BleepingComputer.com: cannot access external harddrive

Hello,

Early today I was trying to back-up my files onto an external harddrive. At one point one of the files wouldn't transfer because it said it was corrupted. So i turned off the external and powered it back on figuring I would try again. Now when i try to click on the link to the drive it says:

F:\ is not accessible.
The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable.

Is there a way to fix this without losing my data? I tried opening a file in the harddrive before i turned it off and it let me..

Thanks.

<<The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable.>>

Have you tried running the chkdsk /r equivalent from My Computer on that drive?

http://www.hard-drive-help.com/chkdsk.html. Instructions at Starting chkdsk.

Louis

just tried, when i click start the box just disappears... i'd reset my computer and try to have it fix it that way but it took everything i had to get the computer to turn on this time to back it up and if im afraid if i reset it, it wont turn back on.

Well...I would remove the hard drive...temporarily attach it to a second system...and move the data files which I deemed valuable.

That failing, I would, using that same system and a data-recovery program, try to recovery the data files.

For that matter...I would try running chkdsk /r on the drive from the second system...after ensuring that data files are safe.

That message could mean that the file system is messed up or it could actually be the hard drive. Neither is good news since the O/S and all files lie on top of the file system..which lies on top of the hard drive.

Which is why I would try the chkdsk /r from a second system...first. If that system can run the chkdsk /r, it may straighten out whatever is wrong, if it's file system or O/S-related.

If you have to use data-recovery software, I don't think running chkdsk /r will speed that up or impact it adversely.

Louis

Thanks!! I was able to run check disk on it from the missus's laptop. unfortuantly its still going. is been in stage 4 of 5 for hours now. but its at 80% so not much longer i guess. hopefully this clears it up otherwise its off to buy some data recovery software.

Stage four is normally (by far) the stage taking the most time, since that is where it seems that the majority of repairs takes place.

If the partition is large and chkdsk /r hasn't been run on it in some time...or the drive is in sore need of chkdsk function...it can take awhile.

But, it's worth the wait .

Louis