The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

I just tried opening up some files on my external hard drive and I am getting the above message....I'm in shock and don't know what to do? Is my data gone....movies, pics, songs. etc....I'm running windows xp. Plsss help...suggestions?

It won't even allow me to delete files or folders

Update: whole drive is gone...when I click on G: it won't recognize it

 

First off, don't do anything else with the drive in question. Second, have you tried attaching the drive to another computer to see if it can recognize the drive and the files?

 

Ok, you're definitely not along on this. To my surprise, I found that I have 6 or so folders with the same issue on my external hard drive. In all, I think I'll be losing 10 GB worth of data if I can't recover the contents.

I know there's software out there that can supposedly recover the data, but I'd hate for it to mess up the rest of the contents, so I'm purchasing another external drive to move all of the accessible contents, then play with the corrupt stuff later on.

 

Try SpinRite.

 

Update: I ran a program recoveryfix and it found and saved most of my documents on another drive.

What is the best next step? Should I reformat the corrupt drive and transfer everything back or is it best to go out and buy a new one. Also what is the difference between a mobile hard drive and a desktop one....I'm looking at buying a Lacie.

Thanks.

 

I'd suggest buying a new one.

 

Go with Silas' suggestion and just bite the bullet and get a new drive now - to spare yourself the grief of having the same thing happen all over again. I've had exactly the same sort of problem happen to me on the last two hdds that died on me; the first time I tried what you suggested - reformatting and reinstalling on the old drive - only to have the new installation go bad with corrupted system files in only a day or two. If you want some hard numbers to justify getting a new hdd, d/l the drive diagnostic from the website of your drive's manufacturer and run it on the old drive - I have no doubt that it will fail the tests and be out of spec.

 

Ok...so I'll get a new one....but how do I destroy the info on the old one...I don't want to throw it away only tho have someone find it.

 

You can burn/break it, or use a software to erase everything on it.

 

Run something like DBAN and use it to wipe out the old disk. If that's not sufficient for you, there's always this:

 

haha I probably burn down my apartment with the torch. I'll probably break it into little pieces...get some stress relief while I'm at it lol

 

That can be a most satisfying method as well!