Guest JOE X5 Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 My learned friends, I have an external hard drive with a lot of data on it that I would rather not lose if I can avoid it. When I attempt to access the drive I receive the following error message: "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" I have tried chkdsk and it could not solve the problem. What are my options? If I have no choice but to format the drive, do I simply to this by right clicking the drive and selecting "format" Please advise -Joe
Guest Malke Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unreadabl JOE X5 wrote: > My learned friends, > > I have an external hard drive with a lot of data on it that I would rather > not lose if I can avoid it. > > When I attempt to access the drive I receive the following error message: > "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" > > I have tried chkdsk and it could not solve the problem. > > What are my options? > > If I have no choice but to format the drive, do I simply to this by right > clicking the drive and selecting "format" Since this is an external hard drive, connect it to another system and see if it can be read. If another Windows system can't read it, try from a Linux box (or boot a working computer with a Linux live cd such as Knoppix). Is the external hard drive old? Making any noise? Run a drive diagnostic on it. You may need to connect it internally to do this. If the drive is viable but the data can't be accessed from other operating systems, you may be able to retrieve it with data recovery software. How about some more details about this drive before we go further? Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest JOE X5 Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea My learned friends, The drive is about three years old. It does make noises, the disk is spinning. During the chkdsk, it does show a lot of the files and folders, so the data is still there (I think). How can I run a drive diagnostic if the drive is inaccessible? I hope this information helps. -Joe "Malke" wrote: > JOE X5 wrote: > > My learned friends, > > > > I have an external hard drive with a lot of data on it that I would rather > > not lose if I can avoid it. > > > > When I attempt to access the drive I receive the following error message: > > "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" > > > > I have tried chkdsk and it could not solve the problem. > > > > What are my options? > > > > If I have no choice but to format the drive, do I simply to this by right > > clicking the drive and selecting "format" > > Since this is an external hard drive, connect it to another system and > see if it can be read. If another Windows system can't read it, try from > a Linux box (or boot a working computer with a Linux live cd such as > Knoppix). > > Is the external hard drive old? Making any noise? Run a drive diagnostic > on it. You may need to connect it internally to do this. > > If the drive is viable but the data can't be accessed from other > operating systems, you may be able to retrieve it with data recovery > software. > > How about some more details about this drive before we go further? > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User >
Guest Malke Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea JOE X5 wrote: > My learned friends, > > The drive is about three years old. It does make noises, the disk is > spinning. During the chkdsk, it does show a lot of the files and folders, so > the data is still there (I think). > > How can I run a drive diagnostic if the drive is inaccessible? You don't do drive diagnostics from within the operating system. You go to the drive mftr.'s website or use Seagate's SeaTools and download the diagnostic utility. Then you create a bootable CD with the file you downloaded. You need third-party burning software to do this. Then you boot with the CD you created and do a thorough test of the hard drive. If the drive fails any physical tests, you replace it. Depending on your motherboard, the drive diagnostic may or may not see the USB-connected drive. If it doesn't, you remove the drive from its enclosure and slave it internally in a working system. Since the data is important, I think I'd do my other suggestions first before running diagnostics just to try and get the data off. This is why a layered approach to backup is good - data on the computer's hard drive, backed up to a second hard drive, burned to CD/DVD-R regularly and taken off-site or put in a fireproof file cabinet away from the computer. Knoppix - http://www.knoppix.net Data recovery software: PCInspector File Recovery - http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm Executive Software “Undelete” - http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp R-Studio - http://www.r-tt.com/ File Scavenger - http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm Ontrack's EasyRecovery - http://www.ontrack.com/software/ I should mention that if the data is crucial, you would be best off not working on the drive at all and instead send it directly to a professional data recovery company. My preference is for Drive Savers (http://www.drivesavers.com) but there are others. This is expensive, usually starting at around $500 USD and going up with a rough average being $1500-3000 USD. Only you know the value of your data and can make that determination, of course. Some insurance companies will cover data recovery costs so it might be worth checking with yours. