The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/DominusTheMerciful on 2024-12-07 12:28:48.

Edit: They corrected me it is an HDD. However, I cannot change the title.

I am experiencing significant issues with my external HDD. Below is a detailed account of the problems I have encountered:

Background

• I have used this external HDD to back up various files and, on some occasions, the entire C:/ drive of my computer before formatting it.

• Recently, as the HDD’s storage capacity became nearly full, I decided to delete some files to free up space.

• While deleting files, I attempted to remove the “Program Files” directory from a previous C:/ backup. The system warned me that removing it might cause issues, but I proceeded, assuming it wouldn’t affect an external drive.

Current Problems

1.  Access Issues:
• When I connect the SSD to my computer, it is recognized as drive E:, but the moment I attempt to access it, File Explorer freezes.

• The system becomes unresponsive and doesn’t allow me to eject the HDD safely.

• I cannot shut down my computer unless I physically unplug the HDD.

2.  Corrupted Data:
• After deleting the “Program Files” folder, other files and directories on the HDD became inaccessible.

• The HDD seems to have suffered some kind of corruption as a result of the deletion.

Troubleshooting Attempts

• I tried to access the drive using standard methods, but the computer either froze or couldn’t process the request.

• Safe ejection is not possible, as the system treats the drive as perpetually in use.

• I suspect the issue might be related to:

• File system corruption (possibly NTFS metadata damage).

• Overfilled storage leading to write/read errors.

• Hardware failure such as bad blocks or controller issues.

• Problems caused by deleting critical system-level folders like “Program Files.”

Assistance Needed

I am looking for recommendations on:

1.  How to safely access and recover data from the HDD without causing further corruption.
2.  Potential diagnostics to determine if the issue is hardware-related or tied to the file system.
3.  The best tools or professional services for recovering data in this scenario.

Thank you for your help!