving and scanning. After 2 hours I gave up. I I am going to look for online instructions. At least it has given me hope. Will keep you posted and again if you have any suggestions or advice just let me know.
I suggest you watch some tutorials on how to effectively use the program to get the most out of it. Depending on the amount of data and how much data was lost it can take longer. If the file system was corrupted and cannot be retrieved you will have a more difficult time finding your lost data.
Disk Drill may or may not be powerful enough to do the job.
In this case something like Hetman Software: Secure Data Recovery or R-Studio Data Recovery can help you, in my experience they were able to retrieve more data and retain the structure as well than Disk Drill.
I’m truly sorry to hear about the loss of your pictures from your MY PASSPORT external drive. This can be a distressing situation, especially when valuable memories are at stake. To address this issue, first, try reconnecting your MY PASSPORT to your computer and ensure it’s properly connected and powered on. Sometimes, a temporary glitch can cause recognition problems. If that doesn’t work, check if the drive is listed in your file explorer (Windows) , as it may still be accessible there. Consider attempting a connection through an alternate USB port or employing a different USB cable, as issues can sometimes arise due to the specific port or cable in use. Connect your MY PASSPORT to an alternative USB port on your computer or, if available, swap out the USB cable with a different one to assess whether this resolves the problem. If the issue persists, consider using data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery, to attempt to recover your lost files. If these steps are unsuccessful, or if your data is critically important, it might be wise to explore professional data recovery services. Remember to avoid using the drive further to prevent overwriting potentially recoverable data.
In the future, maintain regular backups to prevent such situations from occurring again. If your MY PASSPORT is under warranty, contacting Western Digital support for assistance or a potential replacement could also be an option.
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Sometimes, files might not appear due to a temporary glitch or misplacement. Make sure you’re navigating through the correct folders and that you’re not viewing hidden files. If your computer can’t read the drive, connect it to another computer, such as a Windows PC or a Mac. To maximize the chances of data recovery, it’s essential to stop using the drive immediately. Lastly, as suggested above, recovery tools from Stellar would be perfect because they can help you retrieve lost photos from any storage device.
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I would add that if you don’t have experience using such programs, it’s better to take your disk to a specialist before you permanently lose your data. Without experience, you might accidentally click on something and erase hidden or deleted files.
