Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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Author
sarsol
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Apr 2012, 21:59

Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#1 Post by sarsol »

Hi. I would appreciate any help in order to solve the following problem with my external HD
My computer sees but cannot read the external hard drive 3 TB WD My Book
(the computer asks for disk formatting). The Windows Disk Manager detects it as RAW
Running the TestDisk program, the analysis gives the following results
The TD program detects the existence of the disc as physical disk (Physical drive 1) and as a logical disk F with its correct capacity ( 3000 GB )
Taking the physical disk for the analysis, in the partition type table detected by the program appears highlighted an Intel type partition and the analyse of the current partition structure gives the following result
Disk \ \. \ Physical Drive 1 - 3000GB/2794 GiB CHS 45599 255 63
Current partition structure
Warning: number of heads / cylinder mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 255 <HD>
Warning number of Sectors per track mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 63 <HD>
1 P HPFS – NTFS 0 4 5 45599 165 6 732558080
Bad relative sector
No partition is bootable
After running the Quick search, the result is a partition without number but with * that according to the program TD means primary bootable
 * HPFS – NTFS 0 4 5 45599 165 6 732558080
a partition without number but with * that according to the program TD means primary bootable
Selecting p (list files) the result is following
File not found. File system may be damaged
The deeper search finds no other new partition and repeat the same result that had been obtained with the Quick search without any new file found and with the same indication that the file system may be damaged
Running the [Advanced] Filesystem Utils appears again as partition
1 P HPFS – NTFS 0 4 5 45599 165 6 732558080
And the [Boot] analysis results
Boot sector
Warning number of heads / cylinder mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 255 <HD>
Warning number of Sectors per track mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 63 <HD>
Status OK
Backup boot sector
Status BAD
Sectors are not identical
A valid NTFS boot sector must be present in order to access any data; even if the partition is not bootable
Later I have repeated the same analysis selecting the logical drive F instead of the physical drive 1 and the results obtained are different, namely
As the type of partition table detected by the program appears None instead of Intel
Going on with the [analyse] ( not changing the None ) the results are
Warning number of heads / cylinder mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 255 <HD>
Warning number of Sectors per track mismatches 1 <NTFS>! = 63 <HD>
And as partition
P NTFS 0 0 1 45599 161 2 732558080
after running the Quick Search the partition result is
> P NTFS 0 0 1 45599 161 2 732558080
Structure OK
resulting the p
  • search with the same
    File not found. File system may be damaged
    The deeper search was aborted before completion because with the progress was extremely slowly and the analysis had lasted several days
    Changing the partition selection type from None to Intel (which had been detected automatically by the program in analyzing the disc as physical disk) the results are different, namely
    It appears as partition structure, the following
    1 * Sys = 72 13577 238 11 11952 238 60 170199410
    Bad relative sector
    2 * Sys = 74 45381 70 3 79242 34 29 543974724
    Bad relative sector
    3 * Netware 3.11 + 10498 56 41 10498 56 48 0
    Bad relative sector
    Only one partition must be bootable
    Space conflict between the following two partitions
    1 * Sys = 72 13577 238 11 11952 238 60 170199410
    2 * Sys = 74 45381 70 3 79242 34 29 543974724
    The quick search results as partition
    1 * HPFS-NTFS 0 4 5 45599 165 6 732558080
    and the p
    • shows the same
      File not found. File system may be damaged
      No deeper search analysis has already been done.
      The [advanced] Filesystem Utils analysis displays
      > 3 * Netware 3.11 + 10498 56 41 10498 56 48 0
      1 * Sys 72 13577 238 11 11952 238 60 170199410
      2 * Sys 74 45381 70 3 79242 34 29 543974724
      Without appearing in the program the [Boot] [Undelete]
      • options
        I would appreciate any help in this case to restart the disc or at least to get a copy of the information saved in it
        Is there any way to proceed to get the information from the disc before formatting ?
        Will the disc work again reliably after formatting ? How do it ?
        Many thanks in advance

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#2 Post by Fiona »

How does your disk appear in your disk management console?
Your partition table is wrong.
But partition table type Intel ist wrong also.
It should be EFI GPT.
But first of all, I'd need that required info.
Don't remove your disk from its enclosure.
Maybe it's hardware encrypted?;
Infos;
http://forum.cgsecurity.org/phpBB3/repa ... ypted#p814

sarsol
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Apr 2012, 21:59

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#3 Post by sarsol »

Hi
In my disk management console the disk F appears as shown in the attachment
I don´t know if hardware may be encrypted. The files were saved without any Password in the disk and without any special backup software ( simply copy- paste from Windows )
With the partition table type EFI the TestDisk programm shows following message
Bad GPT partition, invalid signature
and the Quick search does not respond
Attachments
disk management console
disk management console
Presentación 01.gif (105.3 KiB) Viewed 9066 times

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#4 Post by Fiona »

Intel MBR support Disks up to 2 TB.
Bigger disks should be GPT.
Would you convert it to GPT to diagnose your disk?
In your disk management console you should right click in that small area (quadrat) Disco 1 at the left and convert it from basico to GPT.

Please let me know.
Infos will follow.

Fiona

sarsol
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Apr 2012, 21:59

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#5 Post by sarsol »

Hi Fiona
Following you indication,I tried to convert the disk from Basico to GPT but right clicking the small quadrat Disco 1 in the management console the GPT convert option doesn´t appear as a posible option. The only options active in the window are Properties and Help ones
Something wrong done ?

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#6 Post by Fiona »

Might be possible that your disk was preformatted and your windows doesn't support GPT?
Does your motherboard and BIOS supports EFI (extensible firmware interface)?

Fiona

sarsol
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Apr 2012, 21:59

Re: Computer sees but cannot read external disc drive

#7 Post by sarsol »

Hi Fiona
How can I check im my computer the questions your asked in your last reply ?
Regards

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