usb drive error - asking to reformat

Hi,

One day when I was transferring files from computer to my USB drive (Lacie 200GB), the computer encountered some errors and I rebooted. Then, when I clicked on the USB drive a pop-up appeared asking me to reformat.

I don't want to reformat because I need the data on the drive.

Can someone help me to solve this difficulty?
Thanks!!!

 

Hi,

I tried that, but didn't work. Any other way??

 

Look up your drive's model at the Lacie website. See if there are any utilities to check the drive. Look for FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) for the same or similar problems. Do a search for the error message terms at Lacie.

You should do "back-up ", where you have the data on two places at the same time. Consider that you may have a failure of one at any time.

Recovering data from the drive could take expert expertise. It might possibly be done, but I don't expect it would be quick or easy.

See if you can find some other way of reading the drive (as I said, utilities) or maybe connecting it into another computer (good luck ).

Matt

 

Generally whenever I have encountered that error be it with a hard disk or a usb flash drive it's been dead.

Your best bet as Matt has said is see if you can find any utilities on Lacies website to test the disc.

If the drive is out of warranty it might be worth removing it from the caddy and installing it in a machine to take the caddy being broken out of the equation.

Also if Lacie does not offer any disk diagnostic tools by removing the drive from the caddy it would be possible to find out manufacturer of the disk and run there diagnostic tools on the disk.

Tom

 

A lot of times when a hdd gives 'need formated' error it is due to a corrupted Volume Boot Record. Normally can be fix with 'testdisk' it will give option to use back-up VBR. Be sure to read the How-To_use first.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html

 

Hi,

Can someone help me with using Testdisk?

I'm following the direction from here.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

The first partition is listed twice which points to a corrupted partition or an invalid partition table entry.

After the Quick Search of cylinder, instead of giving me this screen http://www.cgsecurity.org/mw/images/First_results.gif with the green parts, my results just says "structure OK ".

I don't know where to go from here? Because it doesn't lead me to "Write to save the partition structure ".

So confused!

 

At the menu where you selected "Analyse ", instead select "Advanced ". Very near the bottom the the How-To page you posted , you will see ,left side' title "NTFS Boot sector recovery ", that is what you want to do.

1)select- "Advanced "
2) hi light the partition and press enter
3)you should now be at http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/File:Backup_bs.gif
If it shows
'Boot Sector' as bad and the 'Backup boot sector' as good, do as the above 'gif' indicates. You can select 'dump' to see what the differences between the primary Volume Boot Record "NTFS boot sector" and its backup. If the partition is FAT32 or NTFS it does not matter, just a different name , for this procedure.

Your problem as posted is not the MBR/partition table but the Volume boot record.

 

TopFarmer, thanks for your help! So much easier when someone understands Testdisk.

I can't seem to Backup because the screen tells me this...

Boot sector
Bad

Backup boot sector
Bad

First sectors <Boot code and partition information> are not identical.
Second sectors <cluster information> are not identical.

A valid FAT Boot sector must be present in order to access any data; even if the partition is not bootable.

[Quit] [Rebuild BS] [Dump]

Should I Rebuild BS?

 

I have never tried the rebuild option but have heard that it will work.

Does 'Disk Management' show the partition correct for the bad hdd ?
'run-diskmgmt.msc'

Post a screen shot of output of testdisk- quick partition search, or type in message the basic partition data that is listed.
(for screen shoot- press Print Screen- open paint-top left -edit-paste, save file- upload file at a free image hosting site and post link. http://photobucket.com/)

When you ran 'testdisk' it will write a log 'same folder as testdisk'
, try to PM it to me 'copy and paste'. Not sure of the size limits of the PM.

 

1. Yes, diskmgmt.msc shows the partition is correct.

2. What do you mean by this? "Post a screen shot of output of testdisk- quick partition search, or type in message the basic partition data that is listed. "

Should I go into Analyze or Advanced?

This is what it looks like when I go into Analyze.
http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy28/shopjennie/?action=view&current=1.gif

3. Cannot find this one - "When you ran 'testdisk' it will write a log 'same folder as testdisk' "

 

The .gif is what I wanted to see. It shows that the partition is FAT32, is that correct ?

I assumed you are using XP , are you ? If so what program did you use to format the hdd as XP will not make a FAT32 partition of that size.

Looking at the Step by Step the first option is Create Log, if you did I assume it will be in testdisk folder.

