hd enclosure with old harddrive not detected

[eisforemery]

Hi all,

I have a hard drive I removed from my old laptop, placed it in an external enclosure (Sabrient 2.5 SATA to USB), and plugged it into my new desktop computer so i can recover the files in that hard drive.

The problem is, the drive is NOT showing up in windows explorer.

It is listed as "Unknown, Not Initialized" in Disk Management.

It DOES show up as an icon in the Devices and Printers window.

There's no problems with the USB ports or anything.

I simply want to recover the files in the hard drive, so Initializing it is not an option because that deletes the files.

Is there a way around this? I've been doing a lot of research and can't find an answer. Pleeeease heeeelp!

Thank you.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... It's an OS security thing... Windows has "security" and you have to give permission to the OS as "administrator" to use/install additional Devices.

1) Right click Computer-Manage-storage-Disk Management.
2) Right click the graphics below for the NEW drive... (*complete partitioning and formatting for the drive if needed)...
3) And "Mark Partition as Active"

* If the Drive already has DATA on it.... Just mark the "Partition active" So you don't lose any of it B )

 

[eisforemery]

I'm not sure what you mean here.
by right-clicking the graphics on step 2, do you mean right-clicking the "Unknown, Not Initialized" section?

I'm not sure where to find "Partition active."
I'm using Windows 10 also. Can you describe the steps in more detail? Thanks!

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Yes, right click the 'Partition" graphics screen below for "menu options" for that drive/ Unknown, Not Initialized. it's possible you not logged in as 'administrator" OR you still have a communication problem with the 'enclosure"

1) Do you get a message from the OS when you plug in the USB/Sabrient 2.5 SATA?
2) look in your Device manager for that connection... are there any red or yellow marks to it?
3) could there be a driver for that enclosure model? B / ...check Sabrient website?

 

[eisforemery]

Hi,
I don't get any messages when i plug in the enclosure/hd, and there are no errors or yellow marks in Device Manager. I also checked the website, which have no drivers for the enclosure.

as an administrator in disk management, I'm met with the same limited options as before.

I've also even tried plugging it straight to the motherboard. Same dilemma.

Let me know if there's any other way I can get around this. Thanks for your help!

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... What is the history of the drive and data on it? B /
4) what OS and version was the data created with?
5) what OS was used to partition/format it?
6) Does the MB BIO's have legacy USB/drive options enabled?

maybe try another Computer or OS version?

 

[eisforemery]

Sorry for the late reply:
It was created on windows 7, but not sure what version.
I think my MB does have legacy boot option. Should I boot the drive through BIOS?

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

"Should I boot the drive through BIOS?"

No, you're not wanting to boot from it, you just want to be able to access it.
You don't need to boot from a drive just to access the data on it.

 

[ArtPog]

1. We'll assume the "old laptop" is no longer available in that you're unable to install the HDD in that laptop to determine whether you can access data presumably on that HDD from that source. Is that right?

2. At the time you uninstalled the HDD from the laptop were you aware that the HDD was functioning normally and that you had no difficulty accessing its data?

3. Since you're now working with a desktop PC it would appear you could install the HDD internally in that PC. Have you tried that? If not, do so.

4. If, after installing the HDD internally in your desktop PC the results are the same as they were when you connected the HDD as a USB external device, then it would appear there's no data to be accessed from that HDD.

5. You can try this or that "recovery-type" program but the chances are slim to zero that you will be able to retrieve any data from that HDD.

6. You might also want to use a HDD diagnostic program to test the disk's health. You didn't indicate the make/model of the HDD but the disk's manufacturer will probably have such a program available.

 

[eisforemery]

The old laptop is not available,

I've also tried connecting it straight to my desktop mother board. same results. I've also tried countless data recovery programs, such as Seatools, Easeus, etc. None of them seem to

I ran into a possible solution that replacing the drive's PCB (chip board) might work. Has anyone tried this?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Yes I have... if you can find a identical drive then this is possible way to recover the DATA off of it... if it was PC board problem. B /