MultiDrive – free backup, clone & wipe disk utility from Atola Technology

Main » Forums home » Conventional hard drives

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]



Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 8 posts ] 
  Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
mikeum
 Post subject: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unallocated
PostPosted: November 23rd, 2024, 21:08 
Offline

Joined: September 18th, 2024, 9:29
Posts: 11
Location: United States
I am sorry for asking a n00bie question, but I've had 2 USED WD USB HDDs full of data come to me in this condition. Spins up fine, but it shows Unknown, Not Initialized, and Unallocated without any Drive letter assigned. It lists under "Other devices" with a yellow explanation mark on the Device Manager. Driver automatic update doesn't work.

I've tried SATA conversion following
https://www.dolphindatalab.com/how-to-c ... interface/
but it the drive isn't detected on the Device Manager.

What would be possible reasons and repair steps to follow?

TIA!


Attachments:
File comment: back
back.jpg
back.jpg [ 430.95 KiB | Viewed 4658 times ]
File comment: front
front.jpg
front.jpg [ 554.83 KiB | Viewed 4658 times ]
File comment: Unknown
Unknown Not Initialized Unallocated.png
Unknown Not Initialized Unallocated.png [ 173.68 KiB | Viewed 4658 times ]
Top
 Profile  
 
Zero Alpha
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 26th, 2024, 0:58 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 7th, 2009, 21:36
Posts: 487
You should check the logical structure first to find out if its enrypted, damaged file system, non windows file system or no access to data area or system area. Is this a real customers job or are you ok to experiement like this?

_________________
Zero Alpha: zeroalpha.com.au
Find Cheap Donor Drives App: https://www.zeroalpha.com.au/donor-drive-app Updated February 2026
Top
 Profile  
 
mikeum
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 26th, 2024, 8:09 
Offline

Joined: September 18th, 2024, 9:29
Posts: 11
Location: United States
Thank you for your reply.

Are there any n00b's way of checking these things?

This (ex-working) drive got to this stage by being left plugged in with a bad connection and it was spinning up and made a tick noise, spin down. -repeat until now it shows this.

This is my church's HDD. It's got many pictures and videos of my church members.
Top
 Profile  
 
Zero Alpha
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 26th, 2024, 22:00 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 7th, 2009, 21:36
Posts: 487
ticking noise that spins down is a very complex problem. I'm not confident this can be solved with any noob solutions.

_________________
Zero Alpha: zeroalpha.com.au
Find Cheap Donor Drives App: https://www.zeroalpha.com.au/donor-drive-app Updated February 2026
Top
 Profile  
 
mikeum
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 27th, 2024, 9:14 
Offline

Joined: September 18th, 2024, 9:29
Posts: 11
Location: United States
Zero Alpha wrote:
ticking noise that spins down is a very complex problem. I'm not confident this can be solved with any noob solutions.


It was only doing that when my pastor left it plugged in with a long thin cable. (I'm sure it was just low on voltage during this period of time)

It doesn't tick and spin down anymore.

It spins up fine now but shows unknown / not initialized
Top
 Profile  
 
fzabkar
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 27th, 2024, 15:42 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: September 8th, 2009, 18:21
Posts: 16960
Location: Australia
Can you show us a SMART report:

https://www.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/index/smart/

Can you show us the Partitions tab in DMDE?

https://dmde.com/

Tick the Advanced checkbox and show us what you see in the RH pane.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.
Top
 Profile  
 
Lardman
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: November 27th, 2024, 16:07 
Offline

Joined: November 7th, 2020, 5:31
Posts: 1290
Location: United Kingdom
Isn't that a drivesavers recovery label ?

_________________
Data Recovery Services in the UK.
https://www.usbrecovery.co.uk/
Top
 Profile  
 
mikeum
 Post subject: Re: How to recover WD HDD Unknown, Not Initialized, Unalloca
PostPosted: December 8th, 2024, 15:18 
Offline

Joined: September 18th, 2024, 9:29
Posts: 11
Location: United States
fzabkar wrote:
Can you show us a SMART report:

https://www.reddit.com/r/datarecoverysoftware/wiki/index/smart/

Can you show us the Partitions tab in DMDE?

https://dmde.com/

Tick the Advanced checkbox and show us what you see in the RH pane.


I finally got to doing it. Please let me know!


Attachments:
dmde partition table.jpg
dmde partition table.jpg [ 370.21 KiB | Viewed 3522 times ]
partition tab.png
partition tab.png [ 393.75 KiB | Viewed 3522 times ]
fatal device hardware error.jpg
fatal device hardware error.jpg [ 234.79 KiB | Viewed 3522 times ]
SMART.jpg
SMART.jpg [ 186.66 KiB | Viewed 3522 times ]
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 8 posts ] 

Main » Forums home » Conventional hard drives

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 114 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Switch to mobile style
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group