Disk Drive Issues

V

vampiressd13

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2025
Messages
25
Windows 11 Home
Device name Vampiressd13
Processor AMD Ryzen 3 3350U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx (2.10 GHz)
Installed RAM 8.00 GB (5.94 GB usable)
Device ID 906CFB63-6C56-48F8-995E-9A949DED0FD2
Product ID 00356-02689-47185-AAOEM
System type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch: No pen or touch input is available for this display
 
Solution
First — don’t panic. You did one sensible thing (powering off to stop any disk activity) and that preserved the current state. Follow these steps in order — they move from safest (least likely to make things worse) to more aggressive repairs. Tell me what you see at each step and I’ll guide you through the next action.
Before we start — a couple quick questions
  • Do you hear the drive spin up or click when you plug it in?
  • Do you have another PC you can try it on, or another external drive with enough free space to copy important files to?
  • How important are the files (replaceable / very important / priceless family photos)?
1) Reconnect, but don’t click Format or initialize
  • Plug the drive back into a known-good USB...
Sort by date Sort by votes
Device name Vampiressd13
Processor AMD Ryzen 3 3350U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx (2.10 GHz)
Installed RAM 8.00 GB (5.94 GB usable)
Device ID 906CFB63-6C56-48F8-995E-9A949DED0FD2
Product ID 00356-02689-47185-AAOEM
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display
windows 11 home edition
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Nice — thanks for the details (Windows 11 Home and the hardware specs). You’re in a perfect spot to get OneDrive + File History set up and to check drivers once we know the exact Acer model.
Short plan — pick one and I’ll walk you through it step‑by‑step
  • A — Set up OneDrive and enable PC folder backup (Documents / Pictures / Desktop). This gives continuous cloud sync and is the easiest first step.
  • B — Set up File History to an external USB drive (local, versioned backups). Good second layer of protection.
  • C — Locate your Acer System Model so I can give exact driver/BIOS links (chipset, graphics, Wi‑Fi). I’ll only recommend downloads if they’re newer than what Windows Update installs.
Where to get the Acer model (if you pick C)
  • Press Win+R → type msinfo32 → Enter → look for System Model (copy that line here).
  • Or: Settings → System → About → Device specifications → look for “System model”.
    If there’s a sticker on the laptop base, the model is usually printed there too.
Quick how‑to highlights (so you can pick)
  • OneDrive (cloud sync + easy restore): open the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area (or start OneDrive from Start), sign in with your Microsoft account, then Settings → Backup → Manage backup → enable Desktop, Documents, Pictures. This will keep those folders synced to the cloud automatically.
  • File History (external drive): plug in a dedicated external drive (NTFS recommended), then Control Panel → System and Security → File History → Select drive → Turn on. File History keeps versions and is a great offline complement to OneDrive. For full details see the backup guide we keep on the site. hou have an external drive ready, pick B and we’ll enable File History together. If not, pick A and we’ll enable OneDrive now (you can add File History later).
  • If you’d like driver links and I’m to check your Acer support page for updates, pick C and paste the System Model here. I’ll then point to the exact downloads.
  • File History and OneDrive together give excellent protection (cloud + offline). The forum has a full step‑by‑step guide if you want to read more before we start.
Which one shall we do first — A (OneDriv or C (find Acer model for drivers)? If C, paste the msinfo32 “System Model” line and I’ll fetch the correct driver links.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I have an external drive. I had it plugged in, then it said that it needed an error check. I clicked to check errors but nothing happened so I turned off the computer and waited for the laptop to be fully off to unplugged my external hard drive. There are too many files on there to lose what should I do
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
First — don’t panic. You did one sensible thing (powering off to stop any disk activity) and that preserved the current state. Follow these steps in order — they move from safest (least likely to make things worse) to more aggressive repairs. Tell me what you see at each step and I’ll guide you through the next action.
Before we start — a couple quick questions
  • Do you hear the drive spin up or click when you plug it in?
  • Do you have another PC you can try it on, or another external drive with enough free space to copy important files to?
  • How important are the files (replaceable / very important / priceless family photos)?
1) Reconnect, but don’t click Format or initialize
  • Plug the drive back into a known-good USB port directly on the laptop (avoid hubs).
  • If Windows prompts “You need to format the disk before you can use it”, do NOT format. Formatting will make recovery harder.
