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Welcome to Techsurvivors => Tech => Topic started by: RNKIII on October 05, 2014, 11:32:47 AM

Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: RNKIII on October 05, 2014, 11:32:47 AM
None of my other 'disk fixer' utilities can 'see' it. Only the system disk utility can find it.  That says it needs to be initialized and reformatted... I do have a Super Duper back up running also so I'm not greatly worried...but would like to have both.

Is it worth trying to fix and initialize and start over as the TM backup, or toss and get something new?

All thoughts appreciated.

Bob K.   rnkiii
Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: jchuzi on October 05, 2014, 12:09:28 PM
My 2ยข:

I would not take a chance on it's being OK, even if you reformat and successfully make a TM backup. Hard drives are relatively cheap and a functioning backup can save your bacon (and my bacon has been pulled from the frying pan several times).

Of course, it costs me nothing to spend your money!
Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 05, 2014, 08:27:53 PM
Nevermind! I didn't read your title correctly! I thought you meant the icon/connection 'falls off' your screen! doh.gif flail.gif In actuality, I disagree with Paddy, it was not the fall that caused the problem! It was the sudden stop when it hit the floor! I would re-use the enclosure... maybe. Otherwise, it will make a good doorstop.

rant.gif

OK, now I see that you meant what I thought in the first place!!! Still makes no difference, since you must have read my un-edited post and you answered all my questions. I have an external that does the same thing until I routed it through different port on an external, powered USB/FireWire hub. I suspect a bad port on the hub, but it is well out of warranty. I only use two of the four FireWire ports, anyway.

I've driven nearly a 900 miles today and I'm not seeing things well enough to add anything useful right now. I can't even remember the last time I actually did that, either... sleep1.gif
Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: Paddy on October 05, 2014, 08:44:35 PM
Bob, given the fact that it now cannot be seen except by Disk Utility and DU wants to initialize it, I'd suspect that it suffered physical damage in the fall. Otherwise, it would be visible and functioning. It's unlikely that it simply somehow suffered directory damage with no associated physical damage as the result of the fall itself My bet is that DU will try, but fail to format it, especially if you've already tried TechTool and or Disk Warrior.

Of course, there is one possibility that doesn't necessarily mean physical damage - if the disk was being actively written to when it fell, it's possible that it was left in a state that rendered it unrecognizable. This is why we get the warning to eject drives properly before disconnecting them. If that's the case, then it may be possible to recover it by re-initializing, though like Jon, I don't know that I'd trust it.
Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: RNKIII on October 05, 2014, 08:56:04 PM
Bad topic title....no actual physical falls were involved..it simply disappeared from my figurative desk top..
Yes I have tried DW and Techtool neither if which could 'see' the drive.
Have tried different cabeling, as well as off/on of all elements involved.

But Disk Utility does see it and wants to repair/reinit the drive.
My SD drive is daisy chained through this drive, due to lack of more FW-800 ports on my iMac. SD continues to function normally on a daily basis.


Bob K.   rnkiii
Title: External HDD falls off my computer desk top...
Post by: kimmer on October 05, 2014, 10:26:37 PM
Okay, no physical crash. Now I can say that this is what I went through with both of my former external drives. I reformatted and used them, and then after several months I had the same problem. Again, reformat and use; but this time I only had 6 weeks before I again had trouble. I replaced both of my drives following Paddy's recommendations:

This drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822236625

This enclosure: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817392039

I'm super happy with my purchases.