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Cant access my external hard drive. keeps asking me to format?

trinidadone
trinidadone Posts: 3,388 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
in Techie Stuff
hello all,

I have a external hard drive, for my files, music etc.... recetnly when i click on the E drive, it keeps telling me i need to format it.

When I click "format disk" I click "start" and up pops a warning which says "formatting will erase all data on this disk" I dont want to lose any of the data on my external hard drive, so i click cancel, am i right to be cautious or am i worring about noithing???

I just want to access my files
Trinidad - I have a number of needs. Don't shoot me down if i get something wrong!!
«13

Comments

  • Fightsback
    Fightsback Posts: 2,504 Forumite
    Do not format it, looks like it's been corrupted. You can try some data recovery tools such as Recuva to see what you can salvage.
    Science isn't exact, it's only confidence within limits.
  • grumpycrab
    grumpycrab Posts: 5,043 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    trinidadone wrote: »
    I have a external hard drive...
    make/model ?
  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    trinidadone wrote: »
    hello all,

    I have a external hard drive, for my files, music etc.... recetnly when i click on the E drive, it keeps telling me i need to format it.

    When I click "format disk" I click "start" and up pops a warning which says "formatting will erase all data on this disk" I dont want to lose any of the data on my external hard drive, so i click cancel, am i right to be cautious or am i worring about noithing???

    I just want to access my files

    Once you've recovered your files, get another hard drive, and keep two copies at least. That way, if one of them misbehaves the way this one has, you still have a safety copy.
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 13,608 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Testdisk (and Photorec) would be my choice http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
    4.8kWp 12x400W Longhi 9.6 kWh battery Giv-hy 5.0 Inverter, WSW facing Essex . Aint no sunshine ☀️ Octopus gas fixed dec 24 @ 5.74 tracker again+ Octopus Intelligent Flux leccy

    CEC Email energyclub@moneysavingexpert.com
  • trinidadone
    trinidadone Posts: 3,388 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Fightsback wrote: »
    Do not format it, looks like it's been corrupted. You can try some data recovery tools such as Recuva to see what you can salvage.

    i dont know how to do that
    Trinidad - I have a number of needs. Don't shoot me down if i get something wrong!!
  • trinidadone
    trinidadone Posts: 3,388 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    grumpycrab wrote: »
    make/model ?

    its a sumvision 2.5" E Gem
    Trinidad - I have a number of needs. Don't shoot me down if i get something wrong!!
  • trinidadone
    trinidadone Posts: 3,388 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    debitcardmayhem wrote: »
    Testdisk (and Photorec) would be my choice http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

    ok, what do i do?
    Trinidad - I have a number of needs. Don't shoot me down if i get something wrong!!
  • Fightsback
    Fightsback Posts: 2,504 Forumite
    trinidadone wrote: »
    ok, what do i do?

    Downloading and installing the suggested software recovery would be a good start ;)
    Science isn't exact, it's only confidence within limits.
  • trinidadone
    trinidadone Posts: 3,388 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Fightsback wrote: »
    Downloading and installing the suggested software recovery would be a good start ;)

    ok, i will do that now
    Trinidad - I have a number of needs. Don't shoot me down if i get something wrong!!
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 13,608 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
    4.8kWp 12x400W Longhi 9.6 kWh battery Giv-hy 5.0 Inverter, WSW facing Essex . Aint no sunshine ☀️ Octopus gas fixed dec 24 @ 5.74 tracker again+ Octopus Intelligent Flux leccy

    CEC Email energyclub@moneysavingexpert.com
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