freebsd-questions Digest, Vol 723, Issue 2

[Polytropon]

On Tue, 17 Apr 2018 13:25:43 +0100, Dave B via freebsd-questions wrote:
> Check the power supply, for stability, voltage level, noise etc.
> (especially if the errors have a some randomness about them.)

The disk currently is attached via a SATA->USB adapter,
if I remember correctly.



> I've missed a few exchanges on this thread, but what (if known) happened
> to the drive immediately before the trouble started?  Or, between it's
> last known good state, and the state it's in now.   ANY unscheduled
> "events"?

That kind of information has not been provided yet. The
assumption "a virus" and "no hardware defercts", but "with
dd, I/O errors"...



> Try it in different positions, laying flat, vertical etc, at an angle
> all orientations.   But don't move it while it is spinning.

Yes, this sometimes helps when dealing with read errors
(sounds strange, but sometimes _really_ works).



> If the errors seem to be getting more and more frequent, it may be on
> the verge of dying anyway.

Performing a check with smartctl should show.



> I'd still go for the Spinrite option.  If it works, great, read the
> contents and pension off the drive for a new one (but Spinrite that
> before use!)  If it doesn’t help, contact GRC it is likely they will
> refund you, I know of someone personally who had that happen.

Definitely worth a try. Also, checking in what state
the FS (here: NTFS) is and maybe repairing it (with
the 1:1 copy, just in case!) could enable the missing
data for proper reading. If not, magicrescue can at
least get the data, while file information (directory
and file names) cannot be determined.




-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...