the request could not be performed because of an i/o device error

[mpc007]

Title is the exact notification I get my I try to approach my old HDD. Goes for all partitions of the drive. Sometimes I can read the top folders of some partitions, sometimes I can't.

The drive contained my old W7 system partition (C, and I messed with the MBR / BCD on it in order to get my upgrade to W10 working. I couldn't get it done, so I ended up doing a fresh install of W10 on my new SSD, which works fine. But I guess my work with the HDD left it partly unapproachable under the new OS. Then ransomware got over it as well, so I think its a bit messed up. I don't want to use it for program files or OS anymore, but I want to use it for simple data storage.

Formatting is not an option, theres a lot of data on the drive which I hope to retrieve at some point.

There are no easy solutions here, thats why I'm asking here:
- I cannot use chkdsk /r commands, it sees the drive as RAW
- I cannot read SMART data, it says there is none
- I cannot immediately see it as a bootable device, waiting in BIOS usually have it pop up after some time. Same in Windows, it only appears in Explorer after a while, and loading is very slow. When I set SATA to hotswap it only appears after I physically pull and plug the SATA power cable.
- I cannot use Partition Manager, it loads forever and to no avail.

The old W7 installation might or might not be still functional, sometimes its tries to boot me to that but in order to not do further damage i hit reset on the case and boot to the SSD.

 

[SkyNetRising]

To read SMART data, you have to enable SMART support in BIOS.
Hitting reset while windows is trying to load is a really bad thing to do as it usually leads to data corruption.

Get yourself a backup drive (same size or larger than your problematic HDD).
And use data recovery software to recover data from problematic HDD to backup HDD.
There are a lot of various data recovery software options.
For me GetDataBack has helped a number of times with very good results.

 

[mpc007]

I don't have a backup drive, this HDD IS my backup drive, and the one I use for all my storage (I have an old external one, but thats full as well). I just want to be able to approach the drive, use it for simple storage, not move the data and toss it in the trash. And I'm thinking that data recovery software has issues with the non-readability as well, so that has to get out of the way first imo.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Sorry, you can't go around getting another drive for data recovery.

But get SMART data from the drive first. It will tell, how damaged it is.
It may be damaged beyond any possible data recovery at home.
Only option then is contacting professional data recovery services.

 

[mpc007]

I can't. SMART tools like Crystal Disk Info don't list the drive. Probably same issue that Partition Manager has; since it can't read all partitions it can't build up a correct full image of the drive, and therefore, SMART can't be reached.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Did you enable SMART in BIOS?
And use Intel sata ports (black color) not Marvel ports (grey)
(assuming you use motherboard in your signature Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H).

 

[mpc007]

There is no BIOS setting for it, so I guess its turned on by default. I'm also thinking that because my SSD lists just fine in Crystal Disk Info, and I can read all the values. So it seems SMART is just unavailable on the problematic drive.

Oh, and your Get Data Back tool turned unresponsive as soon as I started it and it began to scan. Which I predicted, since Windows tools can't reach it as well.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I'm pretty sure, there is such setting. You can set SMART enabled or disabled for each drive individually.

 

[mpc007]

I'm telling you there is not. I have a Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H mainboard and under Pheripherals > SATA it only lists the different ports, with two options underneath:
- For disabling the specific port
- For enabling hotswap functionality

Oh, SATA mode is AHCI by the way, when I set it to IDE I can't boot from my SSD anymore.

In task manager the drive is listed as 100 percent in use all the time, I just noticed.

 

[mpc007]

Just installed it another system real quick, exact same issue. Can get the partitions in Explorer, although not all show the available space bar beneath the drive letter / name. I can get into the root of the first partition, but clicking any older folders like Users or Program Files give me the error again.

I ordered a new HDD twice the size, I really hope I can retrieve some files... And I still need a tool for that, since most seem to freeze when searching for drives. Please tell me how to deal with that.

 

[SkyNetRising]

You can try mhdd. It's DOS program that allows reading SMART and also can scan/ relocate bad sectors.
It will allow to assess damage to HDD.
To run it, you either create bootable usb with DOS or create bootable cd.

But most likely that drive is beyond any recovery at home.

