Unable to access external hard drive

[jalba]

Model: Seagate 1T external hard drive.
Issue: when the drive is plugged in, the folders are shown. However, upon trying to access folders, the drive freezes (as well as prevents other programs from opening), until it is unplugged from the pc.

Tried using chkdsk but fails. Also tried using Easeus to see if the folders can be recovered, but again the drive fails even when Easeus is trying to detect it.

To note, the drive was able to be accessed earlier in the day prior to the issue.

Also tried using different usb ports, to no avail.

Thanks for whatever assistance can be lent.

 

[Geepa]

Glad to know Easeus couldn't help, I was thinking of trying them myself. Sounds like the drive connection or cable which may be shortening out some of the connections. I once had debris inside a connection and used a toothpick to remove it. Moisture can also cause bummer problems. Have experienced a lot of "fragile" products lately.

 

[martinsmith]

Check the Drive in Disk Management. Open the Disk Management tool
Try Another USB Port and Computer The problem may not lie with your device, but the port you're using to connect it to your computer
Troubleshoot Driver Issues
Create a New Drive Volume
Format the Drive.

 

[Kshipper]

The problem you described is a failing hard drive. When a piece of hardware is throwing out errors it will bring any machine to its knees until you unplug it. There is a small chance that the drive's own electronics will work through the problem and the drive will come back online after a long time of self repair. Before taking any action you have to first consider how valuable the data is. If it is just a backup don't waste any time. Replace the drive. If this is data you want and you don't have another copy, that can complicate things because we don't know the exact nature of the failure. The more you try and work with the drive, it could make it more expensive to recover the data.

Check your Event Viewer for the errors when you plug that drive in.

 

[DelJo63]

Create a New Drive Volume
Format the Drive.

ONLY if you're foolish enough to discard all existing data!!

 

[SNGX1275]

Also worth trying is a different USB cable.

 

[Exabyte]

ONLY if you're foolish enough to discard all existing data!!

There is a program where you can partition the drive without formatting it.

 

[DelJo63]

There is a program where you can partition the drive without formatting it.

hmm; every partitioning software product will do that -- but without the formatting, you just get and EMPTY and unusable partition :sigh:

 

[Exabyte]

hmm; every partitioning software product will do that -- but without the formatting, you just get and EMPTY and unusable partition :sigh:

yeh