[SOLVED] Uninitialized Disk - Cyclic Redundancy Error

[FrustratedUser2022]

I have a transcend store jet external HDD which suddenly stopped working. I checked Disk Management and there it was showing as uninitialized. I clicked on initialize disk and an error pops up saying Data Error (cyclic redundancy check). I had almost 500gb important data stored on that drive and I have been searching a lot for a solution to this and couldn't find anything yet. I have seen many data recovery software but my drive doesn't show up on them. When I click on the refresh device list button, the light on the HDD starts to blink so I think it still works? I have used free versions for now I'm willing to pay as well if I found one that can recover my data.

Is there a possibility to recover my data to another drive? I really need that data any help is appreciated TIA.

 

[USAFRet]

CRC = dead drive.
Not initializing = dead drive

Can you extract the drive from the enclosure, and see if it will be seen in Windows or Disk Management?
Unlikely, but do try.

Lastly...."I had almost 500gb important data stored on that drive "....Why O Why was there not an actual backup of this "important data"?

A dead drive should never be more than "Oh bother, I need to get a new drive". Your data should never be at risk.

 

[FrustratedUser2022]

CRC = dead drive.
Not initializing = dead drive

Can you extract the drive from the enclosure, and see if it will be seen in Windows or Disk Management?
Unlikely, but do try.

Lastly...."I had almost 500gb important data stored on that drive "....Why O Why was there not an actual backup of this "important data"?

A dead drive should never be more than "Oh bother, I need to get a new drive". Your data should never be at risk.

Thanks for the response. Can you explain extracting the drive from the enclosure?

This was my backup drive I copied the data from my laptop and was planning to upload it on any cloud service but I'm old school and don't want the data to be on the cloud unless absolutely necessary. The drive died during the copying process so I was thinking may be a file caused this.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the response. Can you explain extracting the drive from the enclosure?

This was my backup drive I copied the data from my laptop and was planning to upload it on any cloud service but I'm old school and don't want the data to be on the cloud unless absolutely necessary. The drive died during the copying process so I was thinking may be a file caused this.

Then the data still exists on the laptop?
A backup is a second/third copy.

For 'extracting'...this would be opening the external case and pulling out the bare drive.
Can you post a link to the actual device?

"a file" does not cause physical death of a storage device.

 

[USAFRet]

Or, suck it up and send the drive to a data recovery company.
This will cost $$$.

 

[SkyNetRising]

CRC error doesn't necessary mean a dead drive.
Probably a simple data corruption.
Cutting power during write operation easily can do this.

Can you show a screenshot from Disk Management?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

What model/capacity drive is it?

 

[FrustratedUser2022]

Then the data still exists on the laptop?
A backup is a second/third copy.

For 'extracting'...this would be opening the external case and pulling out the bare drive.
Can you post a link to the actual device?

"a file" does not cause physical death of a storage device.

Here is the link : https://www.transcend-info.com/product/externalharddrives/storejet-25m3

Never thought of making a third copy and I admit I didn't even know anything like that could happen. I copied the data over from my laptop to the drive and then formatted the laptop did a fresh reinstall of OS. so no, the data doesn't exist anymore on the laptop I can however, run a recovery tool on the laptop's drive to see how much i can recover.

I don't mind spending to recover my data but wanted to see if there's any tool that i can use myself to recover the data.

 

[USAFRet]

Here is the link : https://www.transcend-info.com/product/externalharddrives/storejet-25m3

Never thought of making a third copy and I admit I didn't even know anything like that could happen. I copied the data over from my laptop to the drive and then formatted the laptop did a fresh reinstall of OS. so no, the data doesn't exist anymore on the laptop I can however, run a recovery tool on the laptop's drive to see how much i can recover.

I don't mind spending to recover my data but wanted to see if there's any tool that i can use myself to recover the data.

Show us your Disk Management window first.

 

[FrustratedUser2022]

CRC error doesn't necessary mean a dead drive.
Probably a simple data corruption.
Cutting power during write operation easily can do this.

Can you show a screenshot from Disk Management?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

What model/capacity drive is it?

Hi @SkyNetRising thank you for you response.

https://imgur.com/a/djeDh1m

View: https://imgur.com/a/djeDh1m
here is the screenshot of Disk Management

Model is transcend storejet 25M3 capacity is 1tb but around 500gb was filled.

 

[SkyNetRising]

here is the screenshot of Disk Management

Oh yeah. That looks bad. Drive capacity is not being shown.
Either external enclosure electronics have failed or
drive itself has failed.

Connect drive directly to pc with sata cables.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPagEajJ-x4

 

[DSzymborski]

If it would have been a third copy, then you'd still have a second copy. But it wasn't. There should be no moment during which you're ever left with only the data and no copies.

Definitely try to connect the drive directly out of the enclosure. If you still can't even read it, then it's either giving up on the data or sending it to a lab. Be forewarned that good data recovery can frequently be expensive and frequently will cost as much as or more than a mid-tier gaming PC.

Unfortunately, lapses in data protection can be very, very expensive. There's nothing "old school" about losing data. The old school position is the 321 rule: a minimum of three copies of all important data, in at least two different storage devices, with at least one off-site.