# Drive not seen windows explorer -unallocated in Disk Management



## jeffmaggie (Mar 15, 2006)

I have a WD250GB hard drive in an external USB case that has stopped working today. It has about 135Gb of data, Last backup of drive was Feb 01, 2006 so I'm without the last 6 weeks.

CMOS F2 Setup:
The drive does not show up in CMOS.


Windows Explorer:
Drive not seen.

USB Connections:
The computer makes the 2 tones that says it has realized a new device is connected 
but it does not scan the drive for files. Again no show in Windows Explorer.

External Case swapped:
No change.

Added to Desktop computer:
No Change


Disk Management:
Drive is seen as 232GB. No drive letter. 100% unallocated. No options to assign drive letter.


Device Manager Properties:
Says everything is working fine.


WD Diagnostics Test Quick and Extended:
Results:

Test Option: QUICK TEST 
Model Number: WDC WD2500JB-55GVC0 
Serial Number: WD-WCAL75039964 
Firmware Number: 800.D280 
Drive Type: IDE 
Capacity: 250.06 GB 
SMART Status: FAIL 
Test Result: FAIL 
Test Error Code: 06-Quick Test on drive 2 did not complete! Status code = 07 (Failed 
read test element), Failure Checkpoint = 65 (Error Log Test) SMART self-test did 
not complete on drive 2! 
Test Time: 15:05:10, March 14, 2006 

Test Option: EXTENDED TEST 
Model Number: WDC WD2500JB-55GVC0 
Serial Number: WD-WCAL75039964 
Firmware Number: 800.D280 
Drive Type: IDE 
Capacity: 250.06 GB 
SMART Status: FAIL 
Test Result: FAIL 
Test Error Code: 08-Too many bad sectors detected ! 
Test Time: 17:23:37, March 14, 2006 

I have an email to Western Digital, but they haven't replied.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news >>>>> but that drive is toast I have never seen a drive that failed soooo many diagnostic tests and have a useful recovery be achieved! 

My personal opinion (for what thats worth) is the drive market is suffering from over competitevness >>> the drives are getting bigger and faster and cheaper but reliability and stability are no longer front running priorities.

Thats why I strongly suggest users with data that will kill you to lose should be using redendant drives and cloning.


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## crazijoe (Oct 19, 2004)

jeffmaggie said:


> I have a WD250GB hard drive in an external USB case that has stopped working today.
> 
> CMOS F2 Setup:
> The drive does not show up in CMOS.


Since the drive is in an external case, it will not show in the BIOS. 

If the drive is still under warranty. I would send it back to get a replacement. WD is actually quite good at RMAs.

http://support.wdc.com/warranty/selection.asp?custtype=end


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## jeffmaggie (Mar 15, 2006)

Thank you both for your replies. You know, you are right about the market. Drives are getting so huge, the prices just keep dropping, and something has to give. That drive (WD 250GB) was selling last May 05, after rebates, for $69. That's just too cheap.

I have a feeling that while drive capacities and prices will continue to grow in opposite directions, we as consumers will have to rely on more than one way to backup up our data. Clearly an external USB drive for me was not enough. I am happy that before I moved the data to the drive that is creating this forum, I first burned them to DVD's.

What do you think? Would you be willing to pay a little more if drive reliability was better? I would. Who cares about a cheap drive that goes out in warranty if it takes your data with it?

Thanks both,
Jeff


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

get an internal WD. make sure it is SATA


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## crazijoe (Oct 19, 2004)

I tend to cycle my hard drives every 3 years. This way it keeps their warranty in check and keeps me from worrying about failing drives. I do come across failing drives every so oftem but you have to take it with a grain of salt.

See this thread about hard drive opinions.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/rants-raves/93311-hard-drive-rants-raves.html


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I have to agree with alot of what C-joe has to say. Currently the key is in swapping your drives BEFORE they die and all drives are about the same in depeandability (with exception of maxtor >> I drove myself silly selling machines with maxies in them= service calls)


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## evansmambo (Apr 3, 2006)

how can I assign drive letter on unallocated partation


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## crazijoe (Oct 19, 2004)

Right click on the unalocated space, partition it and format. It will ask you to assign a drive letter to it.


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## jeffmaggie (Mar 15, 2006)

*Partitioning will lose the data - try Spinrite 6.0*

evansmambo,

Be careful with the partitioning of your hard drive just to get a drive letter. If your drive has info on it that you want, partitioning it will cause you to lose all the info.

I came across a program by Steve Gibson "Spinrite 6.0" that I used to get most of the information off my drive before it mechanicaly crashed. This program can retrieve anything from a failing drive and doesn't need Windows to run in. It's very user friendly and very powerful.
Jeff


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## wiseClick.co (Aug 25, 2011)

Easy.... give it a letter to mapped... and thats it... welcome!

source: Wiseclick Computer Repair TEK


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