WD 2TB disk: chkdsk giving errors, but disk utility says it's ok

[gorgonaut]

I have a 2 year old Western Digital 2TB disk, of which I use about 70% capacity.
I tried to update my BIOS, but Win7 would not boot.
I installed new mobo, cpu and RAM (ordered the day befor catastrophy!)

Fresh Win7 installed, I'm getting drive errors of this large disk containing most of my projects.
Western Digital's disk scan utility says drive is ok (surface test)
chkdsk shows all sorts of unreadable drive segments.

So- I have a drive that is borth OK and not OK, that I can't access.
Linux can't read it either. (Tried booting into Ubuntu live CD)

chkdsk is still running, and so far the troubles began about 5% progress.
The check is still at 5% and only getting errors.

The disk has not made any odd sounds, nor has it been slow.

Is my drive's death imminent, or is it merely some file-related problem?
Is it possible, at all, to recover data from a potentially damaged disk?

 

[junkeymonkey]

I don't know if I read in to this right but at the start when you updated your bios you needed to see what the setting for the drive is and know how your drive was set prior to the up date like if the drive was set to ahci and the new bios is now set to ide it won't boot or the other way around you have to change it back to ahci or ide...

so with that .. now are you using the wd data life guard for your drive from wd??

seeing the drive lets say is bad get with wd and see if it can be a free replacement from them being its just 2 years old .. and like me I got a cheapie 80gb drive for Linux to run on instead of it all being on one drive [ I just like that the best cause if the drive fails your out it all] .

drives fail they may last for years or just months.

but with the Linux bootable disk you said it did not run it from the optical drive??? not to say this is your deal but onr time I had issues and after all was said and done I today wonder if the things that were used and installed through the optical drive were being corrupted. by the drive.. and was misread and written to the hdd incorrectly or with errors due to a faulty optical drive ??

 

[gorgonaut]

You see- being a total goon, I did not know I had to check whether the setting was for ide or ahci.
I think it may have been ide, but I'm not sure.

WD Data Lifeguard reports the disk as ok.

This is not my primary HDD- that one's fine. Another that was used for storage is ok.
That's what frightens me.

When I booted into the Ubuntu Live CD and tried to access the seemingly damaged HDD, it would not access the disk.

 

[junkeymonkey]

I just still use ide for all my computers also did you put the Linux in the optical drive and set it to first boot device?? that may solve that and boot and run off the cd.

 

[gorgonaut]

Linus was inserted into optical drive and set as first boot device, yeah.
I will wait for 6% and alter the mode to ide.
Next move is to attempt recovery via PartedMagic.

Ye gods, I hope my projects are intact. Otherwise, I am screwed.

 

[junkeymonkey]

when I get a bad drive or issues with one I reolace the drive and start new and the old drive I use it like a storage drive cause I can hook it up as one and get my files from it fine but I don't use it as bootable[ this is why I have all my drives as ide] so I can hook any drive to a computer I have of mine and go with it and get files off them..

but like I said as far as Linux I keep a Linux drive on its own and don't split it with windows cause if one or the other fails I still got one to work with a budget 80gb wd always did the job for a Linux drive just right.

 

[gorgonaut]

Changed from AHCI to IDE in BIOS.Got as far as the Windows logo; BSOD flashed for a second, then it restarted.

 

[junkeymonkey]

restarted as in failed or restarted as in booted? if faild and you said you got important stuff you don't want to loose you may want to get a new drive just to fully load Linux on and see what it will do if that works fine on Linux then park the old drive and just use it as a storage drive so you can get to the files on it before you loose them.

I wonder if that drive is for some reason got a compatibly issue with the new mother board? its a tough call using an old drive on a new build to start with due to firmware changes... I think I would do the new drive thing load windows back on it get it up and running hook up the old drive as non boot and go get the files off it before there gone for good. but that's just me

 

[gorgonaut]

PartedMagic tests indicate imminent failure.
Getting another 2TB disk tomorrow, so I can clone the old, busted one before it dies.

This failing disk was never bootable, never primary- it was always for long term storage.

 

[junkeymonkey]

I never done a clone of one what if the issue transfers over to the new drive?? that's why I just put the drive up on the shelve and when I need a file from it I hook it up like a external go in and copy and past the file I need to the drive I'm using then unhook it till next time I need something from it. so I don't risk transferring something I did not need or want. but that's just me

good luck and sorry I was no more help to you..

 

[gorgonaut]

Yes, the drive is recognized, but inaccessible. Thus, I cannot simply copy what I need from it the usual way.
For the moment, the drive is disconnected.
I have acquired a new 2TB disk, onto which I intend to clone the original one.

I'm using PartedMagic. Will post results.
If anyone has any tips for cloning and corruption alleviation, I'd appreciate it greatly.