# 3TB Hard Disk still a "TROUBLE", READ TO KNOW WHY??



## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

Hi Guys, 
I have lost my data on my 3TB hard disk

I totally had 3 disk
1.
256GB SSD  1 partiton -Bootable
2.
1.99TB + 877GB = 3TB -Data Drive
1.99TB 2nd partion
877Gb 3rd partition
3.
1TB                       - Data drive
500GB 4th partition
480GB 5th partition

Windows 7 64bit ultimate was installed on 256GB SSD.
Due to some problem I had to reinstall my OS on SSD, 
So I disconnected other two hard disks . 3TB and 1 TB and installed OS again on SSD

then I reconnected other two drives,
that 1 TB drive was fine with all data , but the 3 Tb drive was not showing that 3rd partition of 877GB.

and now there is no way that I can get the data stored on that 877Gb partition as it showing as unallocated space in disk management.

However the data on 1.99TB is FINE.

I have also tried to connect this 3TB to my segate external SATA connector but it is asking to format the whole drive , even 1.99TB is also not accessible here.

Any idea what is solution to get that 877GBdata.

3Tb drive was disconnected, then how come the data on 877Gb is not showing now we I reinstall OS on SSD?????

Thanks


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## acerace (Aug 10, 2013)

I bumped this thread. I've had similar problem with no solutions.


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## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

acerace said:


> I bumped this thread. I've had similar problem with no solutions.



yes,
I feel, 3Tb external drive is best option than this troublesome internal 3TB.

i hope someone here has the solution


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## Frick (Aug 10, 2013)

How's the SMART status for the drive? I have no idea what happened or how to solve it, but it's a good place to start.


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## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

Frick said:


> How's the SMART status for the drive? I have no idea what happened or how to solve it, but it's a good place to start.


\
what will happen if I check that?
what is smart status


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## Black.Raven (Aug 10, 2013)

you have programs like getdataback for nfts, then you can search the whole drive for files, dat aren't overwritten


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## Frick (Aug 10, 2013)

michael said:


> \
> what will happen if I check that?
> what is smart status



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.

http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html - Crystaldiskinfo is what you want.

Nothing will happen, as such.


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## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

Frick said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.
> 
> http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html - Crystaldiskinfo is what you want.
> 
> Nothing will happen, as such.



What next,
I downloaded that,
it shows my ssd 100% good and and my 3Tb Hd as GOOD

Now the worst thing is that i can not see my 1.99Tb data as well.
I had connected my 3tb hd to laptop via segate sata external connector thats it , but how come the 1.99Tb is also not getting seen????




I really dont know what to do with these 3tb hd now as i have lost my 1.99tb too

My 3TB hard drive now just being shown as 3.49GB hard drive,


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## silkstone (Aug 10, 2013)

Strange issue. I was going to say it was a problem in the GPT (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx) but as the whole disk is missing, I am starting to think that your motherboard has a problem.


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## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

silkstone said:


> Strange issue. I was going to say it was a problem in the GPT (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx) but as the whole disk is missing, I am starting to think that your motherboard has a problem.



no my mb is ok, i think 3tb is not yet fully tested till date as internal drive. I think I better buy external dock station for it.

ohh no, most of the dock station also seems to be supporting upto 2TB only........

EDIT:-
Hi Guys,

I have lost my data for now as sure, I was not having any other option.

So I formatted my whole 3TB hard disk with DISKPART command as shown in pic 1 below nad then formatted it as NTFS partition, surprisingly I am able to see whole approxm. 3tb size.
So my question is:-
1.Can I get the data back if I reinstall my os on SSD from this 3 tb drive ????
2.Can I use this via segate SATA external adaptor ???

thanks.


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## michael (Aug 10, 2013)

Well, Just checked the no. 2 is not possible I can not use it.

so for 1st option I will have to reinstall os and check it.


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## de.das.dude (Aug 10, 2013)

use test disk. i got a deleted partition back with no data loss at all. epic software.

also make sure your motherboard bios is upto date. a lot of bios versions dont support 3TB HDDs.


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## crazyeyesreaper (Aug 10, 2013)

Not helpful but this is why I dont bother with partitions on a Hard drive.


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## erocker (Aug 10, 2013)

michael said:


> So I formatted my whole 3TB hard disk with DISKPART command as shown in pic 1 below nad then formatted it as NTFS partition, surprisingly I am able to see whole approxm. 3tb size.
> So my question is:-
> 1.Can I get the data back if I reinstall my os on SSD from this 3 tb drive ????



