If you are asking this question now, then you’re probably having a problem with your storage disk, which already brings with it the fear that you’ve lost your device once and for all.
If this is the case, the first tip we’ll give you here is to stay calm. After all, this is a situation that can happen to anyone and, fortunately, it can be reversed most of the time – if the WD external disk can’t be recovered, at least access to the data usually works.
When we say that everyone can experience this, it doesn’t mean that Western Digital is a low-quality brand, on the contrary. After all, the company has been around for over 50 years and is now one of the leading disk manufacturers, as shown by data available on the Statista portal.
According to this data, between July 2017 and June 2018, the market share of hard disk drive manufacturers sold globally was as follows:
- Western Digital: 38,6%
- Seagate: 20,9%
- Toshiba: 17,7%
- Hitachi: 2,7%
- Sony: 2,1%
- Fujitsu: 1%
- Others: 17%
When we look at the market share for 2019, the distribution differs, but WD still stands out:
- Samsung: 33,6%
- Western Digital: 24,6%
- Seagate: 15,7%
- Toshiba: 5,2%
- Hitachi: 2,3%
- Others: 18,5%
Especially when we consider that the storage disk market was valued at $63.4 billion, we come to the conclusion that $15.6 billion went to Western Digital, which proves its strong influence in this market.
With such a large share, almost 1 in 4 hard drives sold in 2019 were from WD, and although the statistics cited refer to disks in their entirety, without distinguishing between internal and external disks, it is a fact that Western Digital is part of this milieu.
A company with such massive sales has reached a number of customers who may have problems with their devices for a number of reasons.
If you’re one of these customers, rest assured that we’re going to show you some of the main reasons why Western Digital disks can have problems, as well as tips on what to do to recover them.
Why might a Western Digital external disk need recovery?
As we mentioned earlier, this doesn’t mean that the device is of poor quality. After all, it’s an electronic device that can suffer faults and problems, in the same way that even the best cars can malfunction and need the help of a mechanic.
However, you may need to recover your WD external disk and not even know why this has happened. So it’s important to know some of the possibilities:
- Hacker attacks: it is common to think only of internal disks when talking about hacker attacks, but they can also target external disks.
- Mechanical damage: this is a very common cause. This damage involves impacts, shocks, falls and the like and can impair the functioning of the mechanical part of external disks, making it difficult or even impossible for them to function.
- Liquid spills: as it is an easily transportable device, it is common for it to be taken with water bottles, for example. There is also the risk of water, juice or any other liquid falling on the table and getting the external disk wet.
- Human error: this is also a very common cause, such as deleting files by accident.
- Formatting the disk: formatting can be accidental (which is also a human error) or even intentional at first, but once it has been done, it is not uncommon to be reminded of the importance of a file that cannot be accessed.
- Loss and theft: it is relatively common for external disks to be carried in a handbag, backpack or even a pocket. They are therefore susceptible to loss and theft, a situation which unfortunately makes it impossible to recover the data unless it is elsewhere or the device is found.
- Power outages: when power stops being sent to the device, it can malfunction, although this is more common with internal disks.
- Viruses and malware: finally, we cannot fail to mention these elements that can infect the external disk and make it partially or totally impossible to access the files.
Is it possible to recover a Western Digital external disk?
This is a rather peculiar question, as there is no definitive answer. A thorough analysis of each case is needed to identify the best possible solution to the problem.
The ideal is always to rely on specialists such as Bot, which has more than 11 years’ experience and has solved more than 60,000 cases, which proves our theoretical and practical ability to help you.
However, there are some steps you can try at home to recover your data. Still, it is worth noting: only proceed if you have some knowledge of data recovery. Bot is not responsible for any damage to your device.
So, you can try one of the simplest procedures for recovering a WD external disk, done by Windows itself (and, in this case, recommended for users of Microsoft’s operating system). Just follow these steps:
- Make sure the Western Digital external disk is connected.
- Open the start menu.
- Type “cmd” (without the quotes) and press Enter. Wait for the Command Prompt to open.
- Then type “chkdsk g:/f” (also without the quotation marks, where “g:” should be replaced by the drive of the external disk). Press Enter.
- The external hard disk will be recovered.
Once you have done that, try opening the files. If you succeed, then the problem should have been fixed; if not, you will need to try other means, such as relying on Bot to recover a Western Digital external disk.
Are there any other ways to recover a WD external disk?
Yes. In addition to this “simpler” procedure, there is software specially designed for data recovery, such as Recoverit, EaseUS Data Recovery, DiskGenius, TestDisk, R-Studio and PhotoRec, among others.
However, it is recommended that only those with in-depth technical knowledge use them. Otherwise, the recovery may not work and may even damage other recoveries.
How do I avoid problems with my Western Digital external disk?
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. There are a few tips that can help you avoid having to recover a WD external disk:
- Be careful with the device. Although it’s portable, it’s important to try to avoid impacts, mechanical shocks and other similar situations. It’s worth using those protective covers that can come with the external disk or even investing in one to help protect against impacts.
- Only delete what you’re sure you won’t need later. Accidental deletions are common, but a simple mental question about the importance of that data before confirming the deletion will help you avoid this situation.
- If you don’t need to use your Western Digital external drive, don’t take it with you. The longer the device sits idle, the less chance there is of a problem occurring. So if you don’t use it, leave it at home or at work.
- Have more than one backup for important files. You know those files you don’t want to lose at all? In these cases, it’s a good idea to store them in more than one place, such as in the cloud and on an external disk, for example. That way, even if the other tips fail, you’ll still be protected.
So, how do I recover a Western Digital external disk?
If you have tried to follow the procedures indicated and they haven’t worked, or if you don’t have as much experience and prefer not to try so as not to risk your data, know that the ideal solution is to rely on a specialized company to help you, like Bot.
In addition to more than a decade of experience and 100,000 resolved cases, we have a 95% success rate in the cases we receive and a 99% satisfaction rate among the clients we serve, which is something we’re very proud of.
Don’t waste any more time and count on Bot’s external disk recovery, carried out by experts and in a clean room certified to US Federal Standards 209. This way, you’ll see how to recover a Western Digital external disk or at least verify that regaining access to your data is perfectly possible!
Fill in this form to start your recovery with us: it takes less than 1 minute and you’ll get your quote within 48 hours!
