How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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jlsgmb
Posts: 5
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 13:52

How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#1 Post by jlsgmb »

Hi,

I bought a Buffallo Ministation External HDD a few years back. Recently it won't get read by the computer and the case does not light up anymore. I tried to replace the case and found that inside it is a TOSHIBA MQ01ABD100 model. Now using the new case I bought it does not show in the explorer. When I use "disk management" application in Windows, it shows as unallocated disk. I searched for a partition recovery tool which led me here. I've already run Test Disk but did not get to restore my HD. So I checked the logs and now ask anyone to help me on what this means?

Analyse Disk \\.\PhysicalDrive1 - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63
Current partition structure:
No partition is bootable

search_part()
Disk \\.\PhysicalDrive1 - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63
BAD_RS LBA=41024 64
BAD_RS LBA=1291382785 9730037
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 04
FAT16 <32M 80384 219 29 302874 100 39 3574294364
This partition ends after the disk limits. (start=1291382785, size=3574294364, end=4865677148, disk end=1953525167)
BAD_RS LBA=4112211552 9364958
check_FAT: can't read FAT boot sector
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 04
FAT16 <32M 255973 84 16 482949 194 20 3646376375
This partition ends after the disk limits. (start=4112211552, size=3646376375, end=7758587926, disk end=1953525167)
Disk \\.\PhysicalDrive1 - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63
Check the harddisk size: HD jumper settings, BIOS detection...
The harddisk (1000 GB / 931 GiB) seems too small! (< 3972 GB / 3699 GiB)
The following partitions can't be recovered:
FAT16 <32M 80384 219 29 302874 100 39 3574294364
FAT16 <32M 255973 84 16 482949 194 20 3646376375

Results
Can't open backup.log file: No such file or directory
interface_load

interface_write()

Any help is appreciated. Thank you very much!

recuperation
Posts: 2721
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#2 Post by recuperation »

You might continue using its case as there might be some additional PCB in there which emulates a different sector size.

As for the log file I am not sufficiently competent to tell you how to read it. I might find stuff given certain problems.

Please search for partitions as show here
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
and upload necessary screenshots to the forum.

Show what quick and deep search gives.
Give additional information!
What do you expect to find on your drive?
Is there just one partition or a couple of them?
Did you modify the drive from its original state?

jlsgmb
Posts: 5
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 13:52

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#3 Post by jlsgmb »

Thank you for the response.

For the old case, I think its already broken as there are no lights or anything that happens when I try to plug it in even with a new USB cable.

I have done the quick search and deep search, after that I still don't see any partition from the list. I will to run it again and take a screenshot.

My old drive is just a single volume and I haven't done any repartitioning or modification from it.

Here is a screenshot from Disk Management

Image

Currently it doesn't show as a volume in my "Windows Explorer".

I wish to be able to recover and access it again without re formatting it as I have some important data in it.

Hope I was able to answer your questions.

recuperation
Posts: 2721
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#4 Post by recuperation »

Ich sehe kein Bild.

jlsgmb
Posts: 5
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 13:52

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#5 Post by jlsgmb »

Disk Management.png
Disk Management.png (114.26 KiB) Viewed 2492 times
I am attaching the picture here inline. Thank you.

recuperation
Posts: 2721
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#6 Post by recuperation »

Did you encrypt the external disk?

If not, try using Photorec or any other commercial software.

jlsgmb
Posts: 5
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 13:52

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#7 Post by jlsgmb »

I think it has hardware encryption based on the specs

https://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-MiniStat ... B005MEDKO2

also attaching the result after quick search
ss.png
ss.png (25.72 KiB) Viewed 2485 times
So I really need commercial software feature? Thank you for the advise

recuperation
Posts: 2721
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#8 Post by recuperation »

If you don't follow the advice given I can't help you.
I usually only write the least number of lines given.
What I am waiting for now?

jlsgmb
Posts: 5
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 13:52

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#9 Post by jlsgmb »

I have tried Photorec but my problem is my laptop only has less than 50GB storage left and total of 250GB. I can't copy all the files from the external drive as it is bigger and total of 1TB in size.

recuperation
Posts: 2721
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: How to recover my External Hard Disk being read as unknown

#10 Post by recuperation »

You just need to buy a 1TB drive but if the encryption settings are broken or modified you will probably need to contact a professional recovery lab which will cost you a multiple of a 1TB drive.

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