HDD External Hard Drive Corrupted and Unreadable

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You can try using a couple of recovery programs on it, but if those fails then you need to make a choice between writing off the data on the drive or breaking out the wallet and sending it in for recovery services.

If you don't want to spend a few grand on recovery services, I would at least try formatting the drive to see if the hardware is still good, the filesystem just became corrupted. Worth a shot before chucking it.
 
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If you are under Windows operating system, go to Start > All Programs > Accessories, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. In cmd window that appears type this:
chkdsk x: /f
(where x = drive letter associated with your external hard drive, and before x: and after x: there is a space)
and press Enter.
Command chkdsk (check disk) will correct errors and your external hard drive will be accessible again.
 
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if there are some important data, you'd better apply a data recovery software to help you. you could choose iCare Data Recovery Free . it is not only free, it is also professional and efficient in recovering data. you could download it in this link:
http://www.freenew.net/windows/icare-data-recovery-software-45/68220.htm
Click to expand...

It is not better to apply first a data recovery software, because that software cannot access inaccessible disk. Prior to use that software it's needed to format hard drive, which means losing data. So, data recovery software is the last option. Really, better is to perform chkdsk as I described above. After all, data recovery software cannot make a miracle, and many of files on formatted disk can be permanently lost, depending on the file format and the ability of data recovery software. Such the best professional software – which is not freeware – could recover from 180 to 200 file formats only, with no 100 percent guarantee to fully recover all the files. E.g. ParetoLogic Data Recovery Pro, or EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard, can recover almost any file. Note: "almost". What about those files that cannont be recovered? That's why data recovery software is the last step. Better is the first step would be chkdsk x: /f and second step chkdsk x: /r (fully correct files, clusters, and sectors on a inaccessible drive). Formatting disk and later recovery data is really the last chance.
 
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thank u a lot themrvladek have been looking around the net for a solution and after a 3 hour search,i applied ur solution and it worked great for me ,thank you thank you thank you
 
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I had 1000 movies which I thought I had lost on my Western Digital external hard drive, Thank you a 1000 times your solution worked and I have all my movies back. Thank you, Thank you 1000 times over.
 
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Thanks a million, themrvladek, I was considering getting my device repaired but your advice worked perfectly. Thank you so much!!!
 
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About reason(s):
Hard drive failure occurs when the hard disk drive fails to function properly and can no longer be accessed. Hard disk drives fail for a number of reasons, ranging from hardware life expectancy to human error. There are four basic types of hard drive failures. 1. Software or firmware damage may cause the disk to become unreadable, resulting in the inability to interact properly with the computer. 2. Problems with the controller board on the hard disk may result in electronic failure. 3. Mechanical failure can occur when components on the disk become faulty. 4. Logical corruption may occur when there is a problem with the information on the disk.
So, if the hard drive becomes corrupted and unreadable – as I have already written – the first step would be to perform chkdsk x: /f and second step chkdsk x: /r (fully correct files, clusters, and sectors on a inaccessible drive) where x: = HDD letter (E: or F: etc.)
 
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Hi i have tried the chkdsk and it just says access denied. anything else i can try before i take it to a computer shop. Im having the same file is corrupted or unreadable message.
 
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Yes, there is something else; it seems to me all you have to do is to get permission (administrator privileges) to perform chkdsk.
The first method:
Click Start and in the Search field type: cmd and then right-click the Command Prompt icon (cmd.exe) and click Run as administrator, and then type: chkdsk <external HDD letter:> /f (press Enter).
The other way to get permission to do chkdsk is by enabling the 'super admin account':
Click Start and in the Search field type: cmd and then right-click the Command Prompt icon (cmd.exe) and click Run as administrator, and type: net user administrator /active:yes (press Enter). The system should return you with the following message: The command completed successfully . Exit the Command Prompt. Click the Start icon, and log off from the current account and in the Account window you should now see the Administrator account. Log in Administrator, open Command Prompt, and perform chkdsk <external HDD letter:> /f (press Enter)
If you want to turn off the Admin account, in Command Prompt type: net user administrator /active:no (press Enter).
 
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I must say...AWESOME!!! I "had" the same problem - preformed as you suggested and all files are there!!! I am NO WAY computer savvy and was reluctant to try to fix my self - my son told me that the commands you listed were "dos" and would not harm anything in any way....so I tried it .... I must say that the last step took a while and I was nervous... THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your knowledge...years of photos of children/grandchildren SAVED!! I will spend the next few days coping the files to disks and storing them. Just a note: this happened to me after my computer updated the new version of Java (without my permission I might add)???
 
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OMG this WORKED!!!! Thank you sooo much! I have literally spent months on trying to find a solution... Thank you! thank you thank you!!
 
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thank you! this worked. I almost had a mini heart attack when I couldn't access it from any of my devices.
 
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I am having the same trouble with my Iomega ego. But i'm on a mac...do you have any solutions for Macs?
 
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hey, i tried doing chkdsk in cmd prompt, but the error says

The type of file system is NTFS.
Unable to determine volume version and state. CHKDSK aborted.

Now what should i do.
error says

H:/ is not accessible.
The file or directory is corrupted or unreadable.
 
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Thanks a bunch themrvladek. You own the internet.
 
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themrvaladek: I am a teacher and had all my work on a harddrive that today said 'corruped and unreadable' I nearly cried! I had backed up some but not all of the recent stuff. I frantically searched the web and came across your advice and it worked!!!! I am SO grateful!!!! And i have now backed up all my harddrive.
It now works fine but do you think i should use it or buy a replacement??
 
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sir themrvladek, i already tried chkdsk x: f/ or r/ but errors says

Windows cannot recover master file table. CHKDSK aborted.

Do you know what solution about that?
 
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