You are not logged in.

#1 2025-07-12 19:09:18

akikaze
Member
Registered: 2025-07-12
Posts: 4

External Drive Recovery

I have an old hdd from my father who wants to recover an external drive. Neither of us know basically anything about the history of the drive, but according to him, he tried some tips online to reformat it himself and now it won't mount. I've gone through everything I know but I'm not sure exactly where to go from here. If this isn't the right category, just move it, but this seems like the closest. Thus far, here's the significant outputs:
1. Both fdisk and cfdisk are unable to access the disk, returning

fdisk: cannot open /dev/sda: Input/output error

2. gdisk is able to access the disk but returns

 GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.10

Warning! Read error 5; strange behavior now likely!
Caution: invalid backup GPT header, but valid main header; regenerating
backup header from main header.

Warning! Error 5 reading partition table for CRC check!
Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!
Main header: OK
Backup header: ERROR
Main partition table: OK
Backup partition table: ERROR

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: damaged

****************************************************************************
Caution: Found protective or hybrid MBR and corrupt GPT. Using GPT, but disk
verification and recovery are STRONGLY recommended.
****************************************************************************

3. With gdisk recovery I tried to load the gpt from main, bacause the backup was corrupted but main passed and recieved

Warning! This will probably do weird things if you've converted an MBR to
GPT form and haven't yet saved the GPT! Proceed? (Y/N): y
Warning! Read error 5! Misbehavior now likely!
Caution! After loading partitions, the CRC doesn't check out!

4. Tried to regenerate the GPT from the protected MBR and received

 Problem loading MBR! GPT is untouched; regenerating protective MBR!

5. I tried smarttools, but I have only ever used it a handful of times before at most and am not really sure what I'm looking at. Because the log is so long, I'm not going to include the sections that it either did not show errors in or the temperature tests etc. It's still massive though, fair warning.

sudo smartctl -x -a/dev/sda
 
SMART Extended Comprehensive Error Log Version: 1 (6 sectors)
Device Error Count: 21312 (device log contains only the most recent 24 errors)
	CR     = Command Register
	FEATR  = Features Register
	COUNT  = Count (was: Sector Count) Register
	LBA_48 = Upper bytes of LBA High/Mid/Low Registers ]  ATA-8
	LH     = LBA High (was: Cylinder High) Register    ]   LBA
	LM     = LBA Mid (was: Cylinder Low) Register      ] Register
	LL     = LBA Low (was: Sector Number) Register     ]
	DV     = Device (was: Device/Head) Register
	DC     = Device Control Register
	ER     = Error register
	ST     = Status register
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 21312 [23] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:21.706  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:19.020  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:16.155  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:13.480  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:03.515  READ DMA EXT

Error 21311 [22] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:19.020  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:16.155  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:13.480  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:03.515  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:00.832  READ DMA EXT

Error 21310 [21] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:16.155  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:13.480  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:03.515  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:00.832  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:57.986  READ DMA EXT

Error 21309 [20] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:13.480  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:03.515  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:00.832  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:57.986  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:55.290  READ DMA EXT

Error 21308 [19] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:03.515  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:00.832  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:57.986  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:55.290  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:45.331  READ DMA EXT

Error 21307 [18] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:57:00.832  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:57.986  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:55.290  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:45.331  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:42.655  READ DMA EXT

Error 21306 [17] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:57.986  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:55.290  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:45.331  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:42.655  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:39.782  READ DMA EXT

Error 21305 [16] occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 283 hours (11 days + 19 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER -- ST COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC
  -- -- -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --
  04 -- 41 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00  Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FEATR COUNT  LBA_48  LH LM LL DV DC  Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- == -- == -- == == == -- -- -- -- --  ---------------  --------------------
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:55.290  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:45.331  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:42.655  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00     00:56:39.782  READ DMA EXT
  ec 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00     00:56:39.781  IDENTIFY DEVICE

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 58 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
	CR = Command Register [HEX]
	FR = Features Register [HEX]
	SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
	SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
	CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
	CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
	DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
	DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
	ER = Error register [HEX]
	ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 58 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 270 hours (11 days + 6 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 41 01 e0 00 00 a0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f1 d5 01 e0 00 00 a0 00      12:35:02.774  SECURITY SET PASSWORD
  f1 d5 01 00 00 00 a0 00      12:34:47.602  SECURITY SET PASSWORD

