# External HDD Prob - works on TV but not on comp :/



## vigneshnm (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi,
My 1TB WD USB 2.0 External HDD is not getting detected on my computer. I've tried it on other PCs and laptops as well. Earlier, when plugged in, it'd be displayed as Elements (E). Now it just shows Local Disk (E) but doesn't open. It throws an error saying file could be corrupt (i'll post the exact message once i'm home).

But when i connect it to my TV, it gets detected and I can play all the videos and songs stored on it. I'm quite surprised, if the HDD has got corrupted, it shouldn't work on the TV too. 

Please suggest a solution to this problem.

Thanks!

-Vignesh


----------



## whitestar_999 (Sep 7, 2012)

maybe some corruption in file system.pc & tv reads hdd differently & maybe TV is not bothered by minor file system errors as long as the media files are fine.try with linux os/live linux cd.this problem may also be due to insufficient power being provided through usb port(i have seen some desktop pc's front usb ports & some laptop's usb 3.0 ports having this issue).best way to eliminate(& recommended) power issue is using a Y-usb cable(just like Y it has two usb ports on 1 side to connect to 2 usb ports on laptop/desktop).


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 7, 2012)

oh ok i'll try Y USB cable. 
But if the file system is corrupt, is there any way to rectify that using linux?


----------



## whitestar_999 (Sep 7, 2012)

for repairing file system you can simply use chkdsk command in windows(in windows 7 run command prompt as admin by right clicking & select "run as admin" after typing cmd in win 7 start menu search box).assuming drive is shown as E first simply check if there is any error at all by this:
chkdsk e:
if it displays error found after checking use this to repair:
chkdsk e: /f


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks a lot! i'll try it tonight and let you know if it works.


----------



## d6bmg (Sep 8, 2012)

Most probably file system got corrupted. You need to run disk checking too via command prompt (i.e. chkdsk)


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 9, 2012)

im running chkdsk now, there seem to be a lot of unreadable sectors. Will chkdsk e:/f format the drive?

im running chkdsk now, there seem to be a lot of unreadable sectors. Will chkdsk e:/f format the drive?


----------



## whitestar_999 (Sep 9, 2012)

no.it will try to fix the filesystem but if there are unreadable sectors then it will try to move data from them to readable sectors.if it still fails then most probably your hard disk is failing.check your hard disk health after fixing by a monitoring software like crystaldisk or hdtune free.


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 9, 2012)

ok thanks! its still going on. looks like its gonna take a while...


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 11, 2012)

Thanks a lot guys! chkdsk worked perfectly and my hard disk's working again. Thanks again


----------



## whitestar_999 (Sep 11, 2012)

remember to check your hard disk health periodically by using software like crystaldisk or hdtune free version.


----------



## vigneshnm (Sep 11, 2012)

I have another, old hard disk. I think its a 40GB one. It gets detected as Local Disk (E) but when i try to open it, it gives the error as The Drive in Disk E: is not formatted. Do you want to format it? Chkdsk isn't able to work on it as the File Format is RAW. Any way to recover the data in it?


----------



## whitestar_999 (Sep 11, 2012)

try RECUVA software.


----------



## d6bmg (Sep 12, 2012)

vigneshnm said:


> I have another, old hard disk. I think its a 40GB one. It gets detected as Local Disk (E) but when i try to open it, it gives the error as The Drive in Disk E: is not formatted. Do you want to format it? Chkdsk isn't able to work on it as the File Format is RAW. Any way to recover the data in it?



Before using any software, plug the disk in linux environment and see what happens..


----------