2) Check whether your files are visible and copy the most important ones first (if they are)
  • Open File Explorer and look for the drive letter. If you can see your folders and files, immediately copy the most valuable files to your internal drive or a second external drive. Copy in small batches (not everything at once) so if something fails you’ve still saved some data.
3) Inspect the drive status in Disk Management
  • Press Win+X → Disk Management.
  • Note how the drive appears:
    • If it shows a drive letter and NTFS/FAT32 and “Healthy” — good, copy files now.
    • If it shows “RAW” or no file system or “Unallocated” — the filesystem is corrupted.
    • If it shows the correct size but no partitions/RAW, don’t initialize or create partitions.
(If you want a walkthrough of Disk Management, tell me the exact wording you see and I’ll interpret it.)
4) If files aren’t visible: try a safe, read‑only scan first
  • Use a read‑only recovery tool so nothing is written to the failing disk:
    • TestDisk & PhotoRec (free, open-source). TestDisk can rebuild partitions; PhotoRec recovers files by signature (may lose original filenames/folders).
    • Recuva (free, user‑friendly) can recover deleted/corrupted files on accessible partitions.
  • Run recovery on a different drive (set the recovery destination to your laptop’s internal drive or another external drive) — never recover files back to the same failing disk.
  • If you want, I can give step‑by‑step for PhotoRec/TestDisk or Recuva.
5) Try Windows’ built‑in error check (less invasive) — only if the drive is recognized and you can’t copy files
  • In File Explorer right‑click the external drive → Properties → Tools → Check → “Scan drive”. This attempts a read/repair but is gentler than forceful chkdsk /r.
  • If it allows a scan without repairing, choose that first. After the scan, try to copy files again.
6) CHKDSK — use with caution
  • chkdsk can fix filesystem errors but sometimes causes files to move to FOUND.000 and get renamed if directories are damaged. If the data is critical and recovery tools didn’t help, stop here and consult a pro.
  • If you accept the risk, run chkdsk from an elevated terminal:
    • Win+X → Windows Terminal (Admin) → type chkdsk E: /f (replace E: with your drive letter)
    • If /f runs but doesn’t fix bad sectors, use chkdsk E: /r (this includes /f and scans sectors; it’s much slower).
  • Don’t interrupt chkdsk once it’s running.
7) If the drive enclosure/cable might be the problem
  • Try a different USB cable or different USB port (back‑panel ports on a desktop are better).
  • If the external drive is a HDD in an enclosure, the USB-SATA adapter in the enclosure can fail; connecting the bare drive internally to a desktop SATA port (or using a different SATA‑USB adapter) can sometimes expose the data. (This is more technical — I can guide you if you’re comfortable or you can ask a local technician.)
8) When to stop and get a professional
  • If the drive makes clicking/noise, or recovery tools show many read errors, or the files are extremely important (irreplaceable photos), stop and contact a professional data recovery service. Continued DIY attempts can make physical failures worse and reduce chances of a full recovery.
Useful tools / links (I can walk you through any of these)
  • TestDisk & PhotoRec (free, powerful) — good first choice for corrupted partitions and file recovery.
  • Recuva (free) — simpler GUI for file recovery on accessible partitions.
  • EaseUS / R‑Studio / Disk Drill — commercial recovery tools with friendly GUIs (paid).
  • Professional recovery services — pricey but best for mechanical failures.
Why this happened (brief)
  • Windows saw a filesystem inconsistency and wanted to run an error check; the check didn’t complete before you powered down, which sometimes leaves the drive metadata in an inconsistent state. In most cases the data is still recoverable if you proceed carefully.
Next steps — what I recommend now (short)
  1. Reconnect the drive to a working USB port. If files are visible, copy the most important ones immediately to a safe location.
  2. If files are not visible, tell me what Disk Management shows (exact wording) and whether Windows asks to format. I’ll guide you through trying a read‑only recovery with PhotoRec/TestDisk (I’ll give step‑by‑step).
  3. If you hear mechanical noises (clicking), stop and consider a professional.
If you want, we can do this together now — tell me:
  • Did you replug the drive yet?
  • What do you see in File Explorer or Disk Management (any exact messages)?
  • Do you have another drive (temporary target) to copy recovered files to?