If the data is very important I would first make a sector by sector back up to a hdd of same or larger size.

I think if the partition is FAT32 the 'rebuild' option will have a good chance of doing a good job. But as i stated have never tried.

 

Hi,

Yup the partition is FAT32.
Yes I'm using XP, however I've never really formatted the hdd. When I bought it 4 years ago, it came ready-to-use. So I've been using it until now...

Is this the data you are looking for?

-----------


Sun Nov 22 22:44:21 2009
Command line: TestDisk

TestDisk 6.11.3, Data Recovery Utility, May 2009
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Windows XP SP3
Compiler: GCC 4.3, Cygwin 1005.25 - May 6 2009 20:35:43
ext2fs lib: 1.41.4, ntfs lib: 10:0:0, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20080501
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=160041885696
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=200049647616
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=160041885696
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=200049647616
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\C=52436127744
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\D=107603080704
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\E GetFileSize err 函数不正确。

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\E SetFilePointer err 函数不正确。

Warning: can't get size for \\.\E:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\F=200047002624
file_pread(4,1,buffer,312592769(19457/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(5,1,buffer,390732929(24321/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 160 GB / 149 GiB - CHS 19457 255 63, sector size=512 - 160811AS
Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24321 255 63, sector size=512 - ST320082 2A

Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - ST320082 2A
Partition table type: Intel

Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63


test_FAT()
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 24320 254 63 390716802
sector_size 10181
cluster_size 251
reserved 21729
fats 88
dir_entries 22139
sectors 17406
media 1D
fat_length 19282
secs_track 36315
heads 27796
hidden 550337133
total_sect 3071606854
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 24320 254 63 390716802

Analyse Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24321 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63


test_FAT()
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 24320 254 63 390716802
sector_size 10181
cluster_size 251
reserved 21729
fats 88
dir_entries 22139
sectors 17406
media 1D
fat_length 19282
secs_track 36315
heads 27796
hidden 550337133
total_sect 3071606854
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
Current partition structure:
Invalid FAT boot sector
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 24320 254 63 390716802
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 24320 254 63 390716802

Bad sector count.
Ask the user for vista mode
Computes LBA from CHS for Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24322 255 63
Allow partial last cylinder : Yes
search_vista_part: 1

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24322 255 63
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdb - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24322 255 63
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery

 

Hi,

First take a look at my post above.

I just did a Rebuild, and this is the screen shot afterwards.
http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy28/shopjennie/?action=view&current=2.gif&newest=1

What should I do next? Dump, List, Write?

 

My best guess would be to 'write'.
Do NOT let a auto check disk happen during boot, if it tries press 'enter' "I think" to skip. If there is a problem with the rebuilt VBR, all files could be converted to 'lost fragments'.

Would run check disk with no auto fix to see what it reports after the reboot.

As I did think that the log would not really help but.

 

I did a Rebuild, then Repair FAT, then write... and I got to this screen.
http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy28/shopjennie/?action=view&current=3.gif&newest=1

I then checked my hdd, and it's working now!!! Unbelievable! I'm still clueless to what Testdisk did, but I'm so thankful!

Thank you TopFarmer!!!

1. Is there anything more I should do in Testdisk? Or am I okay?

2. Should I make a copy of what I need from hdd, and reformat the drive? (or is it not necessary?)

 

Would say your use of testdisk is done. Would go to My Computer , right click on partition---tools---Error-check --Check Now, do not select auto fix. If no errors are reported than would say all is good to go.

 

Cannot find this? - "Would go to My Computer , right click on partition---tools---Error-check --Check Now "

Do I go into my computer, and right click on the hdd?

 

Have you do it a different way.
1)Go to 'Start' --'run'
2)type in "cmd" for the command prompt.
3)in the command window- type in "chkdsk X:" where X = the partition letter.
Does it list any errors or not ? If not, you are 100% ready to go. If it lists an error and you do not want to lose any data , back it up. The reason I recommend to back up be for running 'chkdsk X: /r' , have seen many post where all data was converted to lost fragment files.

 

Hi,

I did as you instructed and everything is fine. I also went to My Computer and did a check disk of the hdd volume. The computer restarted and took about 2hrs to check, and everything seems to be okay. Thanks again for your help!

Hope you can answer this question - my hdd has 200GB, but I'm only allowed to use 188GB, and the rest are files hidden. Are those hidden files corrupt files or? Is there a way for me to delete those files?