Hardware Possible USB HDD failure imminent?

[the_randomizer]

So, I've had this USB HDD, a Western Digital My Passport for a little more than three years as of July and during that time, it's been fantastic, however, a recent occurrence has me very concerned. I tried to copy an ISO image from my HDD to my desktop, and as it was copying, the progress bar, where it says, "no copying" it just sort of hangs there, doing nothing but being stuck on a certain percentage (random), with the ETA not changing at all.

I can't copy files from the HDD anymore, I have run CMD using the chkdsk E: /r and nothing seemed to be off, no errors seemed to have been found, so I don't know what's going on, and seeing as I currently have no other HDDs to use, I might be seriously SOL. Files just simply copy from, but to the HDD, works just fine. What the crap is going on?

 

[Pleng]

OK, presuming you've tried a different USB cable, and made doubly sure it's getting enough power, I guess there's an outside chance the usb interface is knackered? As a last resort you could try breaking it out of the case and putting the disk directly inside your computer to see if it's functioning then.

 

[the_randomizer]

OK, presuming you've tried a different USB cable, and made doubly sure it's getting enough power, I guess there's an outside chance the usb interface is knackered? As a last resort you could try breaking it out of the case and putting the disk directly inside your computer to see if it's functioning then.

Running a very thorough check disk right now, it's been like four hours or so since it began, I hope this fixes whatever was wrong with it. It could be the USB Y-cable I've been using, and I do have the original USB cable it came with, so I'll give it a whirl. No clicking noises have been heard, and I put the HDD right up to my ear, not a sound, so I know that's not an issue. Why I couldn't copy files is baffling, but prior to running the checks, the folders containing the ISO I wanted to copy was set to read only, why, I don't know, as I never set it to such. Tried force-enabling it to turn off, nada.

 

[Foxi4]

If worst comes to worst, I suggest a zero-level format (unless you have important data on it that you are unwilling to lose) followed by a healthy Spinrite 6 session (*cough cough* "acquire" it).

 

[Yepi69]

Unless its clicking, no need to format it just to be sure the HDD works

 

[the_randomizer]

If worst comes to worst, I suggest a zero-level format (unless you have important data on it that you are unwilling to lose) followed by a healthy Spinrite 6 session (*cough cough* "acquire" it).

Well, check disk and fixing the bad sectors seemed to have fixed it for the time being. Nevertheless, this is only a temporary fix and will eventually have to get a new HDD, most likely. It took a million years to do the deep scanning and repairing, but it seems to be fine for now. Still, I need to somehow backup my data before I consider doing anything drastic.

Unless its clicking, no need to format it just to be sure the HDD works

Yeah, that scan took forever, but it works like a charm

 

[Foxi4]

Well, check disk and fixing the bad sectors seemed to have fixed it for the time being. Nevertheless, this is only a temporary fix and will eventually have to get a new HDD, most likely. It took a million years to do the deep scanning and repairing, but it seems to be fine for now. Still, I need to somehow backup my data before I consider doing anything drastic.

Every HDD has a pre-set pool of sectors that replace "bad's" after deep scans. Unless the platters are physically damaged, you might be in the clear. Nevertheless, I still recommend Spinrite - it's old, it takes a while, but it does its job very well even today (essentially it "flips" HDD data - turns 1's into 0's and then back into 1's to make sure that the data is "correctly written on", it also recovers some sectors and "lost" data).

 

[the_randomizer]

Every HDD has a pre-set pool of sectors that replace "bad's" after deep scans. Unless the platters are physically damaged, you might be in the clear. Nevertheless, I still recommend Spinrite - it's old, it takes a while, but it does its job very well even today (essentially it "flips" HDD data - turns 1's into 0's and then back into 1's to make sure that the data is "correctly written on", it also recovers some sectors and "lost" data).

That's cool, I'll definitely download it for future release, but yes, I feel pretty silly making this thread when all I really needed to do is the deep chkdsk and have it humming like new, so for now, I can copy files off the HDD fine, but I need to be careful with how I treat it. Not that I treat the HDD poorly, though a defrag wouldn't hurt either. I guess it all boils down to making sure I'm taking the right steps.

Edit: That program ain't free, well that sucks.

 

[Foxi4]

That's cool, I'll definitely download it for future release, but yes, I feel pretty silly making this thread when all I really needed to do is the deep chkdsk and have it humming like new, so for now, I can copy files off the HDD fine, but I need to be careful with how I treat it. Not that I treat the HDD poorly, though a defrag wouldn't hurt either. I guess it all boils down to making sure I'm taking the right steps.

Taking all the data off the drive and going through a low-level format is definitely recommended after an odd failure like this. It could've just been a problem with the MBR or something, it's not necessarily a surface issue, but you can never be "too safe".

 

[the_randomizer]

Taking all the data off the drive and going through a low-level format is definitely recommended after an odd failure like this. It could've just been a problem with the MBR or something, it's not necessarily a surface issue, but you can never be "too safe".