Also — here’s a forum guide with step‑by‑step backup and File History tips if you want more background while we work: had been running to this drive, the forum has specific advice for reconnecting a File History drive without data loss.
I’ll stay with you ll me what you see when you plug the drive back in.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
  • Press Win+R → type msinfo32 → Enter → look for System Model (copy that line here). Aspire A515-46
  • Locate your Acer System Model so I can give exact driver/BIOS links (chipset, graphics, Wi‑Fi). I’ll only recommend downloads if they’re newer than what Windows Update installs.
system type: x64-based PC
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Good — thanks for the model (Aspire A515‑46). Two priorities right now: (A) recover your external drive safely, and (B) get the correct drivers/BIOS guidance for your Aspire. I’ll keep this short and ordered so you know exactly what to do next. I’ll also stay with you step‑by‑step if you want.
A — Urgent: external drive recovery (do this first)
  1. Stop and don’t format
    • If Windows asks to “Format” the drive, click Cancel. Formatting will make recovery harder.
  2. Reconnect safely
    • Plug the drive directly into a working USB port (avoid hubs). If you have a spare cable or another PC, try those too — sometimes the enclosure/cable causes the problem.
  3. If the files/folders are visible in File Explorer
    • Immediately copy the most important files (photos, documents) to your PC or another external drive. Copy in small batches (e.g., 10–50 files at a time) so you don’t overload the connection if there are read errors.
  4. If you don’t see files or Windows says the filesystem is RAW / needs formatting
    • Do NOT initialize/format. Open Disk Management and tell me exactly how the disk is listed (example exact text: “Disk 1 — Basic — Unknown — Not Initialized” or “E: RAW” or “Healthy (Primary Partition)”). I’ll interpret it for you.
  5. Try a read‑only recovery first (safer than running chkdsk)
    • Two recommended tools (I can walk you through either):
      • Recuva (easiest GUI): run on your Windows PC, point it at the external drive, and recover files to a different drive (never the failing drive). Good for accessible partitions.
      • TestDisk + PhotoRec (free & powerful): TestDisk can repair partitions, PhotoRec recovers files by signature if the filesystem is damaged (names/folder structure may be lost). Always recover files to a different drive.
    • Important: set the recovery destination to your PC’s internal drive or another external drive — never recover onto the problematic disk.
  6. Try Windows’ gentle scan first (only if the drive is visible)
    • Explorer → right‑click external drive → Properties → Tools → Check. Choose the “Scan” option (not the full repair) and then try copying files again.
  7. CHKDSK: last resort and use with caution
    • chkdsk can fix many filesystem problems but may relocate files to FOUND folders and rename them. If your files are priceless and recovery tools didn’t help, stop and consider a professional data‑recovery service.
    • If you accept the risk, run from admin Terminal: chkdsk E: /f (replace E. If required later: chkdsk E: /r (slower — checks for bad sectors).
  8. Mechanical noises = stop & seek pro
    • If the drive clicks, chirps, or makes unusual sounds, unplug it and contact a professional data recovery service — do not keep powering it.
If you want step‑by‑step now: tell me (a) whether the drive shows up in Explorer and (b) what Disk Management says (exact wording). I’ll give the hands‑on steps for Recuva or PhotoRec.
B — Drivers / BIOS for Aspire A515‑46 (safe, practical plan)
  1. Don’t install everything blindly
    • Use Windows Update first (Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates). It often supplies safe OEM drivers for your model.
  2. Use Acer’s support page for A515‑46
    • On Acer’s site (Support → Drivers & Manuals) enter your model (A515‑46) or serial number to get the model‑specific downloads and manuals. Look for chipset, WLAN, audio, touchpad, and video drivers, plus BIOS/UEFI. If you want, paste the System Model + the BIOS Version/Date (see step 4 below) and I’ll check the exact downloads for you.
    • If Acer’s support page doesn’t list Windows 11 drivers, use the Windows 11 filter or try Windows 10 drivers marked compatible.
  3. For graphics and firmware
    • For the integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics, use the AMD Software (Adrenalin) package if Acer’s site doesn’t have a newer certified version — AMD’s official driver package usually provides up‑to‑date support for Vega graphics. I can point to the exact current Adrenalin download if you want to update the GPU driver.
    • For the wireless card (many A515‑46 configs use MediaTek MT7921), use the vendor driver (MediaTek) or Acer’s recommended driver. Using a vendor driver can fix Wi‑Fi issues on Windows 11.
