So, I've tried several times with both photorec and testdisk and every time I reach no success and it gives me some bizarre time like, what I've calculated to be around 10 years. I've let it run for at least 2 days before. It seems to say it has an error reading every single sector and it doesn't find any files.
Some background info: I run windows 7 and the disk in question is a 1 tb WD harddrive which got screwed up when, after unsuccessfully trying to cancel a file transfer I disconnected the USB. Because of this, I don't believe it to be a hardware failure. Some other info, when I go to disk management, it says its unallocated but when I try to initialize it says cannot find selected sector or whatnot.
Clearly I'm missing something here, I haven't found anyone else with similar problems on the forum. Have I any hope?
Takes 10 years and has error reading every sector [Updated]
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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
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Re: Takes 10 years and has error reading every sector [Updat
Well I figured out what was wrong. 
There's a pin missing in the usb receptacle. Unless you just happen to know how to replace it, feel free close this thread.

There's a pin missing in the usb receptacle. Unless you just happen to know how to replace it, feel free close this thread.
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Re: Takes 10 years and has error reading every sector [Updat
Open the USB case, maybe your WD model will have a SATA connector.
If it's the case, connect the disk directly via SATA inside your computer or eSATA.
Good luck
If it's the case, connect the disk directly via SATA inside your computer or eSATA.
Good luck
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Re: Takes 10 years and has error reading every sector [Updat
It does have it on the hard drive but the only desktop we have only has ether IDE or SCSI cables and i don't have any spare SATA cables.
I almost bought some but from what I've read, I wouldn't have been able to get data off of it anyway because of the firmware. I bought a new hard drive enclosure but that also didn't work. So the only options i saw were soldering a new mini usb port to the circuit board or buying a new circuit board so I bought a new one off of Ebay (which I assume someone in China ripped off an old external of the same model.) Hopefully due to the faulty connection, any formatting of the drive from recovery efforts were prevented and I can easily get the stuff off of it. If not I'll be turning back to teskdisk or photorec once again.
