I had a 300 gig ext maxtor hd usb'd to my PC, approx 85-90% full of data.
During a burning process (using Nero) of data from the drive my PC got unplugged, I rebooted to find the maxtor wasn't listed in my computer or windows explorer.
I went through to computer management where the drive shows, but it states unallocated and calls for formatting?
What I really need to find out is if there's any chance the data may still be on there, saved, accessed or retrieved...
Is it possible that the PC being unplugged has wiped ALL 270 gig worth?
Is it worth stripping the sealed maxtor to plug in internally?
I have tried the hd on another PC and get the samw unallocated message from computer management... drivin me nuts.
Any help, suggestions greatly apprciated, as you can guess I'm gutted, its a lot of data to loose!
Just to note, the drive sounds fine when it starts up?
Anyhow, cheers

420uk

Hi 420uk,
I feel your pain. I have an external Maxtor drive myself that has been the bane of my existence for years. This has happened to me on multiple occasions. Here is a free program that has saved the majority of my data on all but one occasion:

PC INSPECTOR File Recovery

Though for reasons unknown this program did not work for me after the last disaster, in which case I was forced to resort to commercial software. That is when I stopped using the drive for critical data.
Anyhow, it is generally quite difficult to completely eradicate data, intentionally or otherwise. A simple format or the like is highly unlikely to make the data unretrievable by more sophisticated means or programs. Unless the drive is somehow physically damaged, as in bad sectors for instance, I would suspect your data is likely near wholly intact, though it may ultimately just be a matter of what you're willing to spend to retrieve it.
Good luck. I hope the program works as well for you as it has for me in the past.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 420uk

I had a 300 gig ext maxtor hd usb'd to my pc, approx 85-90% full of data.
During a burning process (using Nero) of data from the drive my pc got unplugged, i rebooted to find the maxtor wasnt listed in my computer or windows explorer.
i went through to computer management where the drive shows, but it states unallocated and calls for formatting?
What i really need to find out is if theres any chance the data may still be on there, saved, accessed or retrieved......
is it possible that the pc being unplugged has wiped ALL 270 gig worth??
is it worth stripping the sealed maxtor to plug in internally?
i have tried the hd on another pc and get the samw unallocated message from computer management....drivin me nuts.
any help, suggestions greatly apprciated, as you can guess i'm gutted, its alot of data to loose!
just to note, the drive sounds fine when it starts up??
anyhow, cheers

420uk

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Thomas1970,
Thanks for the reply & link !
Will check out PC INSPECTOR, could you tell me the names of any of the commercial software available for this kind of job?
Cheers

420uk