Can I Fix a Corrupted External Hard Drive?
You're the IT expert around here. Can I fix a corrupted external hard drive?
Before you do anything, backup the data.
I have backups, but I don't have a backup of my most recent files. What can I do to work with it?
You could call up a data recovery company to save your data.
Out of my budget. Give me some affordable options.
For very old disk drives, tapping on the drive could unfreeze the arms. Though it might only work for a little while.
I don't think it's that old.
If you use data recovery software, you might be able to recover the files on the disk. You may need to re-partition it before you could re-use it.
I'll look into that.
If the device isn't making strange sounds, backup the data. Then reformat the disk and run chkdsk.
What type of strange sounds?
If it is making clicking, whirring and grinding sounds, assume it is going to die soon.
So that screeching sound --
Is the digital banshee warning you of the device's impending death.
Back to check disk. What will checking the disk do?
It will tell you if there are any bad sectors. If there are many or quite a few scattered across the disk, then you know it needs to be replaced.
I heard that putting the disk drive in the freezer works.
Isn't it freezing up enough already? Do you need it to literally freeze before you give up on it?
Can you help me back it up before I start hitting it?
Hopefully not with a sledge hammer. Yes, I can.
After it is backed up, can it be fixed with software?
All software guys think hardware problems can be fixed with software. Hardware guys tend to think they can fix software problems with hardware.
What do you think?
If software can't recover files and fix it, take it out back and shoot it before putting it in the recycle bin.
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