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest DL Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea You download and make the bootable floppy (or cd) utility from the hd manu web site "JOE X5" <JOEX5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:CD4CE827-1847-4A8A-906B-4CF38F01A1A2@microsoft.com... > My learned friends, > > The drive is about three years old. It does make noises, the disk is > spinning. During the chkdsk, it does show a lot of the files and folders, > so > the data is still there (I think). > > How can I run a drive diagnostic if the drive is inaccessible? > > I hope this information helps. > > -Joe > > > "Malke" wrote: > >> JOE X5 wrote: >> > My learned friends, >> > >> > I have an external hard drive with a lot of data on it that I would >> > rather >> > not lose if I can avoid it. >> > >> > When I attempt to access the drive I receive the following error >> > message: >> > "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" >> > >> > I have tried chkdsk and it could not solve the problem. >> > >> > What are my options? >> > >> > If I have no choice but to format the drive, do I simply to this by >> > right >> > clicking the drive and selecting "format" >> >> Since this is an external hard drive, connect it to another system and >> see if it can be read. If another Windows system can't read it, try from >> a Linux box (or boot a working computer with a Linux live cd such as >> Knoppix). >> >> Is the external hard drive old? Making any noise? Run a drive diagnostic >> on it. You may need to connect it internally to do this. >> >> If the drive is viable but the data can't be accessed from other >> operating systems, you may be able to retrieve it with data recovery >> software. >> >> How about some more details about this drive before we go further? >> >> >> Malke >> -- >> Elephant Boy Computers >> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com >> "Don't Panic!" >> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User >>
Guest JOE X5 Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea My learned friends, I have backed up the majority of the data on the drive, some time ago, on dvd disk, so what I will lose is the new stuff, which is not as important. Threfore, I think I can take a deep breath and say I am prepared to lose it. Can you instruct me regarding formatting? I know that from now on I will be regularly backing up my data! Please advise "Malke" wrote: > JOE X5 wrote: > > My learned friends, > > > > The drive is about three years old. It does make noises, the disk is > > spinning. During the chkdsk, it does show a lot of the files and folders, so > > the data is still there (I think). > > > > How can I run a drive diagnostic if the drive is inaccessible? > > You don't do drive diagnostics from within the operating system. You go > to the drive mftr.'s website or use Seagate's SeaTools and download the > diagnostic utility. Then you create a bootable CD with the file you > downloaded. You need third-party burning software to do this. Then you > boot with the CD you created and do a thorough test of the hard drive. > If the drive fails any physical tests, you replace it. Depending on your > motherboard, the drive diagnostic may or may not see the USB-connected > drive. If it doesn't, you remove the drive from its enclosure and slave > it internally in a working system. > > Since the data is important, I think I'd do my other suggestions first > before running diagnostics just to try and get the data off. This is why > a layered approach to backup is good - data on the computer's hard > drive, backed up to a second hard drive, burned to CD/DVD-R regularly > and taken off-site or put in a fireproof file cabinet away from the > computer. > > Knoppix - http://www.knoppix.net > > Data recovery software: > > PCInspector File Recovery - > http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/welcome.htm > Executive Software “Undelete” - > http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp > R-Studio - http://www.r-tt.com/ > File Scavenger - http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm > Ontrack's EasyRecovery - http://www.ontrack.com/software/ > > I should mention that if the data is crucial, you would be best off not > working on the drive at all and instead send it directly to a > professional data recovery company. My preference is for Drive Savers > (http://www.drivesavers.com) but there are others. This is expensive, usually > starting at around $500 USD and going up with a rough average being > $1500-3000 USD. Only you know the value of your data and can make that > determination, of course. Some insurance companies will cover data > recovery costs so it might be worth checking with yours. > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User >