  4. How to check what you already have (BIOS / driver versions)
    • BIOS/UEFI: Win+R → msinfo32 → look at “BIOS Version/Date”. Copy that line here and I’ll compare it to Acer’s current file versions.
    • GPU driver: Device Manager → Display adapters → right‑click AMD Radeon → Properties → Driver tab → note Driver Version & Date.
    • WLAN driver: Device Manager → Network adapters → expand → right‑click your Wi‑Fi adapter → Properties → Driver tab → note Driver Version.
  5. BIOS update caution
    • Only update BIOS/UEFI if the vendor explicitly lists a fix you need (sleep/wake, boot problems, security fix). BIOS updates carry small but real risk; follow Acer’s instructions exactly and ensure AC power is connected.
C — Quick recovery + driver plan I recommend now
  1. First: follow the recovery steps above to secure data from the external drive (copy visible files right away; if invisible, run TestDisk/PhotoRec or Recuva). Ask me and I’ll walk you through whichever tool you prefer. I can give a clickable step list for Recuva or a step flow for PhotoRec.
  2. Next: if you want I’ll check the current Acer downloads for A515‑46 and point you at chipset, video, and Wi‑Fi drivers that are appropriate — paste your BIOS Version/Date and Driver Versions (GPU/Wi‑Fi) here, or let me fetch the Acer support page for your model and compare. Third‑party scans show this model commonly uses AMD Radeon Vega 6 and MediaTek MT7921 Wi‑Fi (use vendor drivers if Acer doesn’t have newer versions).
  3. Useful reading / backup reference
    • If you want a deeper backup checklist and File History/OneDrive setup before we change anything, see the forum’s backup guide (good reference when combining OneDrive + File History).
Which would you like to do right now?
  • Option 1 — Recover files: tell me what Disk Management shows (exact text) and whether files appear in Explorer. I’ll give step‑by‑step for Recuva or PhotoRec.
  • Option 2 — Drivers/BIOS: paste your BIOS Version/Date and GPU/Wi‑Fi driver versions (I’ll compare and link to downloads).
  • Option 3 — I’ll do both: walk you through safe recovery first, then driver checks.
I’ll stay with you the whole time — tell me which option and paste the Disk Management or Driver info if you want me to check.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thank you — and good job attaching the screenshot. That prompt is exactly what Windows shows after it detects a possible filesystem problem on the drive. Short answer: don’t click “Scan and fix (recommended)” yet. Follow this safe, ordered plan to maximize the chance of getting your files back.
Why not “Scan and fix” right away?
  • The scan runs chkdsk-style repairs which can move/rename files (FOUND.000) or make other changes. If the files are important, we should try to copy them off first in their current state. After you have a safe copy, repairing is fine. (Good backup/read‑first practice is described in the forum backup guide.)
Step‑by‑step — do these now
1) Choose “Continue without scanning”
  • Click Continue without scanning so you can attempt to access and copy files immediately. (If you clicked “Scan and fix” by accident, stop and tell me what happened.)
2) Try to copy your most important files immediately
  • Open File Explorer and navigate to the external drive (D: in the screenshot).
  • Copy the very most critical items first (family photos, financial documents, anything irreplaceable) to another safe location:
    • Your internal drive (e.g., Documents) OR
    • A different external USB drive (preferred if you have one).
  • Copy in small batches (10–50 files at a time) and verify they open after each batch. If a file copy fails with an error, skip that file and continue to the next — salvage what you can.
If you don’t have another external drive, let me know now and I’ll suggest the safest next steps.
3) If files are visible but copying fails or some folders are missing
  • Don’t reformat or initialize the drive.
  • Open Disk Management so I can interpret the drive status for you:
    • Press Win+X → Disk Management.
    • Tell me the exact wording for the external disk (example outputs to tell me: “Healthy (Primary Partition)”, “RAW”, “Unallocated”, “Not Initialized”, or the drive letter / capacity).
    • Based on that I’ll tell you whether a read‑only recovery attempt makes sense.
4) If files are NOT visible or the filesystem is RAW
  • We will try read-only recovery tools (they don’t write to the failing disk):
    • PhotoRec (free) — recovers files by signature; preserves data but may lose original folder structure/names.
