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WD External Drives External Drives for PC
1

Hi All,      (THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS)

This is a My Book Essential 2TB, about 7 weeks old. It worked great right out of the box. I did the firmware update, put the SmartWare in a folder (not used), and started to transfer files over USB 3.0. I left it plugged into the PC and it would always show up in Win7, no problem.  It is approximately 94% full right now.

A few days ago it wouldn’t recognize…somewhat eratic. It hadn’t been accessed in a few days. So I rebooted and then it was gone, would not appear in “Computer”. I tried my other “new” 3TB My Book and that appears fine. I switched cables and power supplies, still not recognized. I reinstalled drivers, wiped the driver cache clean, notning.  I called WD support and they were of little help. They had me install their LifeGuard software. LifeGuard only works if the drive is recognized under “Physical Drive”. That’s where the access to settings and tools are.

Does anyone have any idea how to get the data off? I am currently running the TestDisk but not sure I will be able to understand it’s steps once it’s done with the lengthy inspection. From what I can tell this drive has failed, it is corrupted, or just broken - and not from any file or misuse. It is faulty equipment with a short life span obviously.

The drive shows up but no longer show the “status bar” of available space.

Clicking on the drive letter does nothing but put the PC into thinking mode.

When I had WD support on the phone the drive (Disk 1) did not have a “Black” bar for Unallocated.

After starting to run TestDisk I noticed this 1MB of Uncallocated space appear. This is not good

Western Digital LifeGuard requires the drive show up under “Physical” in order to do anything. So this was

a waste of time. The tools are not accessible if the drive is only “Logical”.

When running TestDisk it could not find the partition. So I moved forward anyways.

TestDisk is now analyzing the disk and will take severl hours. It seems to find “Read Errors” every few seconds.

This is not good. I doubt I will be able to understand the instructions with TestDisk to fix this when done.

2

It will be a while before the images get approved.

Joe

3

I need to add that using TestDisk the log file was 240 GB and growing. I had to shut down TestDisk and delete the log file before it consumbed my enrire PC. Poeple should be careful before suggesting that tool as an option. So now I am back to square one.

Here is the log file from TestDisk.

ue Dec 13 22:40:36 2011
Command line: TestDisk
TestDisk 6.13, Data Recovery Utility, November 2011
OS: Windows 7 (7601) SP1
Compiler: GCC 4.3, Cygwin 1007.7
Compilation date: 2011-11-15T08:36:54
ext2fs lib: 1.41.8, ntfs lib: 10:0:0, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20100226
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=640135028736
filewin32_getfilesize(/dev/sdb) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(/dev/sdb) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can’t get size for Disk /dev/sdb - 0 B - CHS 1 1 1, sector size=512 - WD My Book 1130
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\.\PhysicalDrive0)=640135028736
filewin32_getfilesize(\.\PhysicalDrive1) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\.\PhysicalDrive1) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can’t get size for \.\PhysicalDrive1
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\.\C:)=640027721728
filewin32_getfilesize(\.\D:) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\.\D:) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can’t get size for \.\D:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\.\E:)=2000364240896
file_pread(4,1,buffer,1250274689(77825/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 640 GB / 596 GiB - CHS 77825 255 63, sector size=512 - TOSHIBA MK6461GSYN, S/N:2020202020202020202037204b31544737305452, FW:MH000D
Drive E: - 2000 GB / 1862 GiB - CHS 3906961408 1 1, sector size=512 - WD My Book 1130, S/N:WCAZA5219105, FW:1016

Partition table type (auto): Intel
Drive E: - 2000 GB / 1862 GiB - WD My Book 1130
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Drive E: - 2000 GB / 1862 GiB - CHS 3906961408 1 1
Current partition structure:

Partition: Read error
Ask the user for vista mode
Allow partial last cylinder : Yes
search_vista_part: 1

search_part()
Drive E: - 2000 GB / 1862 GiB - CHS 3906961408 1 1
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,19(19/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,66(66/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,8,buffer,80(80/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,137(137/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,2050(2050/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,20(20/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,67(67/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,88(88/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,138(138/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,2051(2051/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,8,buffer,3(3/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,8,buffer,11(11/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,21(21/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,68(68/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,89(89/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,11,buffer,129(129/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,2052(2052/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,19(19/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,22(22/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,1,buffer,69(69/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
file_win32_pread(432,8,buffer,83(83/0/1)) read err: read after end of file
and this keeps going line afer line after line…

4

A lot of people have had sucess using test disk, did you read the tutorial there before using? It looks like your partition data is corrupt There is a lot of data recovery software some is free some is try and buy. You can try burning a Linux Live CD and see if you can get the data off with that sometimes that works. I have read in a few places that running the MS conversion for FAT32 to NTFS sometimes fixes Raw partitions. Here is a MS link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214579  look down toward  center for the command prompt info. I would try that as a last resort.

