External HDD has a 'controller error', can TestDisk help? Topic is solved

[FlameSama1]

So I'm home and the power goes out. No big deal I figure. I turn my computer back on and then turn on my Seagate HDD and lo and behold, it isn't working right.

It's a Seagate External. I can't find a lot of information because it's an old drive, but the part number is 9W6044-560 and the drive looks like this (http://www.instructables.com/id/Disasse ... Harddrive/), however mine is an older model with only AC and USB ports on the back.

I know only enough to get myself into trouble usually. So far, I checked the Event Viewer and came to the conclusion it's a 'controller error' stopping it from connecting. It connects, but any attempt to access it (play music in Winamp, double-click it in My Computer) freezes my computer and doesn't allow access. It was a forum post, and it was suggested that the OP take the faulty external apart, take the drive, and put it in another enclosure, which worked for him. (here's a picture of one of the errors in the Event Viewer: http://i.imgur.com/Sy5TcUX.png)

In my research though, I also saw people talk about TestDisk, so I downloaded it and ran it. It recognizes the drive as a 320 gig drive (any more specifics I don't recall, I disconnected the drive). Not knowing anymore about the program, I backed out. It seemed like I could simply back the contents of the drive up onto another drive. Is this so? Or do I need to put the drive in a new enclosure? Or something else?

Thanks in advance for the help. This drive has a ton of music and other files on it collected over several years.

[Fiona]

Did you try testdisk / Analyse and Quick Search to get your partition listed?
If your partition is listed, you can press p to have a try to list your files.
TestDisk is not as sensitiv as windows is.
If testdisk doesn't hang, you could try to copy your data.
Don't use your windows explorer and switch off antivirus, so that Windows and testdisk don't hang.
If it doesn't work for you, you can try a live CD like knoppix to access your disk?
Might be a try too.

Please try it first using windows and let me know.

Fiona

[FlameSama1]

Did you try testdisk / Analyse and Quick Search to get your partition listed?
If your partition is listed, you can press p to have a try to list your files.
TestDisk is not as sensitiv as windows is.

http://i.imgur.com/trJ9ZAG.png
That is a screencap of how it looks, I assume green means the partition is good? I pressed P and it listed the folders and files on the drive. So pleased to see that, I tell you.

If testdisk doesn't hang, you could try to copy your data.
Don't use your windows explorer and switch off antivirus, so that Windows and testdisk don't hang.

So I can copy my data directly on to another drive, if I can get one? I don't need to take the drive out of the shell physically and replace the enclosure?

If it doesn't work for you, you can try a live CD like knoppix to access your disk?
Might be a try too.

Please try it first using windows and let me know.

Fiona

I don't know anything about Linux, so that might be a bad idea. I did try hooking it up to a Macbook Pro laptop and it didn't show at all. Since Knoppix is 'portable', in a sense, would it be any different?

[Fiona]

If TestDisk lists your files, you can try to copy it to another healthy disk or partition.
At the bottom of the screen, you'll find all the commands.
If you check that two dots in the upper area of the screen and pressing enter, you'll get one directory up, until you'll get to your disk selection.
You can select another healthy disk to copy your data to.
If you'd like to enter any folder, where you'd like to copy/recover your data to, you can check it and using the right arrow key on your keyboard to enter it as a destination folder.
Until yet, I see no reason to replace your enclosure.
If testdisk hangs during the copy process, please let me know!

Fiona

[FlameSama1]

Great news.

I still need to buy a new drive to copy these files onto, but thank you very much for your help Fiona.

Any further questions come up, I'll be sure and post here.

[Fiona]

Hopefully it'll work for you!
Please let me know.

Fiona

[FlameSama1]

Listening to my music now. 100% recovery. Thank you very much for the help.