    • TestDisk (free) — can sometimes repair the partition table (this writes to disk; do this only after you’ve exhausted read-only recovery or after making a full image).
    • Recuva (free, GUI) — easier for beginners and worth trying if the partition is still accessible.
  • Important: always recover to a different drive — never recover onto the failing disk.
5) Windows’ built‑in “Check” (gentle) vs chkdsk
  • The “Check” button (Explorer → Properties → Tools → Check) is gentler; you can try that only after you’ve copied what you can.
  • chkdsk (Win+X → Terminal (Admin) → chkdsk E: /f or /r) can fix deeper problems but may alter/move files — use only when data is backed up or you accept the risk.
6) If you hear clicking or mechanical noises
  • Unplug the drive and stop. This is a likely hardware failure and DIY attempts can make recovery worse. Contact a professional data‑recovery service.
Quick next questions so I can guide you right away
  • Did you click “Continue without scanning”? Can you see files in Explorer now?
  • Do you have another external drive or enough space on your PC to copy the files to?
  • In Disk Management (Win+X → Disk Management), what exact text does the external drive show? Copy/paste or type the line(s) you see.
If you want, I can:
  • Walk you step‑by‑step while you copy files now.
  • Walk you through using Recuva (GUI) or PhotoRec (more powerful) to recover files if they aren’t visible.
  • Explain how to safely run the Windows “Check” or chkdsk after we’ve secured your data.
Reference note
  • The forum backup/restore guide and File History help are a good follow‑up once your files are safe; it covers reconnecting backup drives and recovery approaches.
I’ll stay with you through each step — tell me what you see in Explorer or Disk Management and whether you have another drive to copy files to.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote

This is the message I received when I clicked to not scan
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks — the screenshots are perfect. The second dialog is just the Photos/Import prompt; you can click “Not now.” Don’t click any Format or Scan & fix prompts yet. Here’s a short, safe plan and the exact steps to try right now.
1) Dismiss the import prompt
  • Click Not now (or Cancel). That import dialog won’t recover anything and isn’t needed for copying files.
2) Immediately try copying the most important files (do this first)
  • Open File Explorer (Win+E) → This PC → double‑click D: (your external drive).
  • If you can see your folders/files:
    • Create a new folder on your internal drive to receive files, e.g. C:\RecoveredBackup\<today’s-date>.
    • Select a few high‑value items (family photos, documents) — start with 10–20 files or one folder.
    • Right‑click → Copy, then go to C:\RecoveredBackup\<date> → Right‑click → Paste.
    • Open a couple of the copied files to confirm they work. Repeat in small batches until you’ve salvaged the most important things.
  • If a file fails to copy, skip it and continue with the rest — salvage what you can.
3) If File Explorer shows nothing or copy fails repeatedly
  • Do not format or initialize the drive. Instead, check what Windows sees in Disk Management:
    • Press Win+X → Disk Management.
    • Tell me the exact text shown for the drive (copy it here). Useful examples I might see are:
    • “Healthy (Primary Partition)” with a drive letter — good.
    • “RAW” — file system corrupted.
    • “Unallocated” or “Not Initialized” — partition table lost.
    • Based on that exact wording I’ll tell you the next move.
4) If you want a more robust copy that tolerates errors (optional)
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt or Windows Terminal (Win+X → Windows Terminal (Admin)) and run Robocopy to copy the whole drive while skipping bad files:
    • Example command (adjust drive letters):
      robocopy "D:\" "C:\RecoveredBackup" /E /R:2 /W:2 /FFT /V /MT:8
    • Explanation: /E copies all folders, /R:2 retries twice, /W:2 waits 2 seconds between retries, /MT:8 uses multithreading (faster). Robocopy will skip files it can’t read and continue. If you want, I’ll paste the exact command with the folder names you prefer.
5) If the drive is RAW or files are not visible
  • Use read‑only recovery tools (they don’t write to the failing disk):
    • Recuva (easiest GUI) — good first try for accessible partitions.
    • PhotoRec/TestDisk (free, powerful) — PhotoRec recovers files by signature; TestDisk can repair partitions (TestDisk writes to the disk — do that only after you’ve tried safe recovery or made an image).
  • Always recover to a different drive — never recover back onto the failing disk.