Error 57 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 270 hours (11 days + 6 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 41 01 00 00 00 a0

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f1 d5 01 00 00 00 a0 00      12:34:47.602  SECURITY SET PASSWORD

Error 56 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 120 hours (5 days + 0 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 41 e9 51 4f c2 00  Error: ABRT

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  b0 d6 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:41.273  SMART WRITE LOG
  b0 d6 01 80 4f c2 00 00      00:10:33.004  SMART WRITE LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:24.303  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:16.034  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:07.353  SMART READ LOG

Error 55 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 120 hours (5 days + 0 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 41 e9 51 4f c2 00  Error: ABRT

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  b0 d6 01 80 4f c2 00 00      00:10:33.004  SMART WRITE LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:24.303  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:16.034  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:07.353  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 80 4f c2 00 00      00:09:59.069  SMART READ LOG

Error 54 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 120 hours (5 days + 0 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 41 e9 51 4f c2 00  Error: ABRT

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:24.303  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:16.034  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 98 4f c2 00 00      00:10:07.353  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 80 4f c2 00 00      00:09:59.069  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 80 4f c2 00 00      00:09:50.413  SMART READ LOG

SMART Extended Self-test Log Version: 1 (1 sectors)
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%       276         57961893
# 2  Short offline       Interrupted (host reset)      10%       276         -
# 3  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         0         -

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%       276         57961893
# 2  Short offline       Interrupted (host reset)      10%       276         -
# 3  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         0         -

Is there anything I can try from here? I don't really want to write this off as a hardware issue given that it seems to be an mbr issue but I'm not experienced enough to know where to go. It's not really worth taking to a professional, this seems like something that could be valuable to actually learn how to do. If I do have to rewrite the MBR, what I'm seeing online only seems to pertain to internal drives, which doesn't apply to me. Any ideas on where to start or any other info I could provide?

Offline

#2 2025-07-12 19:34:18

dimich
Member
From: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Registered: 2009-11-03
Posts: 500

Re: External Drive Recovery

Try to save disk image to file first:

# ddrescue -v -d /dev/sda disk.img disk.map

Only after that try to recover partition table and FS on the disk image, not on the real drive.

Offline

#3 2025-07-12 19:45:51

dakota
Member
Registered: 2016-05-20
Posts: 415

Re: External Drive Recovery

akikaze wrote:

I have an old hdd from my father who wants to recover an external drive.

1. Are you talking about two different drives? Or is the hdd the same drive as the 'external' drive?
2. Are you trying to get old data off the drive? Or are you just trying to reformat it and test it so you can use it somewhere else?
3. How are you connecting the drive to your computer?

Cheers,


"Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After Enlightenment chop wood, carry water." -- Zen proverb

Offline

#4 2025-07-12 20:00:24

akikaze
Member
Registered: 2025-07-12
Posts: 4

Re: External Drive Recovery

dakota wrote:

[1. Are you talking about two different drives? Or is the hdd the same drive as the 'external' drive?

Sorry, poor phrasing. they are the same drive

dakota wrote:

2. Are you trying to get old data off the drive? Or are you just trying to reformat it and test it so you can use it somewhere else?

Just reformat it for use again, whatever he did already destroyed the data

dakota wrote:

3. How are you connecting the drive to your computer?

Usb cable, it's an older wd my passport. I probably could open it up and use a sata cable but I dont really think it's worth the effort and I'd need to bring it back with me to my desktop since I'm visiting him right now and only have my laptop.

Sorry for the confusion

Offline

#5 2025-07-12 20:05:41

akikaze
Member
Registered: 2025-07-12
Posts: 4

Re: External Drive Recovery

dimich wrote:

Try to save disk image to file first:

# ddrescue -v -d /dev/sda disk.img disk.map

Only after that try to recover partition table and FS on the disk image, not on the real drive.

And that would absolutely make sure that the issue isn't a hardware issue, wouldn't it? Yeah good advice, I'll do that.
The data is already gone though, it seems like the issue started when he tried to reformat it himself, so the data was already gone when I received it. He said he thinks he got it when he was still working and thinks it was to store bulk documents and such so I don't need to recover data, just make it usable again.

