Can't Access My External Hard Drive

**palonmar** · July 2nd, 2012 03:58 PM

Hello computer geeks in this thread and hope you can help with my problem. I have an external Toshiba Canvio 1TB portable USB HDD and happens to be unaccessible right now. Each time I tried to plug it, the computer says "can't access the drive" and asking to reformat it which, I cannot afford to do. I tried running chkdsk on command prompt but no progress and always getting stuck on "CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...", waited for 5 hours and still stuck there. I tried running on /I and /C but same thing happens. I tried using Recovery Software (Recuva by Piriform) to recover whatever I have there but not all files were retrieve. Is there any possibility or way to fix the problem with my HDD? or can you recommend better recovery software if all other way fails? Please help me...thanks in advance!

**RakataK** · July 2nd, 2012 08:37 PM

Nasubukan mo na bang palitan yung connector niya?

**erj22** · July 2nd, 2012 09:35 PM

kung puwedeng ibahin yung connector, then do so. saan ba kinakabit, desktop o laptop? kung isa sa kanila narerecognize yung external hard drive mo, mukhang reinstall mo USB controller mo. kung parehong equipment di madetect hard drive mo, check mo kung may ingay yung external. nasa warranty pa ba? try mo RMA. check mo website ng hard disk mo click here.

**palonmar** · July 3rd, 2012 11:45 AM

I tried exchanging usb adaptors initially when I first encountered the problem. The computer detects it as drive G as it was before and until now but cannot access. All of USB ports of my laptop are working well and even my other external HDD. I've been using that HDD for more than a year now and the most important thing is to make it work again to get all my files there. My troubled HDD is still working when I tried running CHKDSK, I can hear the spinning and ticking as it searching for something. I can bring it back to life just to reformat it, but I will not do that unless I can recover back all my files and there's no way to fix it back without reformatting.

**ghosthunter** · July 3rd, 2012 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by palonmar

I tried exchanging usb adaptors initially when I first encountered the problem. The computer detects it as drive G as it was before and until now but cannot access. All of USB ports of my laptop are working well and even my other external HDD. I've been using that HDD for more than a year now and the most important thing is to make it work again to get all my files there. My troubled HDD is still working when I tried running CHKDSK, I can hear the spinning and ticking as it searching for something. I can bring it back to life just to reformat it, but I will not do that unless I can recover back all my files and there's no way to fix it back without reformatting.

That clicking sound might mean there might be physical damage to either the platter or the head. Since you can still partially access the drive, it might be the platter.

**erj22** · July 3rd, 2012 01:02 PM

try putting your hd in a zip bag and put it in a freezer for 24 hours.

Save a Failed Hard Drive in Your Freezer, Redux
Save Your Hard Drive by Freezing It - Wired How-To Wiki
200 Ways To Revive A Hard Drive | HBCD Fan & Discussion Platform

**ghosthunter** · July 3rd, 2012 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by erj22

try putting your hd in a zip bag and put it in a freezer for 24 hours.

Save a Failed Hard Drive in Your Freezer, Redux
Save Your Hard Drive by Freezing It - Wired How-To Wiki
200 Ways To Revive A Hard Drive | HBCD Fan & Discussion Platform

The old freezer trick only works if the problem is a stuck motor or stuck platter. For physically damaged platters, this will not do anything. As mentioned, he could see some of the files but not all.

**erj22** · July 3rd, 2012 08:30 PM

*thread starter, may clicking sound ba external hard disk mo?

**1D4LV** · July 4th, 2012 01:45 PM

boot via Linux and try to access your drive there, if you can, file system problem. if you cannot, hardware problem.
try Knoppix.

**palonmar** · July 4th, 2012 02:33 PM

It's not actually a clicking sound and not loud enough unless you put the HDD right next to your ear. It sounds just like when you play a CD or a DVD in your DVD drive as it looking for something but very quite. That sound appears for some time each time I plug it into the USB port and turns into smooth rotating sound after the computer detects nothing from it and right after the message appears as " You need to format the disk in drive G: before you can use it, Do you want to reformat it?". My HDD continously rotating smoothly just like my other HDD as long as it is plug into the USB.