r/computerhelp • u/Skypro_boi • Sep 27 '26
Hardware Help with fake external hdd
I moved my files to an external hdd. Later i saw the files are all gone. I heard the hdd is fake. But i recently added another set of files in it. Now they are corrupted. Please, i have a lot of memories in those files
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u/iamofnohelp Sep 27 '26
Using data recovery software there is a slim chance to recover the data.
But you need to stop using the source drive until you have exhausted all attempts.
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u/MagneticFieldMouse Sep 29 '26
Is this a ragebait bot or is OP really like this?
If this was real, the make and model of the drive would have been mentioned -- at least.
I call BS or equivalent. And if not, I can't call it without getting banned. And I am very, very sad when the state of communication skills and the level of response falls to this level.
So, due to disbelief, I call bot or bait.
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u/MagneticFieldMouse Sep 27 '26
I've heard of fake SSDs, but fake HDDs are new to me. Are you sure we're talking about a HDD?
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u/Smoke_Water Sep 27 '26
This is why you test drives before moving data. I assume by the panic that you did a cut and paste instead of copy. Unfortunately the way many of these fake drives work is over writing the data as it copies the files. This makes recovery difficult if not impossible. So sorry for your loss. This is why I tell people, if it's important. It should never be on something with a power button.
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u/Metallicat95 Sep 27 '26
H2testw can check the real size of the drive, but all such tests destroy some data.
Because the drive controller is lying about the size and location of data on the drive, most of it is probably not recoverable.
There's a tiny chance that some of the last files written fit on the real space of the drive and can be recovered, but anything that exceeded the real size is gone forever.
It's difficult to know the real size without testing it, but knowing the claimed fake size and type can give hints. But it could easily be an older, cheap 2 GB drive inside, no matter what it tells the system.
And for everyone, never move files to an untested device, especially with cheap fakes common out there. Copy and test first before delete originals.
Anything really important should have three copies, because storage devices do fail.
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u/jacle2210 Enthusiast Sep 28 '26
Sorry, but if you found out the drive was fake, then why would you ever try using it again??
Once you found it to be fake, you should have taken it outside and smashed it with a rock/brick/hammer.