Guest JOE X5 Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea My learned friends, I downloaded and ran Seagate seatool. It recognized the USB drive but for each of the tests, apart from the long generic test, it said the test was unavailable. When I ran the only one that I could, the long generic test, the drive failed the test. What should be my next step? -Joe "DL" wrote: > You download and make the bootable floppy (or cd) utility from the hd manu > web site > > "JOE X5" <JOEX5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:CD4CE827-1847-4A8A-906B-4CF38F01A1A2@microsoft.com... > > My learned friends, > > > > The drive is about three years old. It does make noises, the disk is > > spinning. During the chkdsk, it does show a lot of the files and folders, > > so > > the data is still there (I think). > > > > How can I run a drive diagnostic if the drive is inaccessible? > > > > I hope this information helps. > > > > -Joe > > > > > > "Malke" wrote: > > > >> JOE X5 wrote: > >> > My learned friends, > >> > > >> > I have an external hard drive with a lot of data on it that I would > >> > rather > >> > not lose if I can avoid it. > >> > > >> > When I attempt to access the drive I receive the following error > >> > message: > >> > "the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable" > >> > > >> > I have tried chkdsk and it could not solve the problem. > >> > > >> > What are my options? > >> > > >> > If I have no choice but to format the drive, do I simply to this by > >> > right > >> > clicking the drive and selecting "format" > >> > >> Since this is an external hard drive, connect it to another system and > >> see if it can be read. If another Windows system can't read it, try from > >> a Linux box (or boot a working computer with a Linux live cd such as > >> Knoppix). > >> > >> Is the external hard drive old? Making any noise? Run a drive diagnostic > >> on it. You may need to connect it internally to do this. > >> > >> If the drive is viable but the data can't be accessed from other > >> operating systems, you may be able to retrieve it with data recovery > >> software. > >> > >> How about some more details about this drive before we go further? > >> > >> > >> Malke > >> -- > >> Elephant Boy Computers > >> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > >> "Don't Panic!" > >> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User > >> > > >
Guest philo Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea "JOE X5" <JOEX5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:7A935DFA-3874-486F-B4BD-50027DA8E9A7@microsoft.com... > My learned friends, > > I downloaded and ran Seagate seatool. It recognized the USB drive but for > each of the tests, apart from the long generic test, it said the test was > unavailable. When I ran the only one that I could, the long generic test, the > drive failed the test. What should be my next step? > > -Joe > Check your warranty. If the drive is still within the warrantly period...contact the mfg for an RMA number. If it's out of warranty *DISCARD* it!
Guest JOE X5 Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea My learned friends, For the amount of time I have had the drive, I think it is safe to say the warrenty has expired. As for friend philo's suggestion to discard it, that will be only a last resort. Please contiue to respond. 1. the drive failed the only test availiable via the seagate tool 2. sould I format and if so how? "philo" wrote: > > "JOE X5" <JOEX5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:7A935DFA-3874-486F-B4BD-50027DA8E9A7@microsoft.com... > > My learned friends, > > > > I downloaded and ran Seagate seatool. It recognized the USB drive but for > > each of the tests, apart from the long generic test, it said the test was > > unavailable. When I ran the only one that I could, the long generic test, > the > > drive failed the test. What should be my next step? > > > > -Joe > > > Check your warranty. > If the drive is still within the warrantly period...contact the mfg for an > RMA number. > > If it's out of warranty *DISCARD* it! > > >
Guest Malke Posted August 19, 2007 Posted August 19, 2007 Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea Re: PLEASE HELP: error the file or directory is corrupted or unrea JOE X5 wrote: > My learned friends, > > For the amount of time I have had the drive, I think it is safe to say the > warrenty has expired. As for friend philo's suggestion to discard it, that > will be only a last resort. > > Please contiue to respond. > > 1. the drive failed the only test availiable via the seagate tool > 2. sould I format and if so how? If the drive fails *any* physical tests (which it did), you should replace it. Don't bother to format it. Check to see if it is under warranty and if it is not, throw it out and buy a new drive. End of story. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
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