6) When to use Windows “Scan and fix” or chkdsk
  • Only after you’ve copied important files, or when you accept that repairs may rename/move some files (FOUND.000 folders). The built‑in Tools → Check is gentler; chkdsk E: /f or chkdsk E: /r is more aggressive. I’ll walk you through either, but only after you’ve backed up critical files.
7) If the drive makes unusual noises (clicking)
  • Unplug it immediately and stop. That’s likely mechanical failure — send it to a professional data‑recovery service. Continued DIY attempts can reduce the chance of full recovery.
Helpful guide (if you want to read more while we work)
  • The forum’s backup/recovery guide explains File History and how to handle a disconnected backup drive.
Tell me now:
  • Did you click Not now on the import prompt? (I assume yes from the screenshot.)
  • Can you see files in File Explorer on D:? If yes, please try copying one small folder to C:\RecoveredBackup and tell me whether it succeeded.
  • If files aren’t visible, paste the exact Disk Management line for the external drive here (or tell me what it says).
I’ll stay with you step‑by‑step — say “I can see files” or paste the Disk Management text and I’ll give the next exact command/clicks.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Short answer: yes — you can compress everything into a ZIP, but not right now on the failing drive. Do the safer steps below first so you don’t risk losing more data.
Why not zip directly on the failing disk
  • Creating a single large archive writes heavily to the same disk, increasing the chance of further corruption if the drive is failing.
  • If the archive process fails mid‑run, you may lose partial work and waste time.
  • Zipping also makes verification/recovery harder than simply copying files or making an image first.
Safer recommended workflow (ordered)
1) Copy the most important files first (best practice)
  • Immediately copy irreplaceable files (photos, documents) to a different healthy drive (internal or another external). Use File Explorer or robocopy for a more robust copy that skips bad files:
    • Example robocopy command (open Windows Terminal as Admin and adjust letters):
      robocopy "D:\" "C:\RecoveredBackup" /E /R:2 /W:2 /V /MT:8
    • This will copy everything it can, retry failed files twice, and continue. Save the copy destination on a different drive than D:.
2) If you want a single container, make a disk image (recommended for damaged drives)
  • If the drive is flaky or very large, create a raw image (bit‑for‑bit) of the drive first. Imaging preserves current contents exactly and lets you attempt recovery from the image rather than the failing disk (much safer). Windows-friendly options:
    • Free/powerful: use a Linux live USB with ddrescue (best for read errors), or
    • Windows GUI: Macrium Reflect Free can create an image of the entire disk.
  • Recover from the image (mount or work on the image file) rather than continuing to use the physical failing disk.
3) If you still want a ZIP archive, do it from the copied files or the image
  • Don’t create the ZIP on the failing disk. Create it on the healthy destination drive (the one you copied to or the image file).
  • Use 7‑Zip (recommended) because it’s reliable and supports splitting large archives.
7‑Zip GUI steps (easiest)
  • Download & install 7‑Zip (7-zip.org) or use portable version.
  • Select the recovered files/folder on the healthy drive → Right‑click → 7‑Zip → Add to archive…
  • Choose Format = zip (or 7z for better compression), Compression level = Fastest or Fast (to reduce CPU/time), and set Split to volumes, e.g. 700M, 1G, 2G if you want smaller parts.
  • Set the archive destination to the healthy drive (e.g., C:\RecoveredBackup).
7‑Zip command‑line (faster, reproducible)
  • Example (low compression, split into 2 GB parts):
    7z a -tzip -mx1 -mmt=on -v2g "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip" "C:\RecoveredBackup*"
    • a = add, -tzip = ZIP format, -mx1 = low compression (faster, less CPU), -mmt=on = multi‑thread, -v2g = split into 2GB volumes.
  • After creating the archive, test it:
    7z t "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip.001" (7‑Zip will test archive integrity)
4) Verify the archive and spot‑check files
  • Open several files from the ZIP to verify they extracted correctly.
  • Keep the original copied files until you’re 100% sure the archive is good.
When you might choose a ZIP vs other options
  • ZIP is fine if you want a single portable container and you have plenty of good destination space.
  • If files are extremely important or the disk is showing read errors, prefer creating an image (ddrescue/Macrium) and then do recovery/ZIP operations from the image. Imaging is the safest approach for drives with errors.
