Is my life ruined or my savings? WD My Passport Elite 640GB

[grom34]

Hi everyone,

My external usb HDD is not seen under windows anymore.
In "computer management > Storage > Disk Management" my HDD is listed as: Unknown / Not Initialized.


MY CONFIG:
- External HDD connected by USB.
- Western Digital - My passport Elite 640GB
- Formated in FAT32 with 1 parition
- A UDF Partition created by Western Digital with their SmartWare Software.
- Full of data (MP3 music, lots of family pics & videos, some adult movies, word / pdf / excel files, ...)
- PC running with Windows 7 Pro 64 bits


WHAT I HAVE DONE SO FAR:
- Tried to connect HDD using two different USB cable. (the regular one + the USBdocking): No luck.
- Tried to connect HDD on other pc: No luck.
- Tried to initialize HDD under Disk Management. Get message: disk is write protected.
- Tired to change drive letter of the unknow partition. No option available.
- Called WD support. They are sending me a powered USB cable but they don't think it will fix the problem.
They allowed me to opened the HDD case. However the HDD has no sata connector. I can't plug it straight to my PC.
- Tried several software to recover lost partition: No luck.
(TestDisk, Active Partition Recovery, EASEUS Partition Master, EASEUS Partition Recovery, Acronis Disk Director 11 Home, ...)


ADDITIONAL INFO:
- HDD does not make any clicking noise.
- Internal disk is spinning, LED light is working.
- WD SmartWare (UDF) partition starts when HDD is plugged. All files on it are accessible.


1. At this point, is there anything else I could safely try ?
2. I called a data recovery company. They charge between $700-$2400. Should I accept it's time for me to stop trying and start asking friends and family to lend me the money so I can have my HDD fixed (if DR company can fix it)?

I have some of my files backed-up though not all of them are up to date but I have lost 11 years of friends & family pictures & videos.

Thanks in advance for any idea / feedback / help.

[murtaza]

Hi Grom34.

You use Icare software and recovery your all data. after receover. you reformating your drive and use again.

[einstein9]

Hi Grom34.

You use Icare software and recovery your all data. after receover. you reformating your drive and use again.

hehe again here, anyway


grom34

ur having some sort of Heads problem (my most suspect) or FW issue maybe
or password protected drive.

it has to be one of those 3

without proper KNOWLEDGE (most) and tools do not try DIY my friend

good luck

[pcimage]

I would guess firmware issues myself, given that the drive is not clicking and is spinning OK.

Assuming this is the case, then it shouldn't be mega bucks. Way down in the lower end of your quoted price range IMHO.

[guru]

some people can claim on home insurance.

[grom34]

Thanks to everyone for the inputs.

murtaza: Thanks. I will take a look at the software. If there's something I can safely try, I will.

einstein9: Thanks for your advice. I rather be careful than sorry messing up the HDD.
If it was a head problem, I shouldn't be able to access the data located on the UDF partition? (I assume those data are on the HDD itself and not on a separate storage area).
I have no password set-up on the HDD. The only password software I have is the window password used in combination with a built-in finger print device (who seems acting weird btw).

pcimage: Thanks. I am not a HDD expert but I like to believe i'm not facing some severe hardware damage on this HDD.

guru: Thanks. I have to see what home insurance policy are in the US and what reason must be given to request a claim.

Last edited by grom34 on November 14th, 2011, 10:08, edited 1 time in total.

[grom34]

Another question:

Does anyone would recommend a reliable Data Recovery company in New Jersey ?
I'm located in the Hudson county North Bergen - close to the Bergen county and Manhattan.

Thanks.

[fzabkar]

They charge between $700-$2400. Should I accept it's time for me to stop trying and start asking friends and family to lend me the money so I can have my HDD fixed (if DR company can fix it)?

When selecting a data recovery company, you need to find one that you can trust. And that means trusting in their competence, not just their integrity.

To this end I always look for a public body of work, and/or some truly independent testimonials.

