How to use Everything to recover files from a corrupted external USB hard disk

[Raindrops]

I have a 4 TB USB HDD, which shows high temperature (S.M.A.R.T. data).
I can open some of the files on it, but some others show CRC failure.

I have not tried to open the other files, lest I should end up damaging the disk.
As a precaution, I have disconnected the disk and kept it aside safely.

I want to back up as many files as possible, and then create a lit of corrupted files, so that I can look for those files in my other disks, or download them from the Internet once again.

Regardless of whether the files are lost or intact, I want to copy the directory structure from the damaged disk to a new disk.

(At the beginning, some folders would be empty, but eventually I will find the copies of the lost files and place them exactly where the original files were.)

What should be my workflow, and how can Everything help me in this?

At the moment, Everything shows the complete directory of this disk.
But I am afraid that it may try to read the disk, and delete files that are corrupted.
How do I prevent this from happening?

A friend suggested to use chkdsk, but I am not familiar with it.
If applicable, please include such tools in the suggested workflow.

Thanks in advance!

[therube]

> high temperature

Curious. How high is high?


Backup your Everything.db.
Back it up multiple times, saved to different places (can't hurt).
(Can't hurt to back up you entire Everything "profile".)

You can open that .db with the -read-only switch.
You can even open that in a different, separate instance, & in -read-only, maybe called -instance BAD4TB,

Everything.exe -read-only -instance BAD4TB

.


> some others show CRC failure

Is that with .exe files, or what or how is reporting the CRC issue?


Anyhow, if you throw in a new 8 TB, you could wholesale copy the 4TB to the 8 TB, into say a (sub)directory called C:\BAD, & with that you know you have to treat everything within there as suspect. (This assume that a copy would actually work...)

After that, mothball the 4TB, holding on to it only for files that you can't recover on the off chance that you might get lucky.

What you might or might not do is also likely to depending on the data on the drive that you're needing.
Data files, say pictures or movies, "doc's", may seem OK, & might "work", or work enough, but might not fully intact.

Programs, I'd think you're better off downloading & reinstalling.


You could check file "headers" with a (UNIX-like) program Units, might help.
Pictures or videos, you could open them in something like IrfanView thumbnail mode to see if it displays expected thumbs.
You could attempt to display any number of Properties - using Everything (1.5a), & for files with expected properties that then do not show up, you definitely treat them as suspect.

So if you have audio & video files, you expect them to have Length to them.
So you add the Length column, & for A/V that do not show Length, they are immediately suspect. (And that assumes that for the particular file types, Windows itself would be able to see said Property.)
You could do similar with other file types that you would expect particular properties to be available.

[Raindrops]

Thanks for the advice!
My responses are as follows:
----------
1. Disk temperature:
My app (Crystal disk info) showed red indicator for temperature.
At that time, the F drive was permanently connected to my laptop.
I disconnected it after getting the CRC read errors.

I reconnected it today, and it reads 29C (OK).
But it now shows BAD health status, based on read error rate.
The raw value is FFFF.
---------------
2. Location of the Everything.db file:
I could not locate the Everything.db file.
(I searched for it using Everything itself.)

Where is it located?
------
3. File types:
I do not have exe files.
These are typically pdf files that do not open.
------
4. How to take a backup:
I have Hasleo backup suite.
Should I back up the entire disk to a new disk?
I fear that Windows' copy files command may cause further damage (?)

[tuska]

2. Location of the Everything.db file:
I could not locate the Everything.db file.
(I searched for it using Everything itself.)

Where is it located?

Hi,
Menu "File" > Exit closes Everything and at this point is the “Everything.db” file saved!
Search for:

about:everything.db

 

2025-02-25_about-everything.db.png (6.73 KiB) Viewed 2606 times

[therube]

Help | Troubleshooting Information -> Database:, will show you the name & location.

Windows Copy or Hasleo or a file manager... will all work basically the same, so what will be with your data will be.
At least if you have a copy of it, you can peruse its' data without further access to the source drive, should the source die altogether.