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Author Topic: External Hard-drive problem.  (Read 2794 times)

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SingleTwin

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    External Hard-drive problem.
    « on: May 17, 2011, 07:08:20 AM »
    Hey guys,
    I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out here.
    I have an iomega 500gb hard-drive that won't open when I try to click on it. The laptop I'm using is an Acer travelmate with Windows xp.
    When I open my computer, the name of the hard-drive has changed but the letter is the same. When I right click on the hard drive it takes an age for the options to come up. Then I click on properties, to do an error check, but it doesn't seem to do it.
    It says the hard-drive is completely full (using the coloured circle diagram), which I know it's not.
    It lists used space as 0 bytes
    Free space 0 bytes.

    Anyone have an idea what it could be? Also, the C and D drives are almost full on the laptop, would that have something to do with it?

    I appreciate any help I can get as I'd really like to retrieve all the data on it.

    Thank you kindly.
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    SingleTwin

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      Re: External Hard-drive problem.
      « Reply #1 on: May 17, 2011, 10:00:13 AM »
      I forgot to mention that when I try access the hard drive through my computer, it asks me (after a long wait) if I want to format it. Obviously I click no.
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      Allan

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      Re: External Hard-drive problem.
      « Reply #2 on: May 17, 2011, 10:01:31 AM »
      Have you used the drive with this system before? Have you tried it with a different system to see if it works properly?
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      SingleTwin

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        Re: External Hard-drive problem.
        « Reply #3 on: May 17, 2011, 10:09:15 AM »
        Ya I've been using it with this laptop all the time. There was one problem before where the data disappeared but I solved that woth an error check.

        I don't have any other computer to try it with. Though I do know someone with a MAC but I presume that's a bad idea really.
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        Allan

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        Re: External Hard-drive problem.
        « Reply #4 on: May 17, 2011, 10:14:55 AM »
        Well, the easiest way to check whether or not the drive is good is to try it with another Windows system. You can always run chkdsk /r on the drive or download & run a utility such as hddscan (http://hddscan.com/)
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        SingleTwin

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          Re: External Hard-drive problem.
          « Reply #5 on: May 17, 2011, 10:57:59 AM »
          ok.

          I just did a chkdsk. I thought it was working but when I tried to click on the f drive after it just said"the drive isn't formatted, would you like to format it?"
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          Allan

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          Re: External Hard-drive problem.
          « Reply #6 on: May 17, 2011, 11:02:43 AM »
          Sounds like the drive is shot, but you might want to wait for someone a little more hw knowledgeable than I am.
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          Computer_Commando



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          Re: External Hard-drive problem.
          « Reply #7 on: May 17, 2011, 01:18:51 PM »
          I've had this happen a few times with different USB drives.  Reformatting has "fixed" them every time.  I have never been able to determine the cause, so I have multiple USB drives with the same data.  Multiple backups of data on different media is a necessity, since there is no perfect media for data storage.  IMHO, Iomega has been the least reliable since the introduction of the Zip drive.
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          SingleTwin

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            Re: External Hard-drive problem.
            « Reply #8 on: May 18, 2011, 12:11:07 AM »
            Ya I definitely won't be buying iomega again. I would just like to be able to recover the data if possible. Might need to bring it into a shop somewhere.
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            ashleywilis



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              Re: External Hard-drive problem.
              « Reply #9 on: May 18, 2011, 06:58:34 AM »
              check it on different operating system and also on different system, Also run scan disk and chkdisk for it.
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              Allan

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              Re: External Hard-drive problem.
              « Reply #10 on: May 18, 2011, 07:03:26 AM »
              Quote from: ashleywilis on May 18, 2011, 06:58:34 AM
              check it on different operating system and also on different system, Also run scan disk and chkdisk for it.
              We've already discussed that.
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              SingleTwin

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                Re: External Hard-drive problem.
                « Reply #11 on: May 18, 2011, 08:05:21 AM »
                I have a friend who lives nearby, I'll ask him when he gets back from holidays, should be tomorrow. I'll report back.
                Thanks guys!
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