• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Requesting Help with External Hard Drive

S

Spinning

n00b
Joined
Nov 22, 2025
Messages
10
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this group. If this is not the correct group, please guide me to the appropriate group.

I am requesting this group's expertise in salvaging a 4 TB Hard Drive (HD) I have had for > decade. As with other support groups, I will run "tests" and post results so I can get the help I need.

Background: I use 2 older computers
Primary - Dell OptiPlex 7050 desktop dual boot (Linux Mint 22.2 and Windows 11). I rarely use Windows.
Secondary - Dell Latitude E6540 running Windows 11 until a week ago. Today, is is purely on Linux Mint 22.2.

I purchased a Western Digital My Passport 4 TB > decade ago. Right after purchase, I was "told" I have to format it - which I attempted to do (I don't recall the details). It took all night, but nothing happened. The next day, I pulled it off the laptop - and that did it! The HD has been non-functional ever since (not recognized by my laptop/desktop). I gave up on it, but didn't recycle it. A few weeks ago, I attached it to my laptop and it was recognized! I was able to "salvage" 3.6 TB which I formatted to ex-fat with the hope of saving the laptop image. Upon attempting to save my laptop image (which was, at that point) running only Windows 11, Windows told me the image can only be saved to an NTFS formatted external HD. In an attempt to re-format the HD, things went wrong and I am now unable to even initialize the HD.

There are way too many details (I will be happy to share as appropriate).

I am requesting assistance in getting the 3.6 TB on it's feet. No loss of data to worry about. Essentially all the "repair" work has been done on Windows 11 - Linux doesn't recognize the external HD.

All support will be greatly appreciated!
 
so zero data on it, right?

connect it. open command prompt, terminal or power shell as admin(right click on start menu) and run:
diskpart
list disk (find your drive and note the #)
select disk #
clean
exit, and close the window

unplug it and plug it back in and windows should see it and be able to initialize and reformat it to ntfs.
 
Thank you for the support!

Accurate: zero data! :)

I have been through this routine so many times (including an upgrade to "clean all,") I can run it in my sleep (as Admin); I am happy to run it again today and share my "findings." Maybe umpteenth time is the charm! In my previous trials, I went through the whole routine: create partition primary, format, etc. Below are today's results based on your guidelines (stopping after clean).
Windows did not recognize the external HD. Opened Disk Management which recognized the drive and stated, "Not Initialized." It offered to initialize it to GPT; when I okayed it, the result was (as has been many, many times):​
Data error (cyclic redundancy check).​
Disk Management shows the external HD as Disk 1, Unknown, 3725.99 GB Unallocated and still labeled as Not Initialized.​
For the record, I have also (previously) run

attrib -r -a -s -h /s /d​

I am ready for next step(s).
 
tried changing it to mbr?
maybe it was a dud from the get go?
you could see if its one that can be "shucked" and try it connected directly to your mobo.
 
MBR initialization attempt results in:

Data error (cyclic redundancy check)​
​
Please pardon my ignorance: what is "mobo"?
 
pendragon1 said:
short for motherboard.
Click to expand...
In an attempt to share more information, I ran the cmd diskpart routine as admin (not stopping at clean); after clean, I ran "create partition primary." Below are the results:

Disk is uninitialized, initializing it to GPT.​
​
DiskPart has encountered an error: Data error (cyclic redundancy check).​
See the System Event Log for more information.​
 
It's probably dead at this point. Did you by chance drop it?

Check drive health and SMART information using CrystalDiskInfo.

CrystalDiskInfo
 
AgrFan said:
It's probably dead at this point. Did you by chance drop it?

Check drive health and SMART information using CrystalDiskInfo.

CrystalDiskInfo
Click to expand...
It appears to be very much alive: it is on a "clean all" Diskpart [Admin] cmd for the past 30+hours and blinking (my patience is thinning - fast). It doesn't show progress (no % completed indication). Disk management also recognizes it. Another reason I believe it is alive is just a week or so ago, I got it working - on exFAT; however, I was forced to bow down to M$ (yes, I am a Linux person) and change the format to NTFS so it can "accept" system image from a Window$ laptop - that is when the current mess began.
No drop: I have treated it with kid gloves; for years, it sat in my office closet as "dead."

Where I stand today: while I would love to resurrect it, I will not shed a tear if I have to recycle it, especially because it has no data. On a lighter note, it appears to be in line with the current "whim world." It's mood appears to dictate how it behaves. I, on the other hand, will make a "final" decision on it's fate based on it's chances of long term survival (poor for now), the time I have already invested (a lot), and potential future time investment - and frustration.

I will update the forum as appropriate. In the interim, please continue to share suggestions.
 
I would like to thank this forum and the individuals who suggested potential remedies.

After dozens of attempts (and countless hours) trying to format the external hard drive to NTFS, it occurred to me to try and format it to ex-FAT - even though that was not the goal - and it worked; however, it was clicking and I was unable to save anything on it. I accepted the fact that it was defective to the point of no return - at least for me. Next stop: recycling.
 
Did you check the drive health and SMART information in CrystalDiskInfo?
 
Last edited:
AgrFan said:
Did you check the drive health and SMART information in CrystalDiskInfo?
Click to expand...
I just did. Attached is the result. Other than the Health Status of "Bad," I don't understand anything. Should I hold off the visit to recycling center?
The Home folder doesn't recognize (see) the external hard drive; only Disk Management does.
 

Attachments

  • CrystalDiskInfo_20251129093614.png
    CrystalDiskInfo_20251129093614.png
    63.8 KB · Views: 0
Health status is Bad (red). Read Error Rate is Bad (xFFFF) and Current Pending Sector Count is Caution (x913).

It's definitely time for recycling unfortunately.

Drives should not fail during initial formatting. You may want to contact Western Digital to see what they can do for you. Make sure to provide the CrystalDiskInfo SMART information. Power-On Hours (x174) indicates the drive was hardly used.
 
Last edited:
AgrFan said:
Health status is Bad (red). Read Error Rate is Bad (xFFFF) and Current Pending Sector Count is Caution (x913).

It's definitely time for recycling unfortunately.

Drives should not fail during initial formatting. You may want to contact Western Digital to see what they can do for you. Make sure to provide the CrystalDiskInfo SMART information. Power-On Hours (x174) indicates the drive was hardly used.
Click to expand...
AgrFan, I admire your tenacity!

For now, I will save the external hard drive (have done so for > a decade); however, to be honest, I don't have the vim and vigor (or even the energy) to pursue this case through a shark infested administrative ocean. Let me toy with the idea and see what I come up with.

Today, the least I can do is thank you for all your support: it is greatly appreciated!
 
Spinning said:
AgrFan, I admire your tenacity!

For now, I will save the external hard drive (have done so for > a decade); however, to be honest, I don't have the vim and vigor (or even the energy) to pursue this case through a shark infested administrative ocean. Let me toy with the idea and see what I come up with.

Today, the least I can do is thank you for all your support: it is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Update:

I contacted WD and explained my case. At his request, I gave the representative the serial number and he said the warranty expired 5 years ago and the drive was manufactured 5 years before that (essentially 10 years ago). The representative pointed out that the time elapsed (after the warranty expired) is way too long to do anything - including moving my case up the chain as an exceptional case. I further explained I have a copy of the CrystalDiskInfo SMART information showing the drive has barely been used and I will be happy to forward the report to WD. He [politely] continued to focus on the time elapsed. His point was fair; at least I tried!

I hear the recycle center calling...
 
Ya, this is why you have to try and deal with an RMA right away when you have an issue, otherwise they would be having people, 10 years later, trying to get new drives.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top