Windows does not recognize HD anymore

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kosmo Kramer
  • Start date Start date
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Kosmo Kramer

My slave drive was working fine until one day I suddenly get this popup when
I try to access the drive

"DRIVE D is not formatted. Would you like to format it now?"

and there's no way to get to my files on the HD.

I've had this problem with winxp several times before, (I'm not sure if it's
due to windows or is my HD faulty) but the immediate priority is to get to
my files.

Can someone recommend a course of action or software (assuming it's due to
my HD)

Thanks a mil
 
Kosmo said:
My slave drive was working fine until one day I suddenly get this popup when
I try to access the drive

"DRIVE D is not formatted. Would you like to format it now?"

and there's no way to get to my files on the HD.

I've had this problem with winxp several times before, (I'm not sure if it's
due to windows or is my HD faulty) but the immediate priority is to get to
my files.

Can someone recommend a course of action or software (assuming it's due to
my HD)
Click to expand...

Get the data off (if possible) and then test the drive with a utility
downloaded from the drive mftr.'s website. You will make a bootable
cd/floppy with the file you download. Boot with this media and do a
thorough test of the drive. If it fails any physical tests, replace it.

If the drive passes the physical tests, you can do a Chkdsk on it, but
get the data off first.

How to use Chkdsk - http://tinyurl.com/2obcd

*IMPORTANT* - If there is any question that the drive is at fault - it's
making noises for instance - and the data is crucial DO NOTHING FURTHER
ON THE DRIVE. Every time you spin that drive up you may be destroying
data. If this is the case, send the drive to a professional data
recovery company like Drive Savers (my preference) or Seagate Data
Recovery. General prices run from $500USD on up. Drive Savers recovered
all the data on a failed laptop drive for one of my clients and it cost
$2,700. He thought it was worth the money; only you know what your data
is worth. I understand that some insurance companies are now covering
data recovery charges under "Loss of Intellectual Property" so check
with yours.

Drive Savers - http://www.drivesavers.com
Seagate Data Recovery Services - https://www.seagatedatarecovery.com/

1. Pull the drive and slave it in a computer running a working install
of XP. Depending on the target drive's characteristics, you may need a
drive adapter; i.e., laptop-to-IDE or a SATA controller card, etc. A
usb/firewire external drive enclosure works very well, too. Use the
working Windows Explorer to copy the data to the rescue system's hard
drive and then burn the data to cd or dvd.

2. Often XP will not boot with a slaved drive that has a damaged file
system. In that case, boot the target computer with either a Bart's PE
or a Linux live cd such as Knoppix and retrieve the data that way. If
you decide to try Knoppix and need more help with it, post back.

http://www.knoppix.net
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart's PE Builder

3. If a Bart's PE or Knoppix won't work, you can try using data recovery
software. Here are some links to various programs. I use Easy Recovery
Pro, but it is expensive. People whom I respect have recommended
R-Studio and Restoration. YMMV.

http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html
PCInspector File Recovery -
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm
Executive Software “Undelete” -
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp
R-Studio - http://www.r-tt.com/
File Scavenger - http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm
Ontrack's EasyRecovery - http://www.ontrack.com/software/


Malke
 
Kosmo said:
My slave drive was working fine until one day I suddenly get this popup when
I try to access the drive

"DRIVE D is not formatted. Would you like to format it now?"

and there's no way to get to my files on the HD.

I've had this problem with winxp several times before, (I'm not sure if it's
due to windows or is my HD faulty) but the immediate priority is to get to
my files.

Can someone recommend a course of action or software (assuming it's due to
my HD)

Thanks a mil
Click to expand...

The MSKB site had this article/thread. It suggested "File Scavenger" to
repair a partition after a Vista install:

https://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=728790&SiteID=17
 
I've had that problem several times with a series of WD drives I bought on
sale. Regardless I lost all the access to all the data on that drive. My
problem was with the MBR (master boot record) getting damaged beyond repair.
You could try different booting with a different OS like MEPIS Linux (runs in
the RAM so nothing is installed + it's a free download) then looking at your
d drive but it may not matter since the hdd isn't able to tell any OS where
the data is. I know, I'm full of sunshine and rainbows aren't I?
 
/.../
How to use Chkdsk - http://tinyurl.com/2obcd
Click to expand...

/.../

Thanks for that reference, Chkdsk had me confused.

But I still have a problem: The report that Chkdsk generates only
shows on my screen for about four seconds. I can't even get started
reading it. Can you please tell me the name of the report and where
it is saved, assuming it is saved at all. Is there some way I can
direct where to put it.

I have tried clicking the "Pause" button on my keyboard to hold the
report while I read it, but it does not seem to have any effect.
Neither does CtrPause. Is there some trick to pausing Windows?

Thanks so much.



Thank you so much
 
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