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Thread: External hard drive appears blank

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    5

    External hard drive appears blank

    My external hard drive (a Western Digital 320GB Premium Edition) is apparent gap in the workplace. However, if I right click - properties on the icon for my DD that appears, the drive appears to 170Go full as it normally is. In Device Manager, I have no yellow exclamation mark that tells me a problem. There is no longer doing the show hidden files.

    How can I recover my data? I am under windows XP.


    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    144

    Re: External hard drive appears blank

    Have you tried from another USB socket?

    To double check the disk in My Computer> right click on the letter of the disk> Properties> Tools> Check disk> Check the 2 boxes and wait for the end of the test (it may be long). Then check if the drive is again accessible.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    5

    Re: External hard drive appears blank

    Yes I have tried several times my hard drive on a laptop, for the same result.
    I also carried out the verification of records, which did not solve my problem.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    144

    Re: External hard drive appears blank

    Have you disconnected the drive without breaking the box "Remove Hardware Safely"? It is highly likely that the allocation table is damaged due to the absence of the manipulation required with external devices or as a result of any software error: interrupted defragmentation, antivirus scan interrupted by stoppages, reboot activation. This damage often occurs even during a power outage and in any case when a phase of writing on the hard drive abruptly.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    115

    Re: External hard drive appears blank

    To retrieve the data you can try a program like PC INSPECTOR File Recovery or any free software to recover lost data.

    Once data is saved go to the phase of attempted repair.

    To check whether the problem is mechanical and comes from the box or the disc itself out of the box and connect internally to a PC if it appears all the housing that is in question.

    If nothing happens it will recreate the partition and format the disk to have a stable allocation table.

  6. #6
    wguru Guest

    Re: External hard drive appears blank

    Pretty neglectful for people who post an issue, then receive advice and don't reply back.

    Anyway, I noticed this post in a google search and the post deserves comment.

    When an EHD loses power during a file transfer, my limited experience indicates this's no big deal even though the drive may initially list as Local Drive 'X', as opposed to perhaps the name you gave it, plus that drive will appear empty. No sweat.

    Try safe ejection, it'll likely squalk that a file's open and 'safe' ejection isn't available. No biggy so long as the EHD's properties are already set for quick disconnect. If it isn't, then you might have to use freeware PCI Inspector File Recovery.

    Otherwise play w/re-booting the pc and with & without the EHD still powered and jacked to the pc, eventually the drive will properly list again (at least it does for me, but I so infrequently lose power by tripping over the cord during file xfrs, I just haven't jotted down the exact steps that work.

    happ-e-trails

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