[SOLVED] Seagate Hub+ 8TB possibly dead. Need help recovering data

[emelinelove2020]

Hello! So I’m having a very strange problem with my Seagate Hub+ 8TB external HDD. I’ll try to make this as brief and informative as possible, I appreciate any help/advice in advance

I have had the external HDD for about 3 years now, basically running 24/7 (I know, bad idea) and have all our family photos, songs, videos, games etc on it. Anyways worked completely normal until the other day, when I launched a game shortcut on the drive and I received a error. So I went into the external drive file system to make sure the game folder was still there and I noticed my computer would just lock up any time I try going into a folder on the external drive. When I right click all my folders and click properties, it shows 0 files. Yet windows shows that I have used 6TB of the 8TB. I have tried data recovery software such as Recuva, Test Disk, Easeus etc. and they have issues locating any files, because the external HDD would randomly shut down sometimes and reboot or unmoount and remount itself. Other times it will stay connected but still won’t find anything. I tried running a virus scan with avast and it came back fine. I even tried to check the disk health and it came back as normal, when it didn’t unmount itself. Earlier I found the exact same external HDD at Costco and bought it, using the USB and power supply from the new external HDD to the old and still the same issue. I also disabled windows putting the USB to sleep and any kind of settings like that. So my thoughts are either there is something wrong with the USB board inside the HDD (But I’m afraid to take it out the enclosure as I have read that plugging it in internally via a sata cable, I would have to wipe and format, which I can’t do as I just want to save my data.) or its some other issue im unaware of, which I’m hoping for any suggestions or advice. Also the HDD is not making any unusual noises. No grinding or anything like that. Also I have tried on a different computer and still same results. Any help or suggestions are appreciated

 

[Grobe]

Can I ask you this : Are the external HDD used as a backup, so that the question is how to reset it? Or are you saying that your files exists only on this particular drive and nowhere else?

Because if this is the only location, you've asking for trouble. The file system table is probably corrupted and you have to find a company that is capable of recovering those data - DO NOT TRY TO USE THE HDD AS THIS CAN CREATE MORE DAMAGE OR MAKE THE FILES IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOVER.

 

[emelinelove2020]

Can I ask you this : Are the external HDD used as a backup, so that the question is how to reset it? Or are you saying that your files exists only on this particular drive and nowhere else?

Because if this is the only location, you've asking for trouble. The file system table is probably corrupted and you have to find a company that is capable of recovering those data - DO NOT TRY TO USE THE HDD AS THIS CAN CREATE MORE DAMAGE OR MAKE THE FILES IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOVER.

Unfortunately the files only exist on the external HDD. There is no backup. I just took a couple snip it images of how the drive appears on my desktop, showing theres data and yet the folders appear empty. It took 4 tries just to capture it, because right clicking anywhere in the drive, usually locks up my computer or creates a blackscreen on my windows and unplugging the external HDD is the only way to get it to work again. Even tried taking a snapshot of how right clicking properties on any folder shows that there is zero files and bytes in that folder on the external HDD, but my computer kept locking up. So your saying most likely the file system is corrupted and I should just let a professional handle it? I guess data recovery software might make it worse also?

https://imgur.com/a/IKzWPse

View: https://imgur.com/a/IKzWPse

 

[fzabkar]

The first thing you should do is to retrieve a SMART report using a tool such as CrystalDiskInfo or GSmartControl. Look for reallocated, pending or uncorrectable sectors.

The safest DIY approach would be to clone the drive using a tool such as HDDSuperClone or ddrescue. These tools are designed to minimise the stress on a drive with weak heads or bad media. In any case be prepared for the drive to fail at any time.

 

[USAFRet]

Unfortunately the files only exist on the external HDD. There is no backup.

This is specifically why we stress backups so strongly around here.
Any data that lives on one device may be said to not exist at all.

As above, another drive of sufficient size, and try ddrescue to recreate the entirety off to this other drive.
If it works, then you may delve into possibly consumer level data recovery on that data set.

Or, be prepared to cough up $$$ to a data recovery company.

 

[emelinelove2020]

This is specifically why we stress backups so strongly around here.
Any data that lives on one device may be said to not exist at all.

As above, another drive of sufficient size, and try ddrescue to recreate the entirety off to this other drive.
If it works, then you may delve into possibly consumer level data recovery on that data set.

Or, be prepared to cough up $$$ to a data recovery company.

Appreciate all the answers guys! I will definitely try the cloning solution. Quick question though, is ddrrescue or HDDSuperClone able to be used on Windows 10? If not, are there any windows 10 software thats comparable those two?

 

[popatim]

Neither are. you will have to use of Linux Live utilities that has it built in such as :
http://www.sdcomputingservice.com/hddlivecd

You will need a place to put that (up to) 6tb of data. Have appropriate sized drives ready, I use 2, before you begin. You want to minimize the use of the bad drive. Image the bad drive to another drive that has space. Run your data recovery on the image which you'll save to another drive.

Good luck, your other options are very expensive.

 

[emelinelove2020]

Neither are. you will have to use of Linux Live utilities that has it built in such as :
http://www.sdcomputingservice.com/hddlivecd

You will need a place to put that (up to) 6tb of data. Have appropriate sized drives ready, I use 2, before you begin. You want to minimize the use of the bad drive. Image the bad drive to another drive that has space. Run your data recovery on the image which you'll save to another drive.

Good luck, your other options are very expensive.

Quick Update: I got the Linux live update to boot and used HDDSuperClone. I plugged in my new external HDD and the old one. Every time I try to set the old HDD as the source, the screen freezes for about 20 seconds and then the light on the external hard drive goes off like it shut off and I get: error: Unable to open source /dev/sdc (No such file or directory exist) so I’m guessing at this point, probably no hope for a diy remedy? It’s just so strange, it was working perfectly fine the other day and then it’s just beyond recovery in a instant 🙁 But I do appreciate everyone suggestions/tips

 

[fzabkar]

USB is not well suited to data recovery (due to timeouts). You would have better luck attaching the drive via SATA.

 

[emelinelove2020]

USB is not well suited to data recovery (due to timeouts). You would have better luck attaching the drive via SATA.

Yeah I was thinking of opening the enclosure and attaching via sata internally as a last resort, if I can’t find a cheap enough data recovery shop nearby tomorrow. In case I do go that route, would the drive have to be formatted or anything? Thought I read somewhere that to attach a external hard drive internally, you had to format or something. Which wouldn’t be a option for me, since I need the data, unless there’s a way it doesn’t?

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah I was thinking of opening the enclosure and attaching via sata internally as a last resort, if I can’t find a cheap enough data recovery shop nearby tomorrow. In case I do go that route, would the drive have to be formatted or anything? Thought I read somewhere that to attach a external hard drive internally, you had to format or something. Which wouldn’t be a option for me, since I need the data, unless there’s a way it doesn’t?

Some can, some cannot.

Some external drives are encrypted via the enclosure. Remove the drive, and that encryption is broken. Making this potential recovery even more unlikely.

I do not know whether yours is like that.

 

[fzabkar]

DO NOT format your drive. Formatting is data destructive. My understanding is that Seagate's external drives are generally not encrypted.