# External Hard drive problem: Parameter is incorrect, continuation of my previous post



## s_q

I have a 250 GB External Hard drive (HP Pocket Media Drive). When I connect it, it doesn't open automatically. So I go to My Computer and double-click G: drive. It takes some time and then the message occurs 'G:/ drive not accessible, Parameter is incorrect'. When I right click the icon, it takes time and then shows the options. I click on Properties. It shows the hard disk completely blue i.e. no free space. 

When I try to safely remove it, it says, 'cannot remove device. generic volume in use...'. However, I just right-clicked on the G:/ drive icon, it took some time and then showed the options. I clciked on safely remove. It took time again, but then the message occured, 'safe to remove'. So I removed it.

I have done testdisk and photorec and the results of these operations are shown in my previous post titiled, 'Hurray! I successfully recovered my files.. '. I also opened disk management and it shows the G:/ drive as healthy. I've attached the photos of Disk Management.

Please tell me if it is possible to recover all the data by working something out in Disk Management, as photorec hasn't recovered everything, and also not in the original form. 

(P.S. I haven't formatted my hard disk before doing any of the above operations as I'm afraid I'll lose around 120 GB of data.)


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## veedar

I assume you have already performed a hardware diagnostics test on the drive and it passed.

If so the jpg you posted shows the drive is being seen as "raw". In this case give testdisk another try but follow the steps in this thread...

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f16/my-file-system-is-now-raw-help-192014.html


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## s_q

I gave testdisk another try as was mentioned in the thread My File System Is Now Raw... Help ! I got a different thing. I've attached the pics.
I clicked on Analyse and pressed 'enter'. Then I got the status as shown in first attachment below. Next, I clicked on 'quick search' and then I got what you can see in the second pic. What should I do now?


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## veedar

Press P to list files. Hopefully you will see your data.


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## s_q

I did manage to recover some data but I don't think I've got everything. How do I get the rest?


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## veedar

Not sure. Testdisk should show you everything that's recoverable.

You might try http://findandmount.com/

And http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm


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## s_q

Thanks. I checked the website runtime and found that there's recovery for FAT and NTFS. What are these? 

My hard disk still shows as RAW in Disk Management.

I don't know what this is all about. (


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## veedar

HP Pocket Media Drives are preformatted as NTFS.


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## s_q

The attachments that I uploaded above show my external Hard drive as logical drive and NTFS. However, when I open disk management, it still shows as RAW. How do I solve this issue?

I was successful in recovering all my files with the help of PC Inspector. So, I'm quite happy about that. Should I format my hard disk now so that I may use it again?


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## veedar

Since you saved all your data off that drive go and format it. Then it will no longer be raw.


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## s_q

Thanks!
I clicked on farmat button and then it populated the option box where I clciked on format. I didn't check the box for 'quick format'. Then no progress was taking place, so clicked cancel ( so that I may start the formatting process again but this time by quick formatting). However, now it says that I don't permission to format it. I'm really dumb! Plz help!

Oh and what should be the allocation unit size? Should I restore it to default?


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## veedar

Connect it to another PC and try it again.

I use 4096 allocation size.


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## s_q

It worked on the same PC when I tried formatting after some time. I selected 4096 bytes and clicked on the quick format box.

And the formatting got completed and I can see the 232 GB free space.....WOOHOOOO!!!

Thank you!!!! 

P.S. You may label the following threads as 'solved' 'cuz they were started by me when I was struggling to recover the data that was not accessible.

*Hurray! I successfully recovered my files..* 

*External Hard drive problem: Parameter is incorrect, continuation of my previous post* 

Thanks again!


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