[SOLVED] Internal HDD connected externally via USB is not recognized ?

[AbdulMuhammed]

I turned on my ASUS laptop the other day and it wouldn't even power up. After much diagnosing, it was dead. I removed the 1T. platter H.D. and the 500G SSD drives and got a new laptop. The SSD (the primary drive with the O.S. showed up fine when connected via USB and I transferred files to the new laptop. I used a Sabrent kit I had to connect the power and SATA to a USB and tried to transfer the 1T platter drive files and it isn't recognized. The SATA light flashes on the Sabrent, so I know it is trying to get info, and I hear the platters spinning.



1. Laptop is ASUS Zenbook with a pathetic 500G SSD and no backup drive bays.

2. O.S. is Win 11 (original laptop OS was Win 10)

3. SATA light on Sabrent block flashes intermittently

4. Drive Management in new laptop doesn't even see a drive is connected externally.

Any Suggestions? I doubt there was a catastrophic failure of the drive as it was a secondary and the SSD is fine. I bought a new SATA cable b/c I thought it may be a cable issue, but no. I connected a very old 44 pin IDE platter HD via the Sabrent kit using that connection and it was detected immediately.

 

[Ralston18]

This:

"The SSD (the primary drive with the O.S. showed up fine when connected via USB and I transferred files to the new laptop"

What files were transferred? Did the transfer include Windows?

 

[Misgar]

I doubt there was a catastrophic failure of the drive as it was a secondary

It doesn't matter whether the drive was your main (primary) drive or used as secondary storage. Drives can fail at any time. I have a 2TB drive which spins up but is not recognised by the BIOS or Windows. It needs to go to a recovery agency. Of course I keep multiple backups, so I haven't lost anything.

I used a Sabrent kit I had to connect the power and SATA to a USB

I don't suppose you know if the Sabrent kit applies "sector translation"? Probably not.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

It is a Sabrent DSC5 that I've had for years. As I said, it detects very old 44pin HDs. I don't have a SATA drive other than the one I'm trying to open.
When I connected the old SSD, it opened fine. I didn't transfer the Windows files as the new laptop already had Win 11. BUT all picture/text/etc. files transferred fine and I can play a game (Civ 5) directly from the attached drive.
If the 1T. Platter drive failed right at the time that the laptop failed, it seems like a coincidence-SSDs are more sensitive to power surges, etc.
Yes-I'm an idiot for not backing up the 1T backup drive...I'm going to lose 4 years of Doctoral degree research and my dissertation...

 

[Bob.B]

It is a Sabrent DSC5 that I've had for years. As I said, it detects very old 44pin HDs. I don't have a SATA drive other than the one I'm trying to open.
When I connected the old SSD, it opened fine. I didn't transfer the Windows files as the new laptop already had Win 11. BUT all picture/text/etc. files transferred fine and I can play a game (Civ 5) directly from the attached drive.
If the 1T. Platter drive failed right at the time that the laptop failed, it seems like a coincidence-SSDs are more sensitive to power surges, etc.
Yes-I'm an idiot for not backing up the 1T backup drive...I'm going to lose 4 years of Doctoral degree research and my dissertation...

Have you tried different usb ports on the pc?

Got a neighbor or friend that you can test this setup on their machine?

 

[DSzymborski]

Wait, you didn't have *any* backup of this? Even an old one? Better to reconstruct six months of research rather than four years.

Frankly, given how important this data was, you ought to only have a highly competent lab looking at it, not messing around with it at all. Four years of research gone? Better to be out the cost of a new PC than out four years of work.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

Wait, you didn't have *any* backup of this? Even an old one? Better to reconstruct six months of research rather than four years.

Frankly, given how important this data was, you ought to only have a highly competent lab looking at it, not messing around with it at all. Four years of research gone? Better to be out the cost of a new PC than out four years of work.

Well, let me clarify: I successfully defended my dissertation, graduated, and passed the medical boards, so the lost "school" info while a huge pain, won't effect my career. The worst of that part is that I lost about 30 ebooks that were medical textbooks. They were invaluable. I can always download a copy of my dissertation from the university.

Yeah, I admit it was incredibly stupid not to back up my back up hard drive. I kept things like PC games, Itunes, Movies, TV series, etc. there b/c the main SSD drive was quite small.

I'm still not 100% convinced that the Platter drive is a brick-it spins up and the SATA light flashes occasionally showing that it is at least attempting to contact my new laptop. I wish I had another small platter SATA drive to see if it is recognized. As I mentioned, a 20 year old IDE platter drive with 44 pin interface works great when attached externally. I'm SO pissed that ASUS decided to not include an internal backup drive bay- I have the ribbon cable to my drive and could try installing it internally...I may return this new laptop. they soldered the RAM in so no upgrading from 8G to 16G, The graphics card is integrated so no upgrading it, No secondary drive bay...I used to love ASUS but this one sucks.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

Have you tried different usb ports on the pc?

Got a neighbor or friend that you can test this setup on their machine?

