Question Beginner trying to get External HDD back to normal ?

[Dart77]

Hi -- Can anyone recommend a simple to use program to fix a 1Tb Ext HDD so it will work normally again? That's all I want. Nothing has been deleted, it's just the drive has some corrupt areas that need fixing. WIn ScanDisk did actually improve it a little but it's still not normal.

DMDE (64bit 2022 Free version) is too complicated for me and I can't find simple instructions on how to get it to just repair bad sectors and make the drive work again normally.

The drive only has 16% free so it's pretty full but I can still view all the files on it so it's only a few bad areas. I have not tried to Move or Delete or write to this HDD, only tried to open or play files, some of which are corrupted.

If anyone can recommend a simple to use repair program . Simple to use like ScanDisc but does a better job. Thanks

 

[white.a.drew]

Hi -- Can anyone recommend a simple to use program to fix a 1Tb Ext HDD so it will work normally again? That's all I want. Nothing has been deleted, it's just the drive has some corrupt areas that need fixing. WIn ScanDisk did actually improve it a little but it's still not normal.

DMDE (64bit 2022 Free version) is too complicated for me and I can't find simple instructions on how to get it to just repair bad sectors and make the drive work again normally.

The drive only has 16% free so it's pretty full but I can still view all the files on it so it's only a few bad areas. I have not tried to Move or Delete or write to this HDD, only tried to open or play files, some of which are corrupted.

If anyone can recommend a simple to use repair program . Simple to use like ScanDisc but does a better job. Thanks

Several manual methods are known to handle the corrupt hard drive. These are:

Launch a comprehensive Disk Check

Go to Computer/This PC >> Select Hard Drive >> Choose Properties
Select Tools >> Error checking >> Check now >> Check local disk >> Start
Shut down all open and running programs >> wait for the system to check upon the next boot >> restart the PC

Use Control Panel

Go to Control Panel >> Select System and Security >> Action Center
Click and expand Maintenance section >> select Run Scan >> Restart

Use File Manager

Open-File Manager >> Select the desired Drive >> Properties
Select Tools >> Check under Error Checking
On completion of drive, errors fix, click Repair This Drive

Note: All these are manual driven approaches, thus requires a bit of technical expertise. Moreover, these ways work for limited cases. For advanced issues, you require professional assistance. Last but not the least, these have compromise problem, integrity issue and data loss risk associated with it.

 

[Dart77]

Drew, thanks for the comprehensive reply. These sound all Windows itself repairs, I had no idea there was that many. I think File Manager was in XP, I have Windows 7 (Pro, x 64, SP1) but I assume Windows Explorer is the same.

I have only just tried the Control Panel >> maintenance but it just went into a basic scan automatically and only just the PC HDD, there is no provision to select any other drive letter, internal or ext. I will look at the other two scan types later tonight. Thanks

 

[CountMike]

Hi -- Can anyone recommend a simple to use program to fix a 1Tb Ext HDD so it will work normally again? That's all I want. Nothing has been deleted, it's just the drive has some corrupt areas that need fixing. WIn ScanDisk did actually improve it a little but it's still not normal.

DMDE (64bit 2022 Free version) is too complicated for me and I can't find simple instructions on how to get it to just repair bad sectors and make the drive work again normally.

The drive only has 16% free so it's pretty full but I can still view all the files on it so it's only a few bad areas. I have not tried to Move or Delete or write to this HDD, only tried to open or play files, some of which are corrupted.

If anyone can recommend a simple to use repair program . Simple to use like ScanDisc but does a better job. Thanks

Physically bad sectors are not repairable. Files corrupted by any cause are also difficult to fix as some parts are iretrievab,y lost. There are utilities to repair or salvage certain types of files which can be more or less successful. General programs for file system repair are of no help with them.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Don't try to do the impossible on a worn drive with many bad sectors. Just replace it.

 

[Dart77]

Physically bad sectors are not repairable. Files corrupted by any cause are also difficult to fix as some parts are iretrievab,y lost. There are utilities to repair or salvage certain types of files which can be more or less successful. General programs for file system repair are of no help with them.

Thank you for that contribution.