[edge2022]

If your BIOS doesn't see the drive, then Windows wouldn't be able to see it as well. This leads me to believe that Ubuntu might not too, but might as well check.

Did your drive come with a CD, that also has a diagnostic?

EDIT: http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD
Download Seatools, and run a diagnostic if it can find your drive.

Can you see, read, and write to other flash drives?

Edited by edge2022, 03 May 2009 - 12:19 PM.

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Thank you for your help. Unfortunately, the diagnostics didn't see my drive either. The CD that originally came with my drive is lost from a recent move...I may be able to find it buried somewhere. I'm beginning to think it's my last option.

I tried reading through the Ubantu directions. I believe I did it correctly, but it's hard to say since it didn't come across anything. It's very frustrating...I'm starting to think the recent viruses I had disabled it's capabilities somehow.

~VAS

[vertigo-spumante]

Thank you for your help. Unfortunately, the diagnostics didn't see my drive either. The CD that originally came with my drive is lost from a recent move...I may be able to find it buried somewhere. I'm beginning to think it's my last option.

I tried reading through the Ubantu directions. I believe I did it correctly, but it's hard to say since it didn't come across anything. It's very frustrating...I'm starting to think the recent viruses I had disabled it's capabilities somehow.

~VAS

[edge2022]

What I think you should do is check if another computer can read and write to this drive. If another computer can access this drive, we could make an image of it, format it, and then restore the image; to see if a format will make the drive visible again.

[vertigo-spumante]

That sounds like something I may be able to do with one of my tech friends. It may take a week though. If you don't mind keeping the forums open while I get it done and update you on the situation.

If I have any questions on how to make or format the image or restoring I'll ask you and keep you updated this week.

I really appreciate it.
~VAS

[edge2022]

All right then!
Hope you guys can sort out this problem. This topic will stay open, if you have any questions along the way. Take as much time as you want, I'll be watching this topic.

Good luck!

[vertigo-spumante]

Thank you again. I'll keep you posted.

~VAS

[happyrock]

Unfortunately, the diagnostics didn't see my drive either. ~VAS

I'm afraid the drive is gone...external drives should not be disconnected until you click on the safely remove icon in the system tray...
IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS FIRST you risk making the drive unreadable by anything...I even use it for my usb flash drives now even though I got away with hot swapping them hundreds and hundreds of times with no ill effect...BUT I started seeing a trend of totally unreadable drives when the safely remove was NOT USED... both flash and external hard drives...you cant even slave them to a working computer....nothing sees them again...

[edge2022]

Can a professional recovery company get the data back though, happyrock?

[happyrock]

yep...but its spendy...they remove the platters and install them in a new case...then get your data off and burned/backed up and charge accordingly...YOU WILL NEED A FAT WALLET...

[rshaffer61]

Three to seven hundred depending on where you go and how much data they have to retrieve.

[edge2022]

I guess it's worth it, if you have data that is important to you. Now recovering the data just needs a lot of money.
Is this really the effect of not properly unmounting your external drive with the "Remove Safely" program?

EDIT: Is there any way you can do this by yourself, without shelling out a large amount of cash?

Edited by edge2022, 03 May 2009 - 06:43 PM.

[vertigo-spumante]

Dude, you've got to be kidding me. This just seems insane to me. This was a very expensive purchase for me (I'm what you call a starving artist) and in the midst of having several horrible viruses I really don't remember ever unplugging it before it was having issues, but who knows...

This is when people buy guns or mallets and walk into a field somewhere with their computer in hand. I'm going to s**t a brick now.

Thank you for helping. I'll still try reading it on a separate computer, but...whatever...*tears* >_<

~VAS

[edge2022]

If you have data that you need, then you should take it to the pros. There is a chance though, that it may work on another computer.

[edge2022]

http://www.myharddri...whitepaper.html
If you can read through all that, and understand it, and happen to have another hard drive sitting around, it has instructions on how to replace the platters, and hopefully recover your data.

Only do this if you are 100% sure that you can do it. Otherwise let the pros handle it.

Edited by edge2022, 03 May 2009 - 09:42 PM.

[happyrock]

this wouldn't be a problem if people kept their data backed up...
remember this...ANY DATA you don't have at least 2 copies of is data you don't care about...