The data is gone.

I agree with crazyeyes, don't bother with partitioning if you don't need to. Just use folders to separate what needs to be separated.


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## Ikaruga (Aug 10, 2013)

There is no written data gone from any hard drive until you format it with nulling out sectors. Partition tables can go bad, but that would still only make the drive not showing up or reporting false size and stuff, but nothing would make the written sectors disappear except physical damage or actually writing something else into those sectors. 
And no, partitioning is a proven and very reliable part of any kind of filesystem (including NTFS), and it's nothing wrong with it at all. 

Tbh, I can't even imagine what made you format the drive if it had 100% healthy S.M:A:R.T status. Maybe you can still try some partition recovery software which has indepth search options for lost partitions/data, because data should be still there if it was only a quick-format.


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## de.das.dude (Aug 10, 2013)

untill you overwrite over the previous data, with new data, and fill it to the brim will all the data be lost. you can get back a lot of stuff. i formatted and got back everything. use the tool called "Testdisk"


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## MxPhenom 216 (Aug 10, 2013)

No matter what, you should be backing up stuff on your drives before doing Windows reinstalls. I always make sure I have everything I need encase things go south with a new install. But really you shouldn't need that many partitions to begin with.


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## Batou1986 (Aug 10, 2013)

Windows will only recognize 4 partitions per disk, I think that may have had something to do with your problem.
In general whenever you have disk problems boot a live linux distro and use that to take a look at your drives

I often find that windows screws up partitions especially when installing because it seems to randomly select which disk to put the hidden partition on that holds the boot files and startup repair crap.


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Aug 10, 2013)

Batou1986 said:


> I often find that windows screws up partitions especially when installing because it seems to randomly select which disk to put the hidden partition on that holds the boot files and startup repair crap.


This is why I make sure to have only the o/s drive in the rig when I do an os install. Other drives get installed at a later date after windows is set up and all drivers and such are loaded.


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## silkstone (Aug 11, 2013)

ThE_MaD_ShOt said:


> This is why I make sure to have only the o/s drive in the rig when I do an os install. Other drives get installed at a later date after windows is set up and all drivers and such are loaded.





michael said:


> Due to some problem I had to reinstall my OS on SSD,
> So I disconnected other two hard disks . 3TB and 1 TB and installed OS again on SSD



he did


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## Ikaruga (Aug 11, 2013)

Batou1986 said:


> Windows will only recognize 4 partitions per disk, I think that may have had something to do with your problem.





But I think you are right, and it's just some windows problem (max 4 primary perhaps), and the partitions would be there in Linux or in a special utility (well they were probably there at least)


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## michael (Aug 11, 2013)

Hi Guys,
Thanks a lot for your replies!!
Well, I will check that "Testdisk" software, but not needed now.
What I have done now is:-
I formatted the *whole 3TB drive from command prompt with DISKPART and converted to GPT and then by going into Disk management converted whole drive to NTFS with Format.*

After converting the whole drive into 3Tb I copied some data onto it.

Then, I tried to connect that 3Tb drive via Segate SATA adaptor to my laptop,but I could not see that drive and was asked to format into 2Tb and 877Gb Format.

So point here is:- You can not connect it via external adaptor to get its data.

Then, I* reinstalled *whole OS again on my SSD,(had disconnected other drives) just to check that whether I can get that 3 TB data back or not, BUT I COULD ACCESS MY DATA BACK EVEN AFTER REINSTALLING MY OS ON SSD.

So Yes, as some guys said in previous posts, just do not partition the 3Tb drive and just use it as single drive.

But , yes one thing I need to know is that, which I did not try, Can I connect this  3Tb drive internally via SATA port in other system to get its DATA?

Well, the data I lost , I will again download from internet.

Thanks a lot!

Please provide me the link for testdisk if possible.


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## Ikaruga (Aug 11, 2013)

michael said:


> Hi Guys,
> Thanks a lot for your replies!!
> Well, I will check that "Testdisk" software, but not needed now.
> What I have done now is:-
> ...



The size of MBR drives cannot exceed 2.xx TiB, because MBR using 32bit only, so that's why you need to make GPT partitions on these large drives... but again, the data was probably still there when you thought you lost it, the real mistake was when you rushed in and reformated and repartitioned the whole thing. 

It might be still there tho, but I did not test such scenario tbh and I would not start guessing fest when it's about the computer of somebody else.

ps.: Google is your friend: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download


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