Joe

5

The instructiona are basic and easy - yes I read them and followed them to the dot. But when it can’t even find a partition - there are no instructions for that.

I suspect, based on the fact every sector, file size, partition…produces and error, that’s it’s running into an encryption problem. Which is probably a connection problem, which is probably the USB solder connection.

Noticing the 1MB of Unallocated space, I wonder what that is and suspect it’s at the core of the problem.

6

It sounds like the MRB file is corrupt. Another program I see recommended is Partition Find and Mount http://findandmount.com/ I see that recommended by some knowledgable people. Not having the problem we can only recommend what others with similar sounding problems have had sucess with. Also a lot of people never post back so you don’t know how suggestins work out.

Joe

7

I had a similar incident today.  My drive gave me a wrong password three times.  The recovery instructions were to disconnect the drive, power it off then on, then plug it back into the computer.  That didn’t work.  I powered the system down along with the 2 Tb My Book drive.  After powering up, the drive is not found.  It does not appear in file manager or Computer Management, where it wants me to initialize by (at least) writing the Master Boot Record.  I let it try, but am informed the drive is write protected.

I don’t think my drive is damaged, but it is locked with a password, and unless the drive is found, I can do nothing.

-Mike

8

After reading the FAQ below, I noticed that my drive wasn’t spinning.  Turning it off and on at the power strip did not let it start up.  Unplugging the power supply at the drive and reconnecting allowed it to spin up.  I could tell with my ear to the drive casing.

-Mike

9

Mike

Try plugging it into the wall instead of the powere strip. Also try a different account like the guest account or another PC. That’s about the only hope. There is no password reset or work around.

Joe

10

I tried this dead 2TB in another PC. It wouldn’t boot witht the drive connected. After Windows XP started I plugged it in and nothing happened after the driver install - except a frozen PC.

I guess at this point I go ahead and join WDEC (Wetern Digital Ebay Club). I’m past my 30 day store return window so I do like everyone else. Get a RMA, return it, get a new one, and sell it on ebay “New - Unopened - Never Used…blah blah”. I did try my new 3TB today and it works fine. But the clock is ticking on that I guess. My gosh  - these things have a horrible reputation.

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I forgot to add that I sent a couple nice emails with all required information to the support at TestDisk - no response. I figured as much. It’s a free tool and just some guys email address. I was asking about the massive log file and suggestions what to do next.

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I heard from the owner of TestDisk today. He said the log file is “very strange” and needs me to run another software tool. This confirms my suspicion that something probably went wrong with the stupid hardware encryption.

13

what is the email address for the support guys…

whatever i have tried so far has not got any response from them :frowning:

14

Ashishdewan1010 wrote:

what is the email address for the support guys…

whatever i have tried so far has not got any response from them :frowning:

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

However, you say you never got a response from them.  How did you try and contact WD’s tech support?

15

TestDisk owner wants me to boot from the Linux SystemRescueCD and run the TestDisk app that is on that CD to generate another log file. I have zero cmd prompt experience so I guess this is not an option.

16

This is just an absolute nightmare, no apparent resolution, a global recurring problem with these drives, and WD is doing nothing to prevent it from happening with future customers. In my opinion, they are letting these poorly engineered drives on the streets on purpose. And to think I didn’t buy a Seagate external because of all the forum threads of pissed off customers who’s drive failed in the first few weeks.

17

BJ1200 wrote:

This is just an absolute nightmare, no apparent resolution, a global recurring problem with these drives, and WD is doing nothing to prevent it from happening with future customers. In my opinion, they are letting these poorly engineered drives on the streets on purpose. And to think I didn’t buy a Seagate external because of all the forum threads of pissed off customers who’s drive failed in the first few weeks.

you know, there could be a perfectly logical reason why your drive ended up this way.  according to your pictures, it’s entirely possible that you corrupted your file system.  if the data cable was pulled before the drive was safely removed.  if there was a power loss, while data was transferring, then that could have corrupted the file system.

who told you to use testdisk?  you could try another partition recovery software to see if that will restore the partition, but please understand that if you corrupted files, you won’t be able to recover them.   I know you’re frustrated, but this may be your own fault, if you just pulled the usb cable rather than safely removing the drive.  and, again, this is why you always have multiple backups.

once you’re done figuring out whether your data is recoverable, you can just delete those partitions, recreate a new one, format the drive, and start over.