Please help - Incorrect Function

[ksloane]

I left for lunch today. When I returned one folder on my Western Digital external hard drive is now giving me the error: Incorrect Function and will not open. I have opened the files today (right before lunch). It just so happens the one folder are my gradebook files!! I'm in a panic as I have to admit I've been bad and haven't backed up since before Christmas!!

I've opened almost every folder on the hard drive and the files attached and so far everything else has behaved perfectly. The only one giving me this error is the one that will cause me so many problems it isn't funny.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a chance out there for me recovering these files?

 

[kimsland]

You may be able to recover your files using Zar: http://www.z-a-recovery.com/unformat-tutorial.htm

Please try it and back up all data first.

After fully backing up do this:

Manual steps to run Chkdsk from My Computer or Windows Explorer

• Open My Computer, and then right-click the hard disk that you want to check.
• Click Properties, and then click Tools.
• Under Error-checking, click Check Now. A dialog box that shows the Check disk options is displayed

Use one of the following procedures:

• • To run Chkdsk in read-only mode, click Start.
• • To repair errors without scanning the volume for bad sectors, select the Automatically fix file system errors check box, and then click Start. (tick)
• • To repair errors, locate bad sectors, and recover readable information, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box.

Note If one or more of the files on the hard disk are open, you will receive the following message:

The disk check could not be performed because the disk check utility needs exclusive access to some Windows files on the disk. These files can be accessed by restarting Windows. Do you want to schedule the disk check to occur the next time you restart the computer?

Click Yes to schedule the disk check, and then restart your computer to start the disk check.

Wait until Chkdsk finishes Checking / Repairing any faults
Windows will then either restart your computer or continue loading Normally.