Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting

KADD · 12 Mar 2024

Hi everyone,

I am having an issue with an SSD that I have that I have put in an external enclosure. It worked fine in the laptop it was in, and it worked fine in the external enclosure for awhile. I had a Acer Nitro laptop that died on me, that the external enclosure was plugged into at the time of death and since then, the external has not worked.

Every time I plug it into my new laptop, I get an error saying it needs to be formatted.

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-format_error.png

I have a lot of files on this drive I'd really like to save. I've been following this thread trying to follow the same steps since I'm having a very similar issue but when running TestDisk, I only see a Boot Sector as Bad and I don't see anything about a Backup Boot Sector. So I've come here for help.

Here are the screenshots I've taken from Disk Management, MiniTool 9.1, BootIce and TestDisk 7.2:

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-diskmanagement.png

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-minitool9.1.png

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-bootice.png

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-testdisk7.2.png

The hard drive is a Samsung MZ-7PC256D in a Sabrent EC-OCUB enclosure. I am running Windows 10 Pro 64 bit on my new laptop.

Thanks in advance!

Bree · 12 Mar 2024

Welcomed to Ten Forums.

@jumanji is probably your best hope, don't do anything until he has posted.

jumanji · 13 Mar 2024

@KADD,

Welcome to Ten Forums.

That you had installed MiniTool partition Wizard v9.1, did run TestDisk, also installed Bootice indicates you have done quite some research and have read some of my posts where the partition showed as RAW but had a drive letter.

1. Let me get some more details on the history of the 256GB Samsung SSD in question. it appears that It was a system disk on a PC/laptop. Let me christen it as Machine A. Which was that machine? Give details of this machine. Let me also know why at all you took it out of the machine and put it inside an external enclosure.

2."......it worked fine in the external enclosure for awhile." On which machine was it? I will christen it Machine B. Give details of this machine. If it worked fine, why didn't you get all the required data out of it when it worked fine?

3. You then plugged in the external disk with that SSD inside on an Acer Nitro laptop and you say that it died while the external disk remained plugged into it and that caused this problem. So on my count it is Machine C. Be it so. Not to worry.

4. Now you have posted some screenshots after installing MiniTool Partition Wizard v9.1, TestDsk 7.2 and bootice. Which machine is this? ( Machine D)

Don't worry. I am only trying to understand the sequence you have mentioned. During the course of this thread you will keep the external disk plugged into this machine whenever I ask you to and I will start from the scratch as I always do.

I only hope you haven't done anything further after posting the screenshots.

KADD · 15 Mar 2024

Hi @jumanji, thanks so much for your reply. You are quite close on your timeline, but added a machine between the first Dell and the Acer. I'll go through it in more detail here.

1. The Samsung SSD came from a Dell Precision M4600 (Machine A). I dropped that laptop which caused damage to the screen and charging port that I didn't think I was capable of fixing or didn't care to. It was pretty old at that point, very heavy and didn't hold a charge. Felt like a good time for a new laptop. Are there any other details you would like for this? I still have it in my possession.

2. After that laptop I got the Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-57-700J - Machine B). There was no machine between the M4600 and the Acer Nitro 5. I used the Samsung SSD as an external just to keep important files. I didn't need the files on the Acer is I only need to reference them maybe once a year at most. I did not desire to fill my Acer laptop with the data on the Samsung SSD as I thought I could simply use it as an external hard drive to store data. This was the machine that died while the external enclosure was plugged in. I believe the Nitro died due to a power surge or something. I got home from a vacation where I knew the power had gone out (notifications on my phone that wifi devices were offline) and the Acer no longer started up.

3. At that point I was using my wife's Macbook Air (2017, I believe, we can call this Machine C, if you think it's important. I did not include it in my initial post since I felt it wasn't important) and the Samsung SSD in the external could not be read. I figured it was an NTFS issue that Mac couldn't read, so I ignored it until I got my own laptop.

4. I now have a Dell Precision 3540 that I am trying to use to access the files on the Samsung SSD, but am getting the reformat error as explained in my first post.

Thanks again for the response. Not sure why I didn't get a notification of your response, but I'll try to be quicker in my replies in the future.

jumanji · 15 Mar 2024

@KADD

I have seen your post. When you wake up tomorrow morning you can see a detailed post on how to proceed further.

jumanji · 16 Mar 2024

@KADD

Here we go.

