# 1tb HDD Recognized but Not Accessible



## DonMON (Jul 2, 2009)

Hello. I've a western digital 1TB Sata hdd that has been used for quite some time. Today, i decide to take it out of storage but the drive seems inaccessible in "my computer". When I first plugged it back up Vista wanted to scan it before windows started, and it reported all these unreadable/ unrecoverable errors. Vista seems to see the partition but when I right click it my computer gets really really slow, and I'm forced to terminate explorer.exe and re run it. The Bios detects the HDD so I'm not quite sure what the problem may be. Any thoughts?



EDIT:

Here's the deal.

This hard drive is recognized in the Bios by its moidel/serial number, But whenever I try to install windows vista onto it it takes a reeeeally long time to get to the actual installation. when it finally does, After being introduced to a screen that tells me I have an unknown disk in my system, i'm able to access the drive and format it. After I format it and try to install windows on it windows states:

"Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria". So i found some support on windows website... this link..

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/92752014062

I followed these instructions but when i type "clean all" from step 7, it acts as if the command has been executed but it seems to never finish.

1. Insert the DVD into the DVD drive.
2. On the disk selection screen, press SHIFT+F10. A Command Prompt window opens.
3. Type diskpart, and then press ENTER to open the diskpart tool.
4. Type list disk, and then press ENTER. A list of available hard disks is displayed.
5. Type sel disk number, and then press ENTER. number is the number of the hard disk that you want to clean. The hard disk is now selected.
6. Type det disk, and then press ENTER. A list of partitions on the hard disk is displayed. Use this information to verify that the correct disk is selected.
7. Make sure that the disk does not contain required data, type clean all, and then press ENTER to clean the disk. All the partitions and all the data on the disk is permanently removed.
8. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the diskpart tool.
9. Close the Command Prompt window.
10. Click the Refresh button to update the disk selection screen. This step lists the disk.
11. Run Windows Vista Setup to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista.

------------

I went to the western digital site and downloaded the test utility for the HDD. The test utility fully recognizes my drive and gives the model/serial numbers of the drive and acknowledges that "SMART" is enabled in green. However when I do a Quick test on this drive i get an error:

"Quick test on drive 1 did not complete! status code=07 (failed read test element) Failure checkpoint=97 ( unknown test) SMART self test did not complete on drive 1!" How can I make this drive usable?

At this point i'm not sure what to do. Any help would is welcome.

Thx


----------



## liquidmonkey (Jul 3, 2009)

sounds like an RMA if its still under warranty.
RMA = return to manufacturer for a replacement


----------



## DonMON (Jul 5, 2009)

That sucks.  I dont think its still under warranty\ it, it was purchased as an external drive, but sometime after I took it out of the enclosure the enclosure got damaged.

Oh, thanks for the reply


----------



## tremmor (Jul 5, 2009)

if the warranty was up. 
i would take a close look at the connections from the cable to the board.  i say that because people have brought a hd to me to check. i disconnect the external and plug in theres. then plug mine back in. of course the connector was pulling off the solder joints.  just had to retouch the solder connection. 
or take out. hook up internally on the computer.

save the hd if ya can.  external don't cost nothing.  you can always buy another with usb support without a drive. 
my next will also have a fan. if im archiving it does get hot. i leave the case off all the time now.


----------



## DonMON (Jul 5, 2009)

seems as If i'll have to get a new hard drive as well because its damaged.


----------



## tremmor (Jul 5, 2009)

just the same and ya could try.  
goto the manufacture of the hd.  it has the model.  from the site goto support link. download the appropriate software. fix, repair or find out if its working.  this software should exist at the site for testing.

if ya don't find it.  post the manufacture and model.  maybe you can fix.


----------



## DonMON (Jul 5, 2009)

I've done that already as stated in the first post.

Thanks for the help though.


----------

