External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use it"]

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by hepemo, Sep 5, 2011.

  1. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Hello,

    I have got a problem with an external hard disk. Right now, eventhough I connect it to my PC, it doesn't even recognise it.

    Yesterday, the following message showed up when it was connected:

    [​IMG]

    This happened after I had this disk connected to a box, exactly this one:

    http://www.azbox.com/index.php?id=3&tbl=registos&id2=14

    It read and played movies just fine, but yesterday when I connected it back to the PC, it started showing up the message I posted above... and today when I plug it, it doesn't even recognise it.

    I think it was no coincidence, since I had this external disk connected to the computer and it never gave me a problem.

    After doing some research online, I have tried the program "GetdataBack", but it didn't work... it doesn't show up the external disk on the list...

    Can anyone help me? Unfortunately I have a large amount of important files from work on this disk... I wish it was just movies or stuff like that.

    Thank you in advance!
     
  2. Toke

    Toke MajorGeek

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Is it showing in Disk Management ?? if so right click and see if it gives you the opurtunity to 'Import Foreign Disk'
     
  3. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Right now, when I connect it, nothing show up at all.
     
  4. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Sadly, I don't think it's down to that. I've tried many different ports... :(
     
  5. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    You might try this Partition Wizard Bootable CD at the bottom of page (I am getting terrible download speeds from their server today 23Kb/s so 20+ minutes for a 39mb file).

    Write it to blank CD as an IMAGE file using imgburn or similar burning software.

    Then boot to the CD with the USB external already attached to your computer. See if it shows up in the list of Disks and if it is showing a partition. If it does show up double click the partition and see if it lists your files.

    It might work because it is Linux based CD and might see the drive where Windows won't. We would have to figure out a next step if it shows up but it should rule out a problem with the external's case.
     
  6. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Hi sach,

    I am going to try this soon - I don't have any blank cds at the moment.

    I'll write back to see if worked(*fingers crossed*) or not :)().

    Thank you for the advice.
     
  7. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Your first problem where Windows says it is unformatted is something Partition Wizard might be able to fix. The Windows version would work fine for that. But since Windows won't even recognize the HD anymore I think it is worth seeing if Linux can see the HD.

    You could try to get the USB HD acknowledged on another computer, if you have one available, and run PW on that to check the filesystem. Sometimes it is just one computer that has trouble recognizing a USB device.

    Does the Azbox still see the drive?
     
  8. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Yes, that's exactly what happened. At firt there was that window with the "format message"... and now it's nothing.

    I have tried it on a laptop and the disk shows up... but when I right click it, it says "0 bytes"...

    I am a bit worried... I have read that recovering data can cost several thousand Euros(I am in europe). I always thought that the data would be safe...

    I'll try to start in linux as soon as I can and hopefully it will allow me to see the files and save them.
     
  9. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    If it shows up as 0 bytes the you can try Partition Wizard for Windows.

    As long as the drive shows in Disk Management (which I thought you said it didn't show up) PW should be able to work with it. Where are you seeing the 0 bytes in My Computer? If you see it there then try the Windows version of PW. It might be able to see something on the disk.
     
  10. hepemo

    hepemo Private E-2

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Yes, that's exactly what happened. At firt there was that window with the "format message"... and now it's nothing.

    I have done what you suggested. I tried it on a laptop and the disk shows up - on "my computer" - there's no dialogue box... but when I right click it, it says "0 bytes"...

    I am a bit worried... I have read that recovering data can cost several thousand Euros(I am in europe). I always thought that the data would be safe...

    I'll try to start in linux as soon as I can and hopefully it will allow me to see the files and save them. Otherwise I'll be in deep trouble.
     
  11. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Re: External disk problem["You need to format the disk in drive G:before you can use

    Hi, just letting you know that your last reply was a copy of your earlier one in case you meant to post something else.

    And just to be sure--you do realize that Disk Management is different than My Computer? Disk Management is found in Start>Run> type in diskmgmt.msc and hit enter/ok. See if the disk shows in the graphs.
     

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