First read my post #9 and 10 here Restore last data on external HDD That will give you an idea what you should be doing.. Also post#15 here External drive data Lost - Windows 10

You had already downloaded TestDisk 7.2 and run it but you seem to have chosen a wrong partition.

Your 238GB Samsung SSD in the external enclosure has three partitions. (1.) 4.9 GB System Partition ( no drive letter) (2.) 232.7GB MS Data partition ( Drive letter D:) and (3) 860 MB Recovery partition ( no drive letter)

All your data will be in the second 232.7GB MS Data Partition. You must choose this partition to find out what has gone wrong in its file system.

Partition Wizard shows that it is an MBR disk.

Bootice Sector 0 (MBR) shows three 16 byte partition tables ( highlighted in different colors in the folowing screenshot of yours). This of course is redundant since we already know there are three partitions as shown in the Windows Disk Management and Partition Wizard screenshots. Since you had posted the sector map of sector 0, I have chosen the liberty of marking where exactly the partition tables are in sector 0. Following the third partition table, there is space for another 16 byte partition table which is all 00 now. An MBR disk can have four primary partitions.)

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-bootice1.jpg

TestDisk step by step in my next post - after a short break.

jumanji · 16 Mar 2024

continuing........

Boot your Dell Precision 3540 . Plug in only your faulty 238 GB External disk. In Windows Disk Management note down the drive letter of the second partition in the external disk and close Windows Disk Management.

TestDisk should be run with administrator privileges - Run as administrator

For convenience, create a shortcut of testdisk_win.exe on your desktop. Always right click on it and "run as
administrator"

I repeat the steps here specific to your case.

If at any time you get a screen different from what is expected in this procedure as outlined or you have any doubts on how to proceed further, stop, take that screenshot, close TestDisk, post the screenshot and ask for clarification. Do not try to experiment on your own.

You can close TestDisk anytime by repeatedly pressing Q, or [Quit] command if available on the TestDisk window or clicking on X in the top Title Bar - the usual process to close a window (Recommended).

Screen1: Select/highlight [No Log] Press Enter ( You will use the Up/Down Left/Right arrow keys to highlight/select any field in the TestDisk windows)

Screen 2: Will show your system disk plus any internal disk/s and the 238GB external disk. Highlight/Select your 238 GB external SSD (identified by its capacity). [Proceed] is already highlighted. Press Enter

Screen 3: Highlight/Select [Intel] Intel/PC partition (if it is not highlighted already) Enter
{ Since your external disk is an MBR disk, ensure that you select this Intel Partition type.}

Screen 4: Highlight/Select [Advanced] Filesystem Utils Press Enter

Screen 5: Does this screen show all three partitions in your external disk? Select/highlight the 232.72GB MS Data partition. Select/highlight [Boot] if not highlighted already and press Enter.

Screen 6: will show the status of the Boot sector and Backup boot sector. Further action will depend on their status.

1. Boot sector - Bad
Backup boot sector - OK
Execute the [Backup BS] command ( writes the backup to the start sector of the partitïon when you confirm "y" in the next screen)

2. Boot sector - Bad
Backup boot sector - Bad
Execute [Rebuild BS] command ( Rebuilds the Volume Boot Record and writes it into the Partition start sector and partition end sector)

3. Boot sector - OK
Backup boot sector - Bad
Execute [ORG. BS] command. ( this will copy the original boot record in the partition start sector to the partition end sector and make it OK.)

Any of the above three operations should repair the boot sector/s and make your drive accessible. A reboot is required.. Close TestDisk and reboot.

The fourth possibility and an important one:
Boot Sector - OK
Backup Boot sector - OK
Hmmm... both are good. Then what is the problem? Master File Table (MFT) ??????
You will execute [Repair MFT] command.

(a): If TestDisk says 'Both MFT and MFT mirror are OK" close TestDisk. You will run check disk on that volume to correct the file system corruption.

Caution: You will run checkDisk only and if only TestDisk confirms that your MFT is OK and you will not interrupt Check Disk for any reason. Running Check Disk when the MFT is corrupt will delete all data and all data will be lost irrecoverably. You will be left with an ultra-clean disk without any data.

