Using 'testdisk_win' to Try and Repair Unusable WD Drive - Problem

[jeanpave]

This is more of a retro question.

I have an older western digital HDD which hasn't been working for some time. Not recognized, that is, when connected externally. (It was, yes, originally an external HDD. 500 GB capacity. Bought in the mid-to-late 2000s. I didn't do anything weird to it, maybe just some 'chkdsk /f' that messed it up, if I remember correctly, that's all. It failed on its own, despite the fact that it was always treated like an egg, with the utmost case. The only really conceivable thing that could have damaged it would be, maybe, heat.)

Anyway, I connected it now, internally, to a computer running an older operating system. (Older, as in before Vista, yes.) Because I know it was not reformatted, and no files were intentionally deleted, I believe that if I can re-write the lost partition table with 'testdisk' I can then transfer all the remaining useful files somewhere else and then low-level format the empty drive or something.

But, of course, nothing is ever as simple as hoped.

When the computer boots, at the present time, there is an error related to that drive (- not in Windows, but on the black screen before booting to OS -) saying that the drive mechanism is reporting some kind of partition error or something (- I can't remember the exact wording of the message, but if anyone is interested I can re-check and post it back verbatim -). And then the BIOS asks me to press F1 to continue or F2 to go to 'Setup'.
Now, in Windows, the drive is showing up as RAW. But it should have a 465/500 GB partition.

The big problem is that, in 'testdisk', on the page with all the drives, the hard-drive in question is only detected as 128/137 GB, for some reason.
Any search, though, regular or deeper, finds a 465/500-GB, "HPFS - NTFS" partition.
So, the major 'testdisk_win' problem is that it tells me it cannot write the partition table because the partition discovered is larger than the reported size of the drive. Thus, I'm stuck.

Oh, and the computer, into which I just inserted this hard drive, should read the drive just fine. It should see NTFS-formatted drives, and it should read drives larger than 1 TB, too.

The files should 100% still be there, so if I get the partition information re-created, for the OS to read the drive again, I am firmly convinced the files should then be usable with a minimum of fuss. (I hope this is not going to start a whole bunch of questions which are throwing my timing way off by delaying everything, but... It worked in the past. Yes, I re-created the partition table and was able to see the files / folder structure by using 'testdisk' a few years ago. Even could use commands like "-c", for 'copy', I think. But, back then, the hard-drive was detected as 500 GB. I don't know what the hell happened. It cooled, and got messed up even more while not in use, I don't know; I can't explain it. [And I got no more answers/explanations to give. I believe I said everything I could say.])

Is anybody still using / knowledgeable with 'testdisk'? Can anybody help me with this, please?

[The version of 'testdisk' that I kept is 6.11.3, if anybody thinks this info can prove useful.]
[The HDD is WDC WD5000AAKB-00YSA0, if anybody thinks this info can prove useful.]

[autodidact]

The specific OS and service pack is important since 48 bit LBA was not enabled in early versions. Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or higher should see the full drive.

[nic2k4]

AFAIK, Testdisk should give you the option to recover the files no need to restore the partition. The BIOS not recognizing the full drive size is a major issue that is most likely related to LBA48 as mentioned by Autodidact. That will likely require a BIOS update. This said, you would do well to try it in another more recent PC, then Testdisk would probably work as expected.

[jeanpave]

No, no, no, even though I'm not sure what LBA48 is exactly or what it does, 100% there is no need for any BIOS, hardware, software, or anything else, upgrade! No, sir!

Why am I so sure?

Because when that crappy drive was functioning adequately, it was connected externally to that very PC, from time to time, and its capacity was then read properly. Very little, if anything was changed on that PC. (Not even Internet browser update, really.) (And it worked then: 500/465 GB.)

Give me a little credit, come on.
If I had the choice of all my computers to insert that drive into, to try and recover it, I didn't pick the one that couldn't do it, believe me.

- Second Edit (1/2 hours later): I was just reading about logical block addressing, and I remember that, when I was trying one recovery software, it told me that this drive apparently now has blocks of 0 kB - which might just be what is causing that boot BIOS error I mentioned, with the warning that something is wrong, followed by the pressing-F1-or-F2 choice - and then it was asking me, are its blocks 512 kB? Is this useful info? -


Since this computer of mine can dual-boot, I shall also verify in the other OS, which is Vista. But I am 99.99% convinced I will not get any better results/readings there. I'll do it later today or tomorrow.


Any other suggestions to help me, please?


P.S. Oh, and I would like the partition table restored, because this drive was kind of a storage drive, and it is most important to me to see everything I had, even if with many errors, to know what I need to re-acquire. I can probably get everything again, but I don't remember everything that was on there. Successful recovery of as many files as possible is desired, but not most important. My priority is the folder structure, if I can get to see it again.

[hello_hello]

No, no, no, even though I'm not sure what LBA48 is exactly or what it does, 100% there is no need for any BIOS, hardware, software, or anything else, upgrade! No, sir!

Why am I so sure?

Because when that crappy drive was functioning adequately, it was connected externally to that very PC, from time to time, and its capacity was then read properly. Very little, if anything was changed on that PC. (Not even Internet browser update, really.) (And it worked then: 500/465 GB.)

Give me a little credit, come on.
If I had the choice of all my computers to insert that drive into, to try and recover it, I didn't pick the one that couldn't do it, believe me.

How was it connected as an external drive? Via USB? Some method that didn't involve connecting the drive directly to the motherboard/BIOS?
WinXP has a 2TB hard drive size limit. It can't format a drive larger than 2TB, but it'll happily read and write to the entire capacity of a 3 or 4TB USB drive, because the USB interface in the external case does the translating.

If the make and model of the motherboard is to remain a secret and the drive was connected via USB originally, maybe buy a cheap adaptor and try connecting it that way again. ie http://www.legend.com.au/products/computer-av-cables-and-adapters/adapters/usb2ide
How old is the computer/motherboard? If you have another (or newer) PC with an IDE connector on the motherboard, that'd be the next thing I'd try, and/or a different IDE cable, and/or the other connector on the cable if it supports two drives, and/or changing the master/slave jumper on the drive. It's probably not likely to by the cable, but they can be somewhat finicky.

[gll99]

I've never had success with Testdisk that I can recall and I haven't bought a WD drive in years but don't they have free diagnostic/repair tools on their site?

[Nelson37]

I just have to make sure I have the details right for when I tell this story.

So, you started with a 500gb WD drive, in an external USB enclosure? Sata or IDE?

Then, it had a Partition Table error, which you "repaired", With TestDisk, while still in the External Enclosure?

AFTER THAT, with the drive containing some important data, no backup was made and it was left in the Same Enclosure?

At some point, CHKDSK/F was run on the drive, while still in the enclosure?

And Now, years later, it failed totally, and is internally connected to a mobo you feel no need to identify, with an OS you feel no need to identify?

A drive size of 128 gb is displayed and this rings no bells?

Testdisk is still being used, along with another drive program which you feel no need to identify?

There is a BIOS error message concerning this drive, which you feel no need to quote exactly?

AND, to top this all off, you are dead certain it should work correctly on the present system, and feel you deserve some credit for knowing WTF you are doing?

Seriously?

[Krispy Kritter]

Start by testing the drive using the drive manufacturers disk tools. You can get the tools from the WD website. If the test fails or shows errors, the drive should be replaced.

Your assumption about the "drive should work" is wrong. As pointed out by Nelson above, the "128GB" size is an indicator. If you don't know, you can read about it here (noted on page two, but you should likely read it all): http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/hard-disk-drives-capacity-limits/

If the drive tests good with the WD software, then we can proceed.