I'm having a real headache with my 1TB external hard drive, which I used to store photos from my phone. Just yesterday, while transferring files from my Windows 11 laptop to the drive, I noticed that the videos I copied weren't playing correctly. They showed an error saying "unsupported encoding settings." I had previously downloaded an HEVC codec that worked before, so this was strange. The videos would only play about 70% through before freezing. When I tried to delete those videos, it said it couldn't locate them. I decided to give up for the day. When I went to safely eject the hard drive, it wouldn't allow me to. After some research, I thought shutting down my laptop and unplugging everything would be alright, which I've done before without issue. Now, today, when I try to access the hard drive, it's changed from BUFFALO (G:) to Local Disk (G:), File Explorer struggles to load, and I keep getting a message saying I need to format the disk before I can use it. I haven't done anything yet since it's still plugged in. I really need help because this drive has four years' worth of my memories and I'd hate to lose them!
2 Answers
Definitely sounds like a hardware issue, especially if you’ve been using that drive for years. You might not have much luck recovering files directly from it if it’s corrupted. If you decide to try formatting, remember, that will erase everything, so that should be a last resort. Best of luck!
Sounds like your drive might be on its last legs, especially if it's making strange noises. If you haven't already, the first step is to stop using it to prevent further damage. You might want to try some data recovery software; there are options like Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard that can help. If that doesn't work, consider sending it to a professional recovery service, but it can be pricey. Either way, hope you had a backup of your important files!
Yeah, those recovery services can get expensive, but if the data is really important, they can usually do more than software. Just ensure you don’t keep trying to access the drive too much!