Run check disk from command prompt.

Open Command prompt. Start > All programs > Accessories > Command Prompt

Type
CHKDSK K: /f /v /r /x Press Enter. Note: Replace K: with the actual drive letter of the second partition of external disk as determined in Windows Disk Management.
Allow check disk to complete. Do not, do not, do not interrupt/abort for any reason.

(b): If TestDisk says it is "unable to repair MFT", you will have to use a commercial software to recover the files - GetDataBack or active @ File recovery. These are "try before you buy" software. If these show your files, you may be able to preview/open the files and check the file integrity. You can buy a license only when you are satisfied.

Have a good day.

KADD · 17 Mar 2024

Hi @Jumaji,

Thanks for the response. Been a busy weekend, I will go through these steps tomorrow.

Thanks so much again for your help thus far!

Daymin · 17 Mar 2024

As long as you do not write to the drive or format your data is safe.

Sometimes the drive ( as with a USB drive ) can show this result. Just unplug it, and try another machine nearby.

Again at this point I would plug the drive directly into the computer via a simplistic connector. Nothing fancy or too big. Or try plugging the drive into another computer and see what occurs ( just not a OSX machine. I do not trust Apple stuff ). However if the formatted drive is reading the device and not the drive itself might be a problem.

Possibility you might even try to boot into Ubuntu via usb disk or cd via the "try it out" option, and then see if your able to browse to the directory. I have done this in the past and has worked for me when a drive was not displaying correctly.

You could possibly do a error-check on the drive before you startup. Go into the terminal/command and type "chkdsk D: /f".
This will do a check once you restart windows. However that is if you trust error check not to cause more harm.

Of all the crap I would use for data recovery "Get Back Data Pro" was the only one to give me back my big files with little to no damage of these files ( only because these was the last files to be written ), of all the things I used to recover with. However I was format in NTFS, and this program is meant for NTFS. You could also make an img of the drive to browse through, via this program. Yes it cost money.

Anything else you would need to know commands for as with testdisk.

................................................................

My opinions about external enclosures. DO NOT use them at all. Only if your supervisor makes you use one.

Just plug the drive into the machine.

If you have to use any drive externally then get one of those cheap small connectors meant for labtop hard drives unless you have a much larger drive that demands more electrical usage.

Otherwise the best option is to purchase a mini-computer ( or smaller dedicated desktop with optional slots ). Literally you would have whatever OS ( Windows 10, or Ubuntu ) and give networking permissions to whatever Labtop you are using. They burn less then 10W on idle, and you could have it sleep like any normal computer setup.

The problem with all encloses.

Vibrating is the number one killer as with Heat. As with your problem, lose connectivity as with any USB device.

Maybe if there was a dedicated enclosure that uses the express slot ( if any ) or even plugs into the NVME, or if there was a dedicate slot for and HD/SSD to plug into. Even so the problems mentioned are still have not been solved outside of a dedicated server raid.

Even a simple plug-in connector ( in my opinion ) with a book for support and a card-board box is way better then most of anything being offered that is called an external enclosure.

Might as well invest in a 2TB USB and have a backup for that if you want portability, or even a military-suit-case for your mini-desktop setup on the go.

KADD · 22 Mar 2024

Hi @jumanji,

I finally got a chance to go through your steps and I'm getting something different than what you are looking for.

I restarted the Dell Precision 3540, plugged in only the external and went through the steps. I still get drive letter D: in Disk Manager, with the three partitions showing.

I went through TestDisk and confirmed that I'm seeing all three partitions there, as well.

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-filesystem-utils.png

I selected the FAT16 one, based on the Size in Sectors (equal to 232.7 gb) and selected Boot. This is the screen I get, and the same place I got stuck when I followed one of your previous help threads.

Samsung SSD in External Enclosure Requesting Formatting-boot-sector.png

I don't see anything about a Backup Boot Sector, so unsure of how to progress.

Thank you so much for the help on this!

@Daymin,

I'm not sure what you mean by a "simplistic" connector, but I'll try googling it and see if I can get something that would work. I don't think I can use this hard drive in my new laptop, as it won't fit. But you might be right that getting a 256 usb stick might be the better option to save this data.

Thanks!