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USB External HDD - Partition shows up as RAW


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Hi Folks,

 

 

I have a Seagate Backup+ Desktop USB 3.0 external HDD. Thing is one or more partitions show up as RAW in disk management and when ever I connect the HDD windows prompts me to format.

 

This seems to be a generic issue and there were  a lot of solutions posted in different sites, however, I have additional symptoms/problems than what was faced by most people -

 

All the partitions are originally NTFS partitions created using Windows 7.

 

- Only 1 partition is identified as RAW when connected to a USB 2.0 port

- All partitions are identified as RAW when connected to a USB 3.0 port. (These were working fine earlier on USB 3.0 connection)

- The partitions and data are identified and files "openable" in Ubuntu 14.04

- Test Disk on windows identifies only one partition.

- Test Disk on linux was able to find all partitions in quick search.

- Test disk on either windows / linux, display's read error when trying to do a deep search.

- There are no symptoms of read error/ bad sector etc in SMART.

- There is no click-of-death noise in HDD.

 

Any suggestions on how to correct the partitions ?

 

 

Config :

 

 

Windows 7 x64 , latest updates

Core i5 4440

Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Mobo

Kingston Hyper X DDR 3 4 GB RAM

AHCI - Enabled

Edited by newprouser
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Hmmm.

Run Testdisk with a LOG, twice (one when connected through the USB 2.0 and once when connected tthrough the USB 3.0).

Compress the logs into a .zip archive and attach the archive.

 

Could it be that the issue is *somehow* connected with this recent - in the works - one? :unsure:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/173265-formatting-an-external-drive-using-different-interfaces/

 

jaclaz

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Hi Jaclaz,
 
 
Thanks for your response.
 
I have attached two logs as you requested using testdisk 6.14 on windows 7

 

USB 2.0 : See post attachment

USB 3.0 : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27OhEKhMnnRbml0X29wRG03WGM/view?usp=sharing

 

Btw, All i did is - open test disk and view the partitions.

On USB 2.0, all partitions were already listed so I did not continue quick search.

On USB 3.0, only 1 partition was listed , and even then test disk started writing a huge log (1 gig in 2 mins or so), so I did not continue quick search.

 

Let me know if you want me to try anything else or if you would like me to try running it from ubuntu.

testdisk_USB2.0.zip

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It's queer.

 

The testdisk log through USB 2.0 is "normal" (initial part).

disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=2000398934016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdc)=2000398931968
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=2000398934016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive2)=2000398931968
...

Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63, sector size=512 - ST310005 28AS, S/N:5VP4LDTE, FW:CC38
Disk /dev/sdb - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512 - WDC WD20EFRX-68EUZN0, S/N:WD-WCC4MFT8T4D8, FW:80.0
Disk /dev/sdc - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512 - Seagate Backup+ Desk, S/N:NA5JQM33, FW:SH04

 

The testdisk log under USB 3.x is not:

disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=2000398934016
filewin32_getfilesize(/dev/sdc) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(/dev/sdc) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for Disk /dev/sdc - 0 B - 1 sectors, sector size=512 - Seagate Backup+ Desk
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=2000398934016
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive2) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive2) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive2
...

Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63, sector size=512 - ST310005 28AS, S/N:5VP4LDTE, FW:CC38
Disk /dev/sdb - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512 - WDC WD20EFRX-68EUZN0, S/N:WD-WCC4MFT8T4D8, FW:80.0
Drive O: - 107 GB / 100 GiB - CHS 209715200 1 1, sector size=512 - Seagate Backup+ Desk, S/N:NA5JQM33, FW:SH04

 

 

If we set aside (temporarily) the partition that is shown as RAW under USB 2.0, the logs seem like there is a connection issue under USB 3.0.

That could be the actual USB port/controller on the PC (or the Windows 7 driver) or the interface/bridge on the hard disk case or the cable not supporting USB 3.0 data flow.

 

Since you have no issues with Ubuntu, most of the above seem however unlikely. :unsure: and it *must* be the Windows 7 or the actual driver used in it.

It is possible that Testdisk and the Windows 7 (or the USB 3.0 driver) have issues in communicating, but since you have the same issues in the "plain" Windows 7 the most likely culprit is the interface/controller driver (possibly combined with the specific SATA to USB bridge inside the hd case).