Offline

#6 2025-07-12 21:42:15

dimich
Member
From: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Registered: 2009-11-03
Posts: 500

Re: External Drive Recovery

akikaze wrote:

The data is already gone though

Ah, your goal is to recover the drive to working state, not to recover the data. Sorry, my misunderstanding.
I'm afraid such error messages indicate hardware failure. Do you see any errors related to ATA in dmesg output? If you even manage to create partition bypassing bad blocks, it's very likely hardware issues will multiply.

Offline

#7 2025-07-12 21:53:47

akikaze
Member
Registered: 2025-07-12
Posts: 4

Re: External Drive Recovery

dimich wrote:
akikaze wrote:

The data is already gone though

Ah, your goal is to recover the drive to working state, not to recover the data. Sorry, my misunderstanding.
I'm afraid such error messages indicate hardware failure. Do you see any errors related to ATA in dmesg output? If you even manage to create partition bypassing bad blocks, it's very likely hardware issues will multiply.

Yeah, I checked dmesg and nothing relevant. I was hoping this was something that could be fixed by rewriting the mbr or something, but looks like I'll just call it hardware failure. Thanks anyway, appreciate the help

Offline

#8 2025-07-13 02:47:49

dakota
Member
Registered: 2016-05-20
Posts: 415

Re: External Drive Recovery

Before calling it quits, you might try a  badblocks write-mode test followed by a fresh smartctl (long) test.

Cheers,

P.S. I'm not familiar with the exact error messages from smartctl. I'm wondering if it could be due to a bad cable or a faulty My Passport controller rather than the actual hard drive itself?


"Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After Enlightenment chop wood, carry water." -- Zen proverb

Offline

#9 2025-07-13 05:54:56

seth
Member
From: Don't DM me only for attention
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 73,485

Re: External Drive Recovery

dakota wrote:

P.S. I'm not familiar with the exact error messages from smartctl. I'm wondering if it could be due to a bad cable or a faulty My Passport controller rather than the actual hard drive itself?

smartctl -a /dev/sda

(-x should be fine, too, but overhead)

Offline

#10 2025-07-13 18:02:55

dakota
Member
Registered: 2016-05-20
Posts: 415

Re: External Drive Recovery

@seth

What I meant was that these messages...

fdisk: cannot open /dev/sda: Input/output error
Warning! Read error 5; strange behavior now likely!
Warning! Error 5 reading partition table for CRC check!
Warning! Read error 5! Misbehavior now likely!
Caution! After loading partitions, the CRC doesn't check out!
Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!

... suggest some sort of hardware failure. Hardware failure could include:

  • bad usb port

  • bad usb cable

  • faulty MyPassport controller

  • bad hard drive

I don't know if each of these conditions will generate those errors, or if we can rule out some conditions.

Does the smartctl output suggest the problems start at the very beginning of the disk?

sudo smartctl -x -a /dev/sda provided by akikaze
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Device Error Count: 21312 (device log contains only the most recent 24 errors)
Error: ABRT 8 sectors at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: READ DMA EXT

I'd be interested in seeing the results of a long smartctl test.

Also, if this were my drive (and I wasn't ready to just throw it away), I'd remove the drive from the MyPassport, connect it to a sata port inside my desktop, run a long smart test, followed by badblocks, followed by another long smart test too see if there was any change in status.

Do you think it's worth a try?

Cheers,


"Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After Enlightenment chop wood, carry water." -- Zen proverb

Offline

#11 2025-07-13 19:01:40

seth
Member
From: Don't DM me only for attention
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 73,485

Re: External Drive Recovery

Does the smartctl output suggest the problems start at the very beginning of the disk?

I'm kinda looking for the actual smart data, the read issues could occur of - the part the OP omitted

Because the log is so long, I'm not going to include the sections that it either did not show errors

but is actually the interesting bits to gauge whether this is a bus or disk problem.

I'd remove the drive from the MyPassport, connect it to a sata port inside my desktop, run a long smart test, followed by badblocks, followed by another long smart test too see if there was any change in status.

Do you think it's worth a try?

1. fixing the cables is always worth a try (whether or not that includes using a completely different bus, but the internal sata port certainly avoid mulitple points of failure) but before doing *any* writing operation (badblocks) or generally more stress (smart test) i'd definitely look at the status quo, because if the drive is falling apart, that will only make it worse and you perhaps wanted to spend that on dd_resuce scraping whatever you still can get hold on.

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB