Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Did I just break my external hard drive?

Did I just break my external hard drive?
Thread Tools
Oisín
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Copenhagen
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 12, 2005, 09:43 AM
 
I've got an 80 GB external USB 2.0 Loadstar hard drive hooked up to my 'puter.

Previously, it was FAT32 formatted, with three partitions. I didn't want three partitions, and I didn't want it to be FAT32 formatted either, since this means I can't add it to my 'Private' folders in Spotlight.

Therefore, I copied all the stuff I had on it to my internal hard drive, DVD's, iPod, etc., and went to format the drive.

Being new to formatting drives on a Mac, I just guessed my way (which might not have been all that clever, retrospectively): I opened Disk Utility, selected the drive, and did an Erase (Delete Data) in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) 'mode'.

Okay, a couple of hours later, it's done writing zeros, and I expect to be able to go back and partition the drive like I want (ie. one partition).

But no - to my dismay, it won't make the drive active, and suggests I run First Aid. Running First Aid, it gives me this most informative of messages:

Verifying volume “disk1s3”
Invalid Volume Header
The volume needs to be repaired.

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair
Aha, it reported failure on exit. I see. Err...

Anyway, I try to do a Repair Disk, and get this:

Verify and Repair disk “disk1s3”
Invalid Volume Header
Volume check failed.

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Hm, also a no-go.

I then try to partition the drive anyway, thinking that it can't hurt, since currently, the drive is unusable, and maybe it just means that the volume header is invalid because there are no partitions on the drive or something (did I mention I don't know the first thing about hard drives and partitioning and all that?).

I make one partition, name it 'Video', and click 'Partition'. It starts the process all right, but after about three or four seconds, the status indicator seems to just stop moving, and the red/green flashing on the activity indicator on the hard drive becomes a constant red light, which usually means that it's stuck and won't get any further. Still, I leave it to its business and go read a book in the meantime.

When I come back, I see that it's done, and I think, “Great!”. Only it's not so great: there's still no real partition, only the 'fake' one strangely named disk1s3 (a name I certainly never gave it!), and I still can't mount neither the drive nor the ('fake') partition; I get the same error messages as before.


So, after this far too lengthy introduction, my question to the external hard drive gurus of the boards (of which I am hoping there are many) is this: Is my hard drive as good as dead, and completely unusable, or is there some way for me to get it back? And if there is, how?
     
Oisín  (op)
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Copenhagen
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 16, 2005, 07:24 AM
 
*bump*

Come on... somebody? Anybody? I need my extra 80 GB back... pleeease?
     
bluchair
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Jun 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 29, 2005, 11:17 PM
 
I have just experienced the same problem and am looking for a fix. I'll let you know what i find. let me know if you find something that works

bluchair
     
jasong
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Allston, MA, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jul 3, 2005, 10:37 AM
 
Well, I don't have a solution for you, but if you want to try reformatting the disk, don't bother zero-ing out the data. Since you are putting the same data back on the disk, you shouldn't be too concerned with people recovering your deleted files.

I would try rebooting and reformatting the disk, it just sounds like a random error.
-- Jason
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:26 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,