 

[mpc007]

But do you really think that is it? Physical damage? The drive functioned perfectly (or almost perfectly, it had some bad sectors because it was old) before my W10 upgrade adventure. That its partly inaccesible right now, couldn't that be a rights or permissions issue? Or some other software or part of the old W7 installation still present on the partition blocking things off?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Try scanning with mhdd. It will show if drive sectors can be read.
Without any SMART data or scanning tests, all of this is just theoretical guess.

 

[mpc007]

I'll try. DOS or CMD is not my forté, do you know where to find a good download or tutorial for this tool?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Making bootable CD is easiest option to launch it.

Documentation is on it's download page:
http://hddguru.com/software/2005.10.02-MHDD/

 

[mpc007]

It won't let me boot into it yet. Created bootable USB with Rufus and then copied the files, first the .iSO and when that didnt' work the extracted files. Does it need a custom filesystem or something? BIOS boot order shows the stick, but going for it just boots me to W10 again. Any advise to tackle this? A CD is not really an option, dont have any discs lying around anymore.

 

[SkyNetRising]

To create bootable DOS USB, you will need:
win98.iso bootdisk image,
http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/iso.html
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool,
Daemon Tools.

Mount image with daemon tools
and use HP USB storage format tool to create bootable USB (will need to specify boot files from CD),
edit: and files from CD must be copied to USB (except ones that hp tool already copied),
and copy also mhdd folder with the program to USB.

 

[mpc007]

You're losing me here. I need to DL an Windows 98 ISO image?! I thought we were working with MHDD here? And Daemon Tools - come on, you HAVE to know that since Windows 8 the OS can mount images and ISOs itself.. Its like you live 15 years ago man 😉

 

[SkyNetRising]

Edited previous post - not windows98 install iso but win98 bootdisk (size is less than 3MB).
It is needed for DOS boot files.

Personally Deamon Tools has always been one of first software piece to install, so I might have missed that iso mounting functionality was already present. Glad to know, tnx.

 

[mpc007]

Edited previous post - not windows98 install iso but win98 bootdisk (size is less than 3MB).
It is needed for DOS boot files.

Where do I get that?

 

[SkyNetRising]

There is a link in my post with USB creation instructions.

 

[mpc007]

Okay, so I followed your instructions and created the USB. When I boot into it, it says Windows 98 and some more text at the top, and gives me the flashing C:/ as command line. How do I start MHDD from that exactly? I copied the MHDD folder from the Magic Boot Disk ISO to the USB and used that (http://hddguru.com/software/2006.02.10-Magic-Boot-Disk/), what is my next step? Again, almost zero experience with DOS here (simply before my time, I grew up with Win 95) so I need step by step help 😉 Thanks for your efforts until now btw

 

[SkyNetRising]

mhdd.zip must be extracted before booting from USB (magic bootdisk has mhdd in zipped format)
Boot from USB and execute commands:

• 
  cd mhdd
  mhdd.exe

(cd - stands for change directory)

 

[mpc007]

Okay, so I booted succesfully into MHDD, thanks to your instructions.

But I think something is not working the way it should, since all commands except the first one to select a disk (SHIFT F3) give me Error: Drive is not ready. Strange thing is this happens with all three controllers / drives (I can see 3, but the names dont appear so I dont know which is my ssd, hdd, and usb drive). So the F8 key for SMART returns this code as well, and since it apparently also happens with my SSD (i guess) i think something is not configured right within the tool. If I understand well the boxes on the left top are the drives stats, but those were all blue except the red ERR box most top left, and BUSY being green.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Try changing sata controller mode to IDE in BIOS before running mhdd. You'll need to change it back after you're done with mhdd.

Useful commands:

PORT - command gives list of model names for available drives and lets choose with witch one to work.
From that you should be able to understand, witch drive has what number. Google those model names, if still not clear.

SMART ATTR - prints out SMART data of selected disk, look for relocated sectors count and current pending sectors (raw column).
Anything above 0 in those values is bad.

SCAN - select REMAP ON option with this command - it scans surface of selected disk and tries to relocate unusable sectors to spare area. It also shows map of sectors and each sector response time.

Post screenshots, if something still not clear.