Member Avatar for normanallen

I have a 750Gb Maxtor USB HDD mounted as G:. I just received a message saying "G:\$Secure is corrupt. Run chkdsk". So I did (in a cmd window). What I got is this:

C:\Documents and Settings\Norman>chkdsk g: /f
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OneTouch4.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
Truncating corrupt attribute list for file 177396.
Deleted corrupt attribute list for file 177396.
Truncating corrupt attribute list for file 179104.
Deleted corrupt attribute list for file 179104.
Truncating corrupt attribute list for file 247220.
Deleted corrupt attribute list for file 247220.
Truncating corrupt attribute list for file 468295.
Deleted corrupt attribute list for file 468295.
File verification completed.
Deleting orphan file record segment 177397.
Deleting orphan file record segment 179105.
Deleting orphan file record segment 247221.
Deleting orphan file record segment 468296.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Correcting error in index $SDH for file 9.
Correcting error in index $SDH for file 9.
Sorting index $SDH in file 9.
Correcting error in index $SII for file 9.
Correcting error in index $SII for file 9.
Sorting index $SII in file 9.
Correcting error in index $O for file 25.
Correcting error in index $O for file 25.
Correcting error in index $O for file 25.
Correcting error in index $O for file 25.
Correcting error in index $O for file 25.
Insufficient disk space to correct errors
in index $O of file 25.
An unspecified error occurred.

C:\Documents and Settings\Norman>
C:\Documents and Settings\Norman>
C:\Documents and Settings\Norman>

The G: drive is currently unmounted (not surprising). Am I safe to reboot to remount the drive?

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Dani AI

Generated

Given what and have already tried, treat the drive as suspect hardware rather than just a flaky file system. The combination of chkdsk getting stuck on index repairs and a vendor diagnostic that flagged SMART is a strong signal to stop writing to the disk immediately. Further writes increase the chance of permanent data loss.

Recommended, safe workflow:

  • Do not run more repairs on the original. Make a sector-by-sector image of the entire drive to another disk (use a tool that tolerates and retries bad sectors). Work from that image for all recovery attempts.
  • Check SMART attributes with a trusted tool (or smartmontools) to see reallocated-sector, pending-sector, and uncorrectable counts. If those counters are elevated, replace the drive.
  • If the enclosure/USB bridge might be involved, connect the drive directly to a desktop SATA port for diagnostics (note this can void an external-enclosure warranty). Re-run the vendor extended tests while directly attached.
  • Attempt file recovery on the image (TestDisk/PhotoRec, R-Studio, or commercial recovery services) rather than on the original media.

A few practical notes: leave System Volume Information alone unless you have an image and know what you are doing; deleting it can lose restore points but not salvage corrupted disk sectors. If the data is critical and SMART shows hardware errors, consider professional recovery or an RMA rather than spending more time with chkdsk loops on the live disk.

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Member Avatar for freshfitz

Yes and if it does remount you need to delete info you drive is full and out of space

Member Avatar for normanallen

Would that were the case! The drive remounted OK on reboot and was not full. I really don't know what chkdsk was doing. In the process of deleting some files, the delete failed as one directory was corrupt. I'm still trying to find something else to check the disk with. If I can't then back it goes for exchange.

Member Avatar for freshfitz

Did you run chkdsk again?

Member Avatar for normanallen

And it failed miserably. Got though Phase 1 OK, and on indices got into a loop saying "Inserting an index entry into index $0 of file 463599". So I don't think that's very good, either!:'(

Member Avatar for loki_

download seagate disk tools and test the hdd with that, this should be able to check if the drive is still working as it is suppose to. you could also try running chkdsk g: /r in command prompt!

Member Avatar for normanallen

That's what is so annoying. I have previously downloaded the Seagate tools, and it only failed the SMART test. All the others worked. And I did use /r on each chkdsk. I have been deleting files on the disk and found two other places where it said a file/folder was corrupt. Also, I think there is something bad in System Volume Information, but I'm leaving that folder alone.
I don't think it is worth an more investigation, I think it has to go back.

Member Avatar for loki_

That's what is so annoying. I have previously downloaded the Seagate tools, and it only failed the SMART test. All the others worked. And I did use /r on each chkdsk. I have been deleting files on the disk and found two other places where it said a file/folder was corrupt. Also, I think there is something bad in System Volume Information, but I'm leaving that folder alone.
I don't think it is worth an more investigation, I think it has to go back.

yes i would suggest sending it back as well.

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