Well, yeah, I don't have space on my desktop HDD to backup it all at once, but I can split it between here and my laptop. The HDD itself works perfectly fine in Wii homebrew, USB loaders run fine with it, and yeah, it's fine for now, but that Spinrite program? Yeah, went to the site, it's not freeware and I don't have money to buy it No clicking either, so the HDD itself is still fine.

 

[Foxi4]

Well, yeah, I don't have space on my desktop HDD to backup it all at once, but I can split it between here and my laptop. The HDD itself works perfectly fine in Wii homebrew, USB loaders run fine with it, and yeah, it's fine for now, but that Spinrite program? Yeah, went to the site, it's not freeware and I don't have money to buy it No clicking either, so the HDD itself is still fine.

It is quite expensive, which is why you have to *cough cough* look around for a *cough cough* good deal for it. *cough* It's not necessary though - a low-level format (zero-fill) will achieve the same thing.

 

[the_randomizer]

It is quite expensive, which is why you have to *cough cough* look around for a *cough cough* good deal for it. *cough* It's not necessary though - a low-level format (zero-fill) will achieve the same thing.

I won't do that quite yet, but will need to devise an efficacious way to back it up, format, then transfer everything back. I take it the low-level format is something Windows itself cannot do, right? But maybe something like EASEUS? And besides, I don't think I can trust, uh, heh, certain discounts or deasl on software.

 

[Foxi4]

I won't do that quite yet, but will need to devise an efficacious way to back it up, format, then transfer everything back. I take it the low-level format is something Windows itself cannot do, right? But maybe something like EASEUS? And besides, I don't think I can trust, uh, heh, certain discounts or deasl on software.

If you're going to go the low-level format route, I suggest grabbing the hard drive's manufacturer's software to do it. If you have no luck finding them or the manufacturer doesn't provide any, there's a plethora of universal tools that do just that, for instance MHDD (it's a boot time utility, but there are Windows alternatives).

 

[the_randomizer]

If you're going to go the low-level format route, I suggest grabbing the hard drive's manufacturer's software to do it. If you have no luck finding them or the manufacturer doesn't provide any, there's a plethora of universal tools that do just that, for instance MHDD (it's a boot time utility, but there are Windows alternatives).

There should be something on Western Digital's site, just need to do a bit of perusing is all never heard of MHDD, but is that one free by chance? Only other problem is that formatting takes, well, a long time lol. Boot time, as in...what exactly? Sounds like I'd have to learn CLI before I can use it

 

[Foxi4]

There should be something on Western Digital's site, just need to do a bit of perusing is all never heard of MHDD, but is that one free by chance? Only other problem is that formatting takes, well, a long time lol. Boot time, as in...what exactly? Sounds like I'd have to learn CLI before I can use it

It's freeware. It's loaded from a bootable medium, like a USB stick or a CD before the OS, so it uses the entirety of your PC's resources rather than just what the OS allows it to use, plus it doesn't have to worry about security restrictions.

As for WD tools, you'll want WD Drive Utilities. It also provides you with some diagnostic tools in case you want to know exactly what's cookin' inside that drive. It doesn't seem to perform low-level formats though, just standard erases, but perhaps that'd be enough for you.

 

[the_randomizer]

It's freeware. It's loaded from a bootable medium, like a USB stick or a CD before the OS, so it uses the entirety of your PC's resources rather than just what the OS allows it to use, plus it doesn't have to worry about security restrictions.

As for WD tools, you'll want WD Drive Utilities. It also provides you with some diagnostic tools in case you want to know exactly what's cookin' inside that drive.

Ah well, I could always go the CD route if I ever wanted to, sounds pretty straight forward, but CLI, yeah, I'm not that great at navigating lol. Thanks for the link, it's been a long day and my brain is fried form work

 

[Foxi4]

Ah well, I could always go the CD route if I ever wanted to, sounds pretty straight forward, but CLI, yeah, I'm not that great at navigating lol. Thanks for the link, it's been a long day and my brain is fried form work

You think your brain's farting? It's 7:20 AM on my side of the screen.

 

[the_randomizer]

You think your brain's farting? It's 7:20 AM on my side of the screen.

Dayum you must be tired Nah, just started a new job working in a warehouse setting, so I'm pretty damned tired, brain's synaptic connections have long since malfunctioned, but I still wanted to make sure I made the right decision by asking you guys

 

[Foxi4]

Dayum you must be tired Nah, just started a new job working in a warehouse setting, so I'm pretty damned tired, brain's synaptic connections have long since malfunctioned, but I still wanted to make sure I made the right decision by asking you guys

Put some electrolytes in your body, yo.

 

[the_randomizer]

Put some electrolytes in your body, yo.

Just now used to standing up and in bad shape But yeah, in the mean time, I'll find a way to back up my HDD, reformat, copy it back on, viola! Or something like that, I think. Electrolytes, yes, I need some now lol.