If the drive is RAW or files aren’t visible
  • Use read‑only recovery tools first (PhotoRec, Recuva) and recover to a different drive. After successful recovery, you can ZIP the recovered files on that healthy drive. For guidance on File History / backups and recovering a disconnected backup, see the forum backup guide.
Quick checklist before you ZIP
  • Destination drive has equal or greater free space than the data size.
  • You are copying/recovering to a healthy drive (not D.
  • Use low compression (-mx1) to reduce time and CPU and to reduce risk of long writes to the failing disk.
  • Split large archives so a single corruption doesn’t spoil the entire backup.
  • Verify the archive after creation.
Want me to walk you through one of these now?
  • I can give exact robocopy command with your chosen destination, or step‑by‑step 7‑Zip GUI/CLI commands.
  • Tell me roughly how much data you have on D: (GB) and where you plan to store the ZIP (internal drive letter or another external drive). If the drive is noisy or Disk Management shows RAW/unallocated, tell me that too — I’ll recommend imaging and recovery steps.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote

can i put them in a zip file
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yes — you can compress everything into a ZIP, but not directly on the potentially‑faulty external drive. Do this in the safe order below so you don’t make recovery harder.
1) Short answer / rule of thumb
  • Do NOT create the ZIP on the failing drive (D.
  • Copy the data to a healthy drive (or make an image) first, then create the ZIP from that healthy copy. See the forum backup guide for more background.
2) If you can see files in File Explorer — safest quick path
a. Make a destination folder on a different (healthy) drive, e.g.:
  • C:\RecoveredBackup\ (or another external drive E:\RecoveredBackup)
    b. Copy the important files there using File Explorer (small batches) — or use Robocopy which is more tolerant of read errors:
  • Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and run (adjust letters if needed):
    robocopy "D:\" "C:\RecoveredBackup" /E /R:2 /W:2 /FFT /V /MT:8
  • Explanation: /E = copy subfolders, /R:2 = retry twice, /W:2 = wait 2s between retries, /MT:8 = multithread.
3) If files are NOT visible or copy fails repeatedly
  • Use a read‑only recovery tool and recover to a different drive (never to D:
    • Recuva (GUI) — easy for beginners.
    • PhotoRec/TestDisk — powerful; PhotoRec recovers file contents by signature (loses original folder names), TestDisk can repair partitions (TestDisk writes to disk; use only after imaging).
  • If the drive is flaky or has read errors, consider making a full image first (Macrium Reflect Free or ddrescue on Linux) and work from the image.
4) Once your recovered/copied files are on a healthy drive — create the ZIP
  • Recommended: use 7‑Zip (more reliable and supports splitting):
    • GUI steps:
      1. Install 7‑Zip (7-zip.org).
      2. Select the recovered folder → Right‑click → 7‑Zip → Add to archive…
      3. Archive format: zip (or 7z for smaller size).
      4. Compression level: Fast or Fastest (faster, less CPU).
      5. If you want smaller pieces, enter Split to volumes, e.g. 2g (for 2 GB parts).
      6. Click OK.
    • Command line example (low compression, split into 2GB parts):
      "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -tzip -mx1 -mmt=on -v2g "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip" "C:\RecoveredBackup*"
    • Test the archive after creation:
      "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" t "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip.001"
  • Alternative (built‑in PowerShell): (less robust for very large sets)
    Compress-Archive -Path C:\RecoveredBackup* -DestinationPath C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip -CompressionLevel Fastest
5) Verification & cleanup
  • Open a few files from the ZIP to verify integrity.
  • Keep the copied unzipped originals until you’re 100% happy with the archive.
  • If the archive is large, store a copy on another external drive or cloud (OneDrive) for redundancy.
6) If you don’t have another drive or enough space
  • Tell me how much data is on D: (approx GB/TB) and how much free space you have on C: or any other drive. If you only have the failing drive, I’ll recommend imaging with Macrium or using PhotoRec to extract files directly to a network share or temporary cloud location — but those options need space and patience.
Want me to walk you through it right now?
  • I can give the exact Robocopy command with your destination, or step you through 7‑Zip GUI on your machine.
    Tell me: (A) Can you see files in File Explorer on D:? (B) Where should we copy them to (C: or another external drive letter)?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
vampiressd13 said:
View attachment 104339
can i put them in a zip file
Click to expand...
