Retrieval Mystery?

WD External Drives External Drives for PC
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I have 2 WD Ex. HD’s one is on the blink (testing negative in SMART and the main back-up to my 'C 'drive) the other has stopped working completely, they are both MY Book 3TB’s. I have recovered almost 21/2 TB’s from the dead drive using EaseUS Data Recovery tool.

I planned to recover these files to the ‘faulty’ drive, temporarily, til I get a replacement.

I ‘retrieved’ the the backed-up files (from the faulty drive) via Smartware…clicking the “Retrieve All” radio button. However, checking the folder to which I retrieved the files, I see just a fraction (about a third approx.) of the volume that was backed up…and I was surprised to see that the backed up files are still on the faulty drive (I thought ‘retrieving’ them meant taking them off the one drive and putting them on to another?)

This is my long-winded way of asking…which files/volumes are actually retrieved…why not the entire volumes that have been backed up? And since it says the retrieval was successful, is it safe for me to re-format that faulty HD?? (I HAVE tried to locate an explanation of just exactly what happens when a drive is backed up AND then the files retrieved, but I could not)

Thanks for any help and advice

M

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Retrieval never deletes the files from the drive.

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Thanks TonyPh12345,

…so is there a simple method for ascertaining that all files have been retrieved…other than visually matching what’s been retrieved with what’s still on the bad drive?

So, theoretically one could retrieve those same files to several different locations?

…and one last question…(for now:-)):…the SMART diagnostic tool says “fail” when I do the longer test…but the drive still appears to be working OK with no funny noises or anything…are these tests pretty accurate to your knowledge, or can they give a false reading??

Thanks very much for your time and patience

M