Yes, tried the only other USB port and no luck. I have disk management open, and it doesn't list the drive. unplugging and replugging in the usp cable attached to the Sabrent block results in a quick couple of flashes of the SATA light on the block. When I plug the 44 pin IDE drive in, it give the windows sound indicating new hardware, then flashes a few times. When I access files on that drive the SATA light stays on while it is accessed, then goes off. As I mentioned the primary SSD from my old PC is fine, easily accessed using an SSD enclosure and a USB cable. Weird that the dead laptop took the secondary platter drive but left the more fragile SSD primary drive...I'm still thinking something will work.

 

[rgd1101]

what is the exact Sabrent kit ?
it is not a backup if it is the only copy

 

[Bob.B]

Yes, tried the only other USB port and no luck. I have disk management open, and it doesn't list the drive. unplugging and replugging in the usp cable attached to the Sabrent block results in a quick couple of flashes of the SATA light on the block. When I plug the 44 pin IDE drive in, it give the windows sound indicating new hardware, then flashes a few times. When I access files on that drive the SATA light stays on while it is accessed, then goes off. As I mentioned the primary SSD from my old PC is fine, easily accessed using an SSD enclosure and a USB cable. Weird that the dead laptop took the secondary platter drive but left the more fragile SSD primary drive...I'm still thinking something will work.

If the data on the hdd is REALLY important you could shop around for data recovery houses......serious bucks.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

what is the exact Sabrent kit ?
it is not a backup if it is the only copy

Sabrent USB 2.0 to SATA/IDE hard drive adapter.
It is technically a secondary drive there was no O.S. on it. ... the data on it wasn't backed up elsewhere- obviously a stupid decision.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

If the data on the hdd is REALLY important you could shop around for data recovery houses......serious bucks.

Yeah, I've seen what they charge. I could go out and buy all of the movies, music, games, and ebooks for less money than they charge to restore (or not) the data. I would be out a lot of $$$ and time, but less than a recovery would cost.

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah, I've seen what they charge. I could go out and buy all of the movies, music, games, and ebooks for less money than they charge to restore (or not) the data. I would be out a lot of $$$ and time, but less than a recovery would cost.

Please take this episode as a wakeup to start a good backup plan for the future.
Starting today.

We've all lost data. Smart people don't let it happen twice.

 

[rgd1101]

does the SABRENT have a power supply? or just the usb power?

 

[Misgar]

I'm SO pissed that ASUS decided to not include an internal backup drive bay

Probably not much demand for such features in modern laptops, where nearly everything is soldered in with no hope of upgrades. I check before buying a new laptop to see if there's a DIMM socket for RAM upgrades and an M.2 socket for NVMe drive upgrades. In the past, you could often remove small panels to access RAM and 2.5in drives, without having to remove the entire baseplate. Battery swaps were easy too.

When I access files on that drive the SATA light stays on while it is accessed, then goes off.

Depends what you mean by "accessed". Is it the computer communicating with the hard disk controller, or is it the computer actually reading data off the platters? If the circuits associated with the read/write heads has failed, or the head positioning actuator isn't working, the presence of a "SATA light" means very little.

Weird that the dead laptop took the secondary platter drive but left the more fragile SSD primary drive.

One could argue that a mechanical device with moving parts is far more fragile than a printed circuit board with no moving parts. Hard disks don't fare well when subjected to extreme physical shocks or bumps, especially when running. The hard disk might have a 3 year warranty if you're lucky. How old is it? As I said before, drives can fail at any time, even brand new ones.

I'm still not 100% convinced that the Platter drive is a brick

Your Sabrent hard disk adapter is of ancient USB2 design and might not be 100% compatible with your hard disk. The original USB2 spec placed a limit of 500mA on the output of USB computer ports. This will probably be enough to power a 2.5in hard disk in most instances, but who knows? The default USB3 spec raises the output current limit to 900mA. Did you connect the Sabrent to a USB2 or USB3 port when testing the drive?

It might be worth trying the drive in a modern USB3 adapter. I find the slightly more expensive Inateck caddies to be of higher quality and they support UASP (which probably won't make any difference in your situation).

https://inateck.com/collections/har...-3-0-port-and-uasp-support-tool-free-fe2005-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_Attached_SCSI

The worst of that part is that I lost about 30 ebooks that were medical textbooks.

Can you go back to the place where you studied and download another copy of these textbooks? There are various online libraries, some of which flagrantly ignore copyright, where you can find really obsure scientific/engineering/medical publications and papers. Take care accessing "dubious" web sites and don't divulge any personal information, email addresses, or bank account/credit card details. You might get scammed.

 

[AbdulMuhammed]

Problem SOLVED.

For some reason there wasn't enough power from the Sabrent block USB cord. Bought a
UGREEN External Hard Drive Enclosure for 3.5 2.5 Inch SATA SSD HDD USB 3.0 to SATA III Hard Drive Case and the drive works fine. Didn't lose any data. To those who suggested that with limited experiments, the drive was dead...not helpful and not true. To those who felt they needed to tell me I should have backed it up...again, not helpful, I admit my stupidity.
To Those who said maybe the old block I had didn't send enough power through the USB cord-you were spot on correct. Put the drive in the SATA III case and boom -entire 1T drive accessible. I can't thank you folks enough! And yes, lesson learned for next time. And please don't tell others with a similar problem that their drive is a brick and won't ever work, This fix may save their lives.