Drive passes S.M.A.R.T but won't mount

[Maxtoid]

Hey all, I couldn't find a good section for this question so I thought I'd post it here.

I have an external "new" WD Passport Studio drive that I have a lot of important data on. The other day I plugged it in and it didn't mount. I can see the drive and the partition under Disk Utility, but it fails to mount. I did a repair and pasted the output of the log below. - The drive also passes S.M.A.R.T - Any ideas?

setStartTime, knownStartTime = 2012-07-13 03:15:59 +0000
calculateTabs: (R.1: 116, L.2: 121, R.3: 379, L.4: 384)
Verify and Repair volume “POV Mobile One”
2012-07-12 23:15:59 -0400: Verify and Repair volume “POV Mobile One”
2012-07-12 23:15:59 -0400: Starting repair tool:
dmAsyncMessageForDisk (disk2s10): Checking file system2012-07-12 23:16:01 -0400: Checking file systemrepairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 213;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:16:45 -0400: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 201;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking extents overflow file.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:16:49 -0400: Checking extents overflow file.
dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=No, percent=0.0
repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 202;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking catalog file.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:17:11 -0400: Checking catalog file.
dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=No, percent=1.0
setCurrentPercentage 1.00%
firsttime with 72.25
totalEstimate = 72.25 (72.25)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (144.49) *
totalEstimate = 72.25 (216.74)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (288.99)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (361.23)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (433.48)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (505.73)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (577.97)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (650.22)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (722.47)
calc: persecond = 72.25 (72.25), remaining 7152.41
totalEstimate = 72.25 (72.25)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (144.50)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (216.74) *
totalEstimate = 72.25 (288.99)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (361.24)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (433.48)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (505.73)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (577.97)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (650.22)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (722.47)
calc: persecond = 72.25 (72.25), remaining 7152.43
output = 1 hour, 59 minutes

repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 207;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking multi-linked files.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:20:30 -0400: Checking multi-linked files.
repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 203;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking catalog hierarchy.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:20:30 -0400: Checking catalog hierarchy.
dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=No, percent=2.0
setCurrentPercentage 2.00%
totalEstimate = 72.25 (72.25)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (144.50)
totalEstimate = 135.70 (280.20)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (352.44) *
totalEstimate = 72.25 (424.69)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (496.94)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (569.18)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (641.43)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (713.67)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (785.92)
calc: persecond = 135.70 (78.59), remaining 7702.03
totalEstimate = 72.25 (72.25)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (144.50)
totalEstimate = 135.70 (280.20)
totalEstimate = 135.70 (415.90)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (488.14) *
totalEstimate = 72.25 (560.39)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (632.64)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (704.88)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (777.13)
totalEstimate = 72.25 (849.38)
calc: persecond = 135.70 (84.94), remaining 8323.88
output = 2 hours

repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 204;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking extended attributes file.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:20:30 -0400: Checking extended attributes file.
repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 205;
"fsck_msg_string" = "Checking volume bitmap.";
"fsck_msg_type" = VERIFY;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
}
2012-07-12 23:27:19 -0400: Checking volume bitmap.
repairOutputDictionary for disk2s10: {
"fsck_msg_number" = 106;
"fsck_msg_string" = "The volume %1$@ could not be verified completely.";
"fsck_msg_type" = FAIL;
"fsck_verbosity" = 0;
parameters = (
{
volumename = "POV Mobile One";
}
);
}
2012-07-12 23:35:27 -0400: The volume POV Mobile One could not be verified completely.
dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=No, percent=100.0
dmAsyncMessageForDisk (disk2s10): Volume repair complete.2012-07-12 23:35:27 -0400: Volume repair complete.dmAsyncMessageForDisk (disk2s10): Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.2012-07-12 23:35:27 -0400: Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=Yes, percent=100.0
dmAsyncProgressForDisk (disk2s10): barberPole=No, percent=100.0
dmAsyncFinishedForDisk (disk2s10) repairError: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files. - -19996
2012-07-12 23:35:59 -0400: Error: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.2012-07-12 23:35:59 -0400:
2012-07-12 23:35:59 -0400: Disk Utility stopped repairing “POV Mobile One”: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.
2012-07-12 23:36:19 -0400:

calculateTabs: (R.1: 116, L.2: 121, R.3: 379, L.4: 384)

 

[Mal]

SMART isn't really foolproof, not by a long shot. If you have or can get a copy of DiskWarrior, you might be able to repair the drive, depending on what's wrong exactly. It's the best tool for this type of work.

jW

 

[Fishrrman]

If it's "important" data on that drive, you'd better start looking for another drive right away.

Truly important data shouldn't be trusted to only one drive (for reasons that you are experiencing now).

As the previous poster mentioned, DiskWarrior may be an option if there are directory problems (and those problems are "fixable"). It may work, and get the drive working again. Then again, it may not be able to help you.

If DW can't do the job, there are other ways to get the data, but they are more involved.

You might try data recovery software such as:
- DataRescue3
- Disk Drill
- Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery
- Nice To Recover

These are free to download and test with. Once you ascertain that they may work for you, you then pay the registration fee, obtain a code, enter the code, and let the application "go to work" on your drive.

Something to consider:
If the drive in question can't be mounted on the desktop, data recovery apps may not be able to "touch" it (only way to know is to try).

If you have a drive your data recovery app "can't seem to reach", there is another alternative. You can re-initialize the problem drive so it -looks like- it's "empty" and there's nothing on it. However, re-initialization only clears out the old directory, and leaves the old data on the drive "untouched". You can now mount the drive, launch your data recovery app, and the app will "bypass" the [empty] directory, go right "to the platters", scavenge the data it finds there, and re-construct the pieces into their proper files. Note: you -will- lose most or all file names and folder hierarchies, but them's the breaks, if you want the actual data back. This is a last resort and you do it at your own risk. But I used exactly this approach with a problem partition that would not mount for me under any circumstances, and got the vast majority of my files back.

You WILL need ANOTHER empty hard drive to be used as a "scratch drive".
I suggest that instead of buying an external drive, that you consider one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
(many items shown, they all work the same, just pick one you like that's cheap, USB3 would be a plus)

Data recovery is possible, but it takes time, a willingness to learn, and a willingness to spend a little $$$ to get your data back. But if I could do it, you can, too....