 

Which specific driver are you using?

Which specific USB 3.0 controller does your motherboard have?

 

As a check, can you try examining the disk using DMDE?

http://dmde.com/

 

there is a Windows (GUI) version, which is the one I normally use, but there there are also a Windows CLI and a Linux CLI ones, so that you can compare results under the two OS.

 

jaclaz

 

 

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Hi Jaclaz,

 

 

Wanted to share another interesting information :

 

When I said I was on USB 2.0 connection in the above posts, I was connected to Physical USB 3.0 port using a 5+ year old generic USB 2.0 cable ( in addition to the Ext. HDD's Original USB 3.0 cable)

 

PC USB 3.0 Port => USB 2.0 Ext Cable => External HDD's Original USB 3.0 cable => Ext HDD USB 3.0 port.

 

 

So when I connected the HDD directly to the same Physical USB 3.0 port as the used by the USB 2.0 extension cable, as expected, all the partitions are recognized as RAW in disk management.

Similarly when I connected to an Physical USB 2.0 port as the extension cable, as expected, only one of the partitions is recognized as RAW in disk management.

 

So your guess of the problem being the USB 3.0 driver might be correct. Also I have two installations of the same Windows 7 x64  + below listed drivers installed with same symptoms.

 

Which specific driver are you using?

 

 

The following are drivers used :

 

Intel USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller Driver

 

Other Storage Specific Drivers :

 

Intel Rapid Storage Techonology Driver

Intel Management Engine Components

 

All drivers acquired from Gigabyte Downloads : http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4971#dl

 

 

Which specific USB 3.0 controller does your motherboard have?

 

 

 

I couldn't find this on a basic search , I'll try it to find it out.

 

can you try examining the disk using DMDE?

 

 

Will try it out now.

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Wanted to share another interesting information :

 

When I said I was on USB 2.0 connection in the above posts, I was connected to Physical USB 3.0 port using a 5+ year old generic USB 2.0 cable ( in addition to the Ext. HDD's Original USB 3.0 cable)

 

PC USB 3.0 Port => USB 2.0 Ext Cable => External HDD's Original USB 3.0 cable => Ext HDD USB 3.0 port.

 

 

So when I connected the HDD directly to the same Physical USB 3.0 port as the used by the USB 2.0 extension cable, as expected, all the partitions are recognized as RAW in disk management.

Similarly when I connected to an Physical USB 2.0 port as the extension cable, as expected, only one of the partitions is recognized as RAW in disk management.

 

So your guess of the problem being the USB 3.0 driver might be correct. Also I have two installations of the same Windows 7 x64  + below listed drivers installed with same symptoms.

 

This should more or less mean that the hardware (or the driver, or both) is/are capable of finding out that you inserted a USB 2.0 cable in the connection and thus they slow down the negotiation on the Bus (or *whatever*) to USB 2.0 speed.

 

All in all the possibility of the "Ext. HDD's Original USB 3.0 cable" being simply defective (i.e. working fine at USB 2.0 speed BUT failing at USB 3.0 speeds) has not been ruled out.

 

For all we know it is possible that the "Windows 7" (and it's driver(s)) is/are "better" than what Linux uses, in the sense that it is possible that *somehow* the Windows 7 operates at "full" USB 3.0 speed (and the cable prevents it from working properly) while the Ubuntu *somehow* uses a slightly slower transfer/negotiation rate and then succeeds. 

 

Or viceversa, it is possible that Ubuntu is "smarter" and, finding that at "full" USB 3.00 speed there are errors in the connection, auto-negotiates a lower speed while the Windows 7 is "dumber" and operates at full speed "or nothing". :unsure:

 

Maybe the good ol' times are back ;) and the cable is actually the culprit:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/163189-hard-drive-controller-errors-abound-atapi-event-11/

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/163189-hard-drive-controller-errors-abound-atapi-event-11/?p=1041690

 

jaclaz

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  • 2 weeks later...

For anybody who might come across this in future, the problem turned out to be the USB-To-SATA convertor chip. The drive seems to be working fine after replacing the USB-To-SATA component (the seagate backup+ have user replaceable ones). Btw now that I think about it, in all my previous seagate usb hdd drive issues, the problem has always been the USB-To-SATA component which always used to fail after a year or two. :(

Edited by newprouser
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