Therefore I suggest that you use the following company as your yardstick:
http://myharddrivedied.com/

AIUI, the proprietor, Scott Moulton, advertises a fixed repair cost of US$800 plus parts (eg a donor drive). Scott is arguably the most well known professional in this field. He offers several data recovery courses, and he has numerous presentations and how-to videos on Youtube. No doubt there are many competitors who offer much cheaper services, but at least you know that $800 is your cost ceiling.

BTW, I am truly independent and am not involved in data recovery in any way.

[thatdellguy]

ROTFLMAO

[fzabkar]

grom34,

Would you please be so kind as to upload detailed photos of both sides of the drive's PCB?

There is a flex cable that connects to a mysterious 12-pin connector on the PCB. It would be very interesting to see where it goes. Many people have asked what this connector does. Your upload could answer this question.

I suspect that it simply drives the capacity, lock, and power status LEDs, in which case I wonder why it is such a closely guarded secret, at least on this forum.

[grom34]

Hi fzabkar,
Thanks for your input. I spent the day looking at Data Recovery companies and ways of recovering the data myself !!

I saw a topic on this forum where someone managed to adapt a SATA connector and recover all his data.
Is there a hope I could do the same ?

I can send you pictures. No problem. Do I need to remove the PCB from the HDD to take pictures of it or you just want a picture of the back of the HDD ?

[fzabkar]

I'm really only interested in where the cable goes. I suspect that there will be a long thin PCB at the side of the drive that holds six LEDs.

As for the direct SATA connection, I don't believe you would be able to access your data even if the drive were in perfect health. This is because there is a USB-SATA bridge IC that encrypts your data, whether or not you have set a password. If you remove the PCB, you should be able to identify the bridge IC. It is probably an Initio INIC-1607E.

[grom34]

Is this what you are looking for ?

[jono-ats]

PM sent.

[jono-ats]

I would guess firmware issues myself, given that the drive is not clicking and is spinning OK.

Assuming this is the case, then it shouldn't be mega bucks. Way down in the lower end of your quoted price range IMHO.

However, we've received Passport drives that spin and don't click but still have bad heads and media damage (i.e. they've been dropped, for example). That's not what we expected either. So it's hard to really know without testing the drive.

Our maximum price is down around the lowest in the range that you were quoted.

Jon

[grom34]

fzabkar

PM sent with all the pictures. I will post it on the thread as well.

[fzabkar]

fzabkar

PM sent with all the pictures. I will post it on the thread as well.

Just as I thought. This "super secret" 12-pin connector merely drives the LED indicators.

Thank you so much for clarifying this mystery.

[Vulcan]

This "super secret" 12-pin connector merely drives the LED indicators.

Wasn't there a poster on this board a few months ago, who said he'd been told by WD that it was for (and I quote him) "data recovery"? So the fact that on this drive, it's used for just driving LEDs is a bit of a puzzle - or else it doesn't have the same purpose on all drives, or ...

I wish there was an emoticon on this board for "I'm confused"

[harddrivespecialist]

They charge between $700-$2400. Should I accept it's time for me to stop trying and start asking friends and family to lend me the money so I can have my HDD fixed (if DR company can fix it)?

AIUI, the proprietor, Scott Moulton, advertises a fixed repair cost of US$800 plus parts (eg a donor drive). Scott is arguably the most well known professional in this field.

I have to strongly disagree with fzabkar about Scott Moulton and fixed rates.

I can highly recommend Jon from Data Savers as a real professional in data recovery field.

[fzabkar]

This "super secret" 12-pin connector merely drives the LED indicators.

Wasn't there a poster on this board a few months ago, who said he'd been told by WD that it was for (and I quote him) "data recovery"? So the fact that on this drive, it's used for just driving LEDs is a bit of a puzzle - or else it doesn't have the same purpose on all drives, or ...

WD's Tech Support don't always know what they are talking about. :)

I wish there was an emoticon on this board for "I'm confused" :)

There is. It's the 6th face from the left on the top row. I often use it. :)

In fact now you've confused me. :?