Sign up with GoogleDefinitely considering this option for the future - never want to go through this drama again!
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Desperate for help - external HDD problem
- Thread starter bluepoole
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Definitely considering this option for the future - never want to go through this drama again!
backstreetboy
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Pcloud lifetime is just $175 for 500gb. Cheap as chips. The great thing is its just another drive under My Computer.
With regards to Minitool Partition wizard - I tried it just now, and it gives me the same conundrum as any other software - it doesn't want to work and just hangs when the drive is plugged in, but works perfectly when the drive is unplugged - but then of course one can't scan, do partition or data recovery in the first place!
backstreetboy
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Rickster
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Google Drive is R1600 per year for 2TB, wouldnt that be better. Although OP can get 2x Pcloud accounts.
backstreetboy
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They always have specials around black friday. Paid around R7k for 2TB family plan with Crypto thrown in last year so just 3 more years and I'll break even and I can buy another 2TB if need be. Their apps are updated frequently as well.
username and 23 others
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Before giving up: try the download-linux-on-usb-and-boot-and-pray routine.
Thanks, have tried it just now. Same problem though, it hangs/doesn't work when the drive is plugged in, but works immediately when I unplug the drive, but then I can't perform any actions on it
Starting to look like this is gonna be my last shot left - will try it - please hold thumbs for me!
backstreetboy
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Only thing you can try then is to get the drive out of the external closure.Thanks, have tried it just now. Same problem though, it hangs/doesn't work when the drive is plugged in, but works immediately when I unplug the drive, but then I can't perform any actions on it
Nqindi
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There are other factors that I was considering other than pure cost. Considering that OP doesn't sound like a geek, I thought Google or Microsoft were better options with regard to accessibility, familiarity, apps, support and ease of use. Personally, the max 2TB is that pCloud offers is too small for my uses.
backstreetboy
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M$ or Google doesn't mount your drive like pCloud does and that's already a big plus. You can also stack storage so if you want more just buy 2x2TB etc.
Nqindi
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What do you mean by mount? You mean so they appear as a mounted network drive? That is neat if that is the case. I use rclone to mount the google drive on to my Synology and then mirror everything to the cloud. I can also mount the google drive on my laptop like so:
backstreetboy
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Yes it's mounted as P drive.
ponder
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You can boot any pc from a live linux usb stick
ponder
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If you are technically savvy you can solder a sata connector to the pcb pads before it gets to the usb controller... not for the op though
As others have said you unfortunately can't connect it via SATA because it only has USB connectivity on the PCB. USB is even less stable than SATA when a drive has a hardware issue, so there's really little you can do other than get it professionally recovered. This is the general procedure with them: https://www.southbit.co.za/western-digital-elements-external-hard-drive-data-recovery/
Or if it's one of the newer ones then: https://www.southbit.co.za/wd-elements-and-wd-passport-hard-drive-data-recovery/
I'm not that far away from you (Mowbray, Cape Town) so you're welcome to send it in for a free assessment. These often suffer from a bad read/write head, the drive then tries to reallocate the sectors on that side of the drive and can't, the FW then locks up and you end up with a 'dead' drive. I've recovered a LOT of these, my recovery rate is very high. I have a price list on the website and do offer MyBB discount - recovery is expensive though for many reasons.
Or if it's one of the newer ones then: https://www.southbit.co.za/wd-elements-and-wd-passport-hard-drive-data-recovery/
I'm not that far away from you (Mowbray, Cape Town) so you're welcome to send it in for a free assessment. These often suffer from a bad read/write head, the drive then tries to reallocate the sectors on that side of the drive and can't, the FW then locks up and you end up with a 'dead' drive. I've recovered a LOT of these, my recovery rate is very high. I have a price list on the website and do offer MyBB discount - recovery is expensive though for many reasons.
netstrider
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Was considering them. Any problems w.r.t speed etc?
backstreetboy
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Haven't noticed any just waiting for them to enable migration to the new EU servers for existing customers but not a problem if you are creating a new account since you get the choice when you sign up.