Disk Repair Software Needed

[Guest Davoud]

I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

 

I need a recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

necessary. Thanks!

 

Davoud

 

--

usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

[Guest Henry Bemis]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

http://www.dtidata.com/

> I need recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

> Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

> want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

> necessary. Thanks!

[Guest Davoud]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

Davoud:

> > I need recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

> > Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

> > want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

> > necessary. Thanks!

 

Henry Bemis:

> http://www.dtidata.com/

 

Thanks. I don't need data recovery; the disk was fully backed up. I

need software to repair the logical errors in the disk's file system so

that I can put it back in service.

 

Davoud

 

--

usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

[Guest Jim]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

 

"Davoud" <star@sky.net> wrote in message

news:130920072131536329%star@sky.net...

>I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

> not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

> on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

> can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

> repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

>

> I need a recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

> Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

> want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

> necessary. Thanks!

>

> Davoud

>

> --

> usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

I would try chkdsk or a format if getting rid of the data is no concern.

Other than those two, the disk manufacturer may have a suitable utility.

 

Jim

[Guest Davoud]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

Davoud:

> >I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

> > not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

> > on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

> > can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

> > repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

> >

> > I need a recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

> > Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

> > want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

> > necessary. Thanks!

 

Jim:

> I would try chkdsk or a format if getting rid of the data is no concern.

> Other than those two, the disk manufacturer may have a suitable utility.

 

How does one run chkdsk on, or format, a drive that Windows cannot see

or mount?

 

I'm starting to think that utilities (such as the old Norton Utilities)

to repair logical errors in hard drives are passé, is that right?

 

Davoud

 

--

usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

[Guest Sinner]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

 

"Davoud" <star@sky.net> wrote in message

news:130920072131536329%star@sky.net...

>I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

> not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

> on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

> can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

> repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

 

Why would you assume that an external device, that can't be seen by multiple

machines, wouldn't have a hardware problem? Have you swapped out the USB

cable? Tried the drive in another enclosure? Mounted the drive internally?

 

It doesn't matter what software you run, if Windows can't see the drive

neither can the software.

[Guest Davoud]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

Davoud:

> >I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

> > not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

> > on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

> > can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

> > repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

 

S:

> Why would you assume that an external device, that can't be seen by multiple

> machines, wouldn't have a hardware problem?

 

Loooong experience. The fact that Macs can see it and read its capacity.

> Have you swapped out the USB cable?

 

Of course.

> Tried the drive in another enclosure?

 

Of course.

> Mounted the drive internally?

 

Impossible in my laptop; disinclined to ask my neighbor to mount an

unknown drive in his desktop; this ain't the Mac!

> It doesn't matter what software you run, if Windows can't see the drive

> neither can the software.

 

There has existed software that could see, and force to mount, HD's

that the OS by itself could not see. It's been a long time -- I use

mostly Macs and I've grown rusty at troubleshooting :) I'm going to

take it as read that you don't know of any such software.

 

Davoud

 

--

usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

[Guest Poprivet]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

Davoud wrote:

> Davoud:

>>> I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

>>> not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will

>>> proceed on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple

>>> machines) can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't

>>> mount it or repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

>

> S:

>

>> Why would you assume that an external device, that can't be seen by

>> multiple machines, wouldn't have a hardware problem?

>

> Loooong experience. The fact that Macs can see it and read its

> capacity.

>

>> Have you swapped out the USB cable?

>

> Of course.

>

>> Tried the drive in another enclosure?

>

> Of course.

>

>> Mounted the drive internally?

>

> Impossible in my laptop; disinclined to ask my neighbor to mount an

> unknown drive in his desktop; this ain't the Mac!

>

>> It doesn't matter what software you run, if Windows can't see the

>> drive neither can the software.

>

> There has existed software that could see, and force to mount, HD's

> that the OS by itself could not see. It's been a long time -- I use

> mostly Macs and I've grown rusty at troubleshooting :) I'm going to

> take it as read that you don't know of any such software.

>

> Davoud

 

IFF you know the disk structure, there are many hex editors that can

directly read platter/track/sector/ etc. without mounting the disk first in

the usual sense. You probably should spend some time at Google searching

for what you need.

I seem to have lost everything to od with them so I can't even recall any

names to help with, but they do exist.

I assume you've exhausted all the fdisk etc. possiblities? There isn't

that much to getting a drive mounted w/r to disk data locations.

You also really should try putting the drive into anohter PC. It's not

going to hurt anything on another PC and might tell you quickly what's up.

I know you want software help, but a hardware groups may well still be

the type group you need to ask this qustion on because they're going to be

more aware of apps that can do what you need.

 

If this is a very expensive drive, I'd go to the experts at data recovery -

they obviously know how to do stuff like that for money. If you're just

trying to learn, then keep researching.

 

HTH

 

Pop`

[Guest Andy]

Re: Disk Repair Software Needed

 

On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 01:32:11 GMT, Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:

>I have an external USB drive (FAT32) that has become corrupted. I do

>not believe that there is a hardware problem; at least I will proceed

>on that assumption for the time being. Windows (multiple machines)

>can't see the drive; Macs (multiple) can see it but can't mount it or

>repair it. (Macs can read/write FAT32.)

>

>I need a recommendation for a utility to attempt to repair this disk.

>Something I can purchase on-line and download would be great, but I

>want good software and will order a CD on-line or drive to the store if

>necessary. Thanks!

>

When you say Windows can't see the drive, I assume you mean Windows

Explorer.

Does the drive appear in Device Manager?

No: Hardware problem.

Yes: Then the drive should appear in Disk Management, allowing the

partition to be deleted and recreated. However, FAT32 file

systems cannot be created on partitions larger than 32GB.

Try running TestDisk <http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk>

to see if the partition can be repaired.

>Davoud