Bad sectors on external drive

Using TestDisk to repair the filesystem
Forum rules
When asking for technical support:
- Search for posts on the same topic before posting a new question.
- Give clear, specific information in the title of your post.
- Include as many details as you can, MOST POSTS WILL GET ONLY ONE OR TWO ANSWERS.
- Post a follow up with a "Thank you" or "This worked!"
- When you learn something, use that knowledge to HELP ANOTHER USER LATER.
Before posting, please read https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf
Locked
Message
Author
RasmusH
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Apr 2012, 13:33

Bad sectors on external drive

#1 Post by RasmusH »

Hello ppl
I have an urgent problem that I would deeply grateful if you could help me with.
My girlfriends WD 1.5 TB MyBook is apparently riddled with bad sectors, and I only found out now because I was trying to back up the 650 GB of data on it. When trying to copy from the WD to an other external drive, the copy window simply vanishes while "preparing for copy".
I've tried using the native windows disk scanner, but it ends 3-4% through without any messages of any kind. But before closing, I get more than 200 bad sectors on the drive.
I've tried using WD's own Lifeguard software as well, but it also ends prematurely. And it tells me that I can't read data at more than 4-4.5MB/s, which is my second big problem. Because even if I were able to copy over the data, it's gonna take me more than 100 hours, and there's no guarantee that the process won't be interrupted in the meantime because of all the errors.

I stumbled upon TestDisk in my search for a golden answer, but I am afraid to fiddle around with the program too much myself as it looks like a program that could wipe a disk clean if you go to the wrong section. I have tried working my way through the FAQ as well, but that just raises even more questions, I'm afraid.
So I turn to you guys. Can any of you help me, or at least point me in the right direction? Both me and the missus would be eternally grateful.

RasmusH
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Apr 2012, 13:33

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#2 Post by RasmusH »

Let me just make an addition:
I have now tried to analyze the disk, but after 1½ hours it had not even reached 2 percent yet. So, again it will take around 100 hours, if not more, just to make a disk analysis.

I really hope some of you have some golden advice, I am leaning more and more towards the idea of going to a professional and let him handle it.

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

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#3 Post by Fiona »

Bad sectors are difficult to handle.
If there are read errors, TestDisk or windows might hang.
Stressing your hard disk can increase the amount of bad sectors.

Would it be possible to clone your disk?

Another solution might be to diagnose your boot sector to list your data and have a try to copy your data as long as it is possible.

Can you upload a screen from TestDisk / Analyse (your current partition structur).
I'll check your partition table.
It doesn't stess your hard disk, because there is no scan.
It will be helpful to determine a boot sector diagnose.

Fiona

RasmusH
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Apr 2012, 13:33

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#4 Post by RasmusH »

Hi Fiona
Thank you so much for your quick reply.
I think one of the big problems is that my girlfriend has had this problem for quite some time, and still used the harddrive as she always did. We blamed it on her computer which is old and full of, let's say challenges. So she's been storing and fetching images from the harddrive at least once or twice per week for 6 months or so, without us reacting to, what turned out to be, harddisk problems.
I have tried making a mirror of the harddisk, using TestDisk as well, but that also would take somewhere around 100 hours, and again, I'm afraid that somewhere along the way of that, some error will occur and stop the process.

Anyways, I made an analysis and posted the image beneath. I hope you can use it:

Image

RasmusH
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Apr 2012, 13:33

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#5 Post by RasmusH »

-update

I've just been in touch with a professional HDD repairman, who told me that I should try to extract the data myself. He said that the harddisk probably was beyond repair, and I might as well just get started on saving as much data as possible, at 4 MB/s. He recommended me to use Linux as platform for this, as it does not write on the disk when copying, thereby extending the little life the disk has left.

I have been considering cloning the disk, but I just found out that some of the data on the disk is actually backed up elsewhere, so I'll just try and save the data not backed up.
But I'd still like your opinion on things, if any of you have a better solution, I'm all ears :)

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

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#6 Post by Fiona »

I've just been in touch with a professional HDD repairman, who told me that I should try to extract the data myself.
Just have a try to use TestDisk and a boot sector diagnose.
It avoids to stress your HDD as much as possible.

You can use TestDisk on Linux (Knoppix, Ubuntu etc..) if Linux doesn't show your data to have a try to copy your data.
The windows version is cygwin (Unix for windows) based, so you can have a try in Windows also.

Go in Testdisk to the menu Advanced and Boot.
Easily confirm through (your affected disk must be selected) Until you see Analyse.
Don't confirm at Analyse but Advanced.
Confirm at Boot and upload a screen.
Start Rebuild BS.
If Rebuild BS takes too long please interrupt it.
If it would be successful, go to List and check, are your data are displayed or an error message.
If your data are listed, have another try to copy it.

RasmusH
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Apr 2012, 13:33

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#7 Post by RasmusH »

Hi Fiona
I've gone into the bootsector as you've said, the picture below is a screenshot from there.
Image

When I choose rebuild, it goes to the next window, shown below, but it doesn't show any sign of rebuilding anything.
Image

Now, I've had some mixed luck at extracting some data, and combining with putting the disk in the freezer for an hour or so, but recently I've ran into quite many corrupted files.

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

Re: Bad sectors on external drive

#8 Post by Fiona »

Would it be possible to use CrystalDiskInfo to get something about your S.M.A.R.T. values?
http://crystalmark.info/software/Crysta ... dex-e.html
It doesn't stress your disk.
On USB not all fetaures are avilable but at least, it provides the status of your sectors.

Locked