Computer sees hard drive but can't access and I get an error

SOURCE: Problems with Hard Drive

Hi,

Appreciate the direct "Ask Me".

T your concern:

• initially, pls verify that it is indeed an external storage problem rather than a laptop USB issue by trying other USB devices and determine if they are recognized and working;
• disassemble the enclosure of the Acomdata external hard drive and remove the actual hard drive;
• you would need the use of a 2nd PC, a desktop that could accommodate the HD from the Acomdata (IDE or SATA);
• install the HD from the Acomdata as a Secondary Master or Slave internally to the 2nd PC;
• boot the 2nd PC and determine if the HD from the Acomdata will be recognized as a local drive;
• chances are that the partition of the HD from the Acomdata was messed up. This would explain the blinking blue light;
• download and install a file recovery program. An example is GetDataBack (unfortunately not a freeware but DEMO is available) and do a recovery. It would take some time based on the size of the HD from the Acomdata;
• temporarily save the recovered data in the 2nd PC. You can burn this likewise into a DVD backup should the 2nd PC be capable of that;
• after recovery, re-partition and format the HD from the Acomdata while still attached to the 2nd PC;
• should the re-partition and format be successful, you can transfer back the temporarily saved recovered files;
• a nice, simple, fast and safe partitioning/formatting software is Partition Magic (unfortunately not a freeware but FREE TRIAL is available).
• should the re-partition and format be not successful, you can replace only the HD and/or claim warranty.
  

Hope this be of initial help/idea. Pls post back how things turned up or should you need additional information.

Good luck and kind regards. Thank you for using FixYa.

SOURCE: hard drive no longer on computer

Try checking your power cord adapter.
I found the same problem was with the cord.
Luckily, I had another Acomdata HD cord to check the problem.

SOURCE: Light doesn't turn blue at all

Plug it into another computer if possible, clear ALL files on it.
You must of been sending something to it when you flicked the switch, they would normally go off straight away.

(Backup on the other computer first)

If this does not work then you may want to see if you can see a usb stick in your USB ports. If you can it's a fault with the harddrive, nothing else you can do.

SOURCE: Acomdata Portable Hard Drive

got an answer on ask.com

SOURCE: External Hard Drive not showing on My Computer? [URGENT]

Hello there Mansoor.

First, I have to commend you on how clear and extremely well articulated your problem is presented. You give every detail necessary to grasp your current situation. Good job! I can also clearly see you're at least a fairly proficient user. I only wish I'd reviewed your question before now, so I could have replied sooner. That notwithstanding, here's my GEEK-steer ...

Good job testing the drive against other "known good" systems. Because (as you probably already know) based on that, it's a virtual certainty it's the drive itself that's the source of the problem (UNLESS you used the same USB cable in all tests ... rule that out by using a "known good" cable). Its trouble could be caused by any number things [e.g., deleted partition, virus related, "sector" (file/folder structure related) errors, etc.]. At this point you've utilized all the tools that Windows avails you to work this problem (e.g., you obviously can't perform a Windows "chkdsk" on it unless there's an assigned and known driver letter, "Disk Managment" was no help, etc.). We therefore need additional software tools in order to proceed further.

Per the manufacturer's webpage, "Acomdata does not have any Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OS drivers because all products use the built-in driver support already supplied by the associated Operating System". Therefore, they design all their devices to be supported by Windows' database of generic drivers. However, here's their offered driver package for "All Platforms". It's a long-shot, but it couldn't hurt to start by giving this driver a try (you can always "Roll back driver" from within "Device Manager" if necessary).

== CAPTURE AN IMAGE BACKUP ==

If, as you state, data recovery is of the utmost importance, then I would strongly advise your very first objective to be (if at all possible) creating an image of the problem drive, then backup that image onto another drive. I would do that FIRST to lock in it's current state as an insurance policy, BEFORE I ran any testing/diagnostics, or attempted any alternate means of data recovery. Keep that image intact throughout this process until resolution. There are several disk image "Backup Tools" (e.g., "DriveImageXML", "Acronis True Image", etc.) in "Hiren's Boot CD" you can use to accomplish this.

== BREAK OUT THE TOOLBOX ==


Refer here for complete list of its available tools. There are far too many to cover in any detail here. Particularly when the nature of your problem is yet known, as each may, or may not be THE one for the job. However, you can simply Google each to obtain background and usage instructions. Also, tools reside in either the DOS or mini-Windows boot portions of the CD, as some are DOS executable and some Windows. You may have to venture into both until you find the tool that works for you. I know there's a lot in that puppy, but that is intentional because it's a good thing ... affords wide range of choices/options.

== HOW-TO CREATE 'HIREN'S BOOT CD' ==

1. Download "Hiren's Boot CD".
2. Extract/unpack/unzip/decompress (<-choose your term, they all mean the same thing) the .ISO disk image file ("Hiren's.BootCD.#.ISO") located within the downloaded "Hirens.BootCD.#.zip" archive file (where # = version of Hiren's).
3. Burn the disk image to a CD using whichever capable disk image burning software (e.g., Nero, Roxio, etc.) you may have. Don't have one? Then download and install the very capable, yet lightweight FREEWARE "imgBurn"

Burn the extracted .ISO image file ("Hiren's.BootCD.#.ISO") to CD using imgBurn:

1. Insert a blank disk (R/RW) into your disk burning capable CD/DVD drive.
2. Launch "imgBurn", then select "Write image file to disc".
3. Browse for and select the "Source" .ISO file above.
4. Ensure the applicable disk burner drive is selected as "Destination" (you may have more than one).
5. Click the burn icon.
6. When burning completes, close "imgBurn".

== RECOVER THE DATA ==

Next I would attempt recovering the data using any number of Hiren's "Recovery Tools" category of tools (e.g., "ProSoft Media Tools", "GetDataBack for NTFS", "TestDisk", "Ontrack Easy Recovery", etc.). Many of these include diagnostics/repair facilities you can use in the course of your recovery efforts.

== RECOVER/FIX THE DRIVE ==

Then once/if you've successfully recovered the drive's data, you can (if applicable) use any number of Hiren's (hard-drive related) "Testing Tools" and "Hard Disk Tools" categories of items in order to fully test/diagnose and hopefully recover the drive to working order.

TIPS:.

• Be aware that you MAY discover you'll HAVE to perform testing/diagnostics/maintentance related actions on the drive first, just in order to get it into recognizable shape for any of the drive image and/or data recovery related tools to perform. That's OK, 'cause "you gotta do, what you gotta do".
• "Partition Find and Mount" might be particularly helpful in recognizing, then mounting the drive

I apologize in advance for any logic-sequence or grammatical errors this reply may contain. I culled together a few differing draft stage portions of some "Tips & Tricks" I'm intending to post in the near future.

Good luck, and please do post back to ...

• to let me (and interested others) know how things worked out,
• to provide clarification or feedback,
• if you have ANY further questions.

"Today's the best day of my life ... and NOW you're part of it!"
Via-con-Dios and Godspeed -- Geekinator (aka Craig).