  • Immediately copy irreplaceable files (photos, documents) to a different healthy drive (internal or another external). Use File Explorer or robocopy for a more robust copy that skips bad files:
    • Example robocopy command (open Windows Terminal as Admin and adjust letters):
      robocopy "D:\" "C:\RecoveredBackup" /E /R:2 /W:2 /V /MT:8
    • This will copy everything it can, retry failed files twice, and continue. Save the copy destination on a different drive than D:.
    • please help me understand this better please
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yes — you can zip everything, but only after you safely copy/recover the data off the possibly‑failing D: drive. Since you already have an elevated PowerShell window open, here are safe, exact commands and short explanations so you can do it now.
Step 0 — check free space (important)
  • We must make sure the destination (C: or another drive) has enough free space for the copied data. Run this and paste the results if you want me to confirm:
    Get-PSDrive -PSProvider FileSystem | Format-Table Name, @{Label='Free(GB)';Expression={[math]::Round($.Free/1GB,2)}}, @{Label='Used(GB)';Expression={[math]::Round(($.Used)/1GB,2)}} -AutoSize
Step 1 — create a destination folder on a healthy drive
  • If C: has space, create a folder to receive recovered files:
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "C:\RecoveredBackup" -Force
(If you want to use another external drive, replace C: with that drive letter, e.g. E:\RecoveredBackup.)
Step 2 — copy everything from D: to the healthy destination with Robocopy (robust, skips unreadable files)
  • Run (adjust destination if not C:
    robocopy "D:\" "C:\RecoveredBackup" /E /R:2 /W:2 /FFT /V /MT:8
  • What this does:
    • /E copies all subfolders (including empty ones).
    • /R:2 retries 2 times on read errors.
    • /W:2 waits 2 seconds between retries.
    • /MT:8 uses multi-threading (faster).
    • Robocopy will continue past unreadable files and produce a summary at the end — note any “Files :” / “Failed :” counts.
Important: If Robocopy shows many read errors or stalls, stop and tell me — we’ll switch to a read‑only recovery tool.
Step 3 — confirm copied files (spot check)
  • Open a few copied photos/documents from C:\RecoveredBackup and confirm they open properly. If they do, good — you’re ready to archive.
Step 4 — create a ZIP from the healthy copy
Option A — built‑in PowerShell Compress‑Archive (simple, no install):
Compress-Archive -Path "C:\RecoveredBackup*" -DestinationPath "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip" -CompressionLevel Fastest
  • Notes: Fastest is quickest and less CPU-intensive. This writes to the healthy drive only (not D.
Option B — recommended for large collections: 7‑Zip (better handling and supports splitting)
  • If you want to split the archive into parts (safer if a single huge file worries you), install 7‑Zip and then run:
    & "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -tzip -mx1 -mmt=on -v2g "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip" "C:\RecoveredBackup*"
  • Explanation: -mx1 = low compression (faster), -v2g = split into 2 GB parts.
Step 5 — verify the archive
  • For Compress‑Archive, extract a few files to a temp folder to verify.
  • For 7‑Zip, test the archive:
    & "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" t "C:\RecoveredBackup\DriveBackup.zip.001"
Step 6 — keep originals until you’re certain
  • Don’t delete the C:\RecoveredBackup originals until you’ve verified the ZIP(s) and maybe copied them to another safe location (cloud or second external drive).
If destination (C does NOT have enough space
  • Use another external drive (E:, F:, etc.) as the destination in the Robocopy and Compress commands above — e.g. robocopy "D:\" "E:\RecoveredBackup" /E ...
If Robocopy fails or you can’t see files
  • Stop. We’ll try read‑only recovery tools (Recuva or PhotoRec) and recover directly to another drive. I can walk you through either tool step‑by‑step.
Would you like me to:
  • A) Paste the exact Robocopy + Compress commands ready to run for your machine now (confirm destination letter), or
  • B) Walk you through Recuva / PhotoRec if the copy fails, or
  • C) Help install 7‑Zip and use it to make split archives?
Also, paste the output of Get-PSDrive (from Step 0) if you want me to confirm available space before we start.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The snapshot says I need to install the latest version of PowerShell how do I do this
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
  • Solved
Windows 10 Windows 7 to Windows 10 Upgrade: DVD Maker and Disk Drive Issues
Replies
3
Views
1K
davehc