Hard Disk Monitoring

Old MyBook 4TB USB drive (6% health); Created 3 partitions in order to isolate an area with errors (see my earlier post) and full formatting partitions 1 & 3:

Partition 1. Good 0-7170 = 2,736,021 MB (now tests 100% good)
Partition 2. Error 7171-7229 = 22,129 MB (not tested, will not use)
Partition 3. Good 7230 to 9999 = 1,057,247 MB (now tests 100% good)

During HD Sentinel reinitialization testing on partition 3, I stopped the test and shut down the computer because there was lightning overhead.

Later, when I went to retest the drive, it showed as unformatted. I thought that was strange but thought that perhaps I inadvertently unplugged the drive too early or something. Since no data on the drive, I repeated the partitioning, full formatting and then performed the reinitialization test on partition 3. The test results were 100% good, but when I looked at the file information to confirm at which block the partition started at (I configured the test to start a few blocks before the start of the partition), the file info said "unable to detect partion/logical drive information." In Windows 10 Explorer, the partition 3 drive appears but no size information and opening says that it is unformatted. Computer Management shows it as a RAW partition with a drive letter (so, unformatted).

Disk contents inspector - Detect file information for sector:
Partition 1 (good): "Unused sector on logical drive M:\"
Partition 2 (unused): "No partition defined on this sector (unused sector)."
Partition 3 (good): Error: "Unable to detect partition / logical drive information. E: -2"

What's going on? does this mean that the drive has an error in the MBR/GPT partition definition section?

Should I (1) try again? (2) Try a different repair method? (3) Try using only partition 1 or (4) abandon this drive as unusable?

> During HD Sentinel reinitialization testing on partition 3,

Excuse me, but there is no way to perform "reinitialization testing on partition 3".

If you select the Disk menu -> Surface test -> Reinitialise Disk Surface test, then it clearly displays with red:

DESTRUCTIVE - all data will be removed

And if you attempt to start on a disk with partition(s), then you should receive warning and confirmation dialog before proceeding to confirm if you really want to delete the data.

Everything works as should, it is completely normal and expected. There is no "solution" of course as there is no "problem" here.
Sorry if you may missed something.

> ... the file info said "unable to detect partion/logical drive information."

Yes of course: as all data (including partition table, master boot record, space between partitions) are cleared by the Reinitialise Disk Surface test as should.

> In Windows 10 Explorer, the partition 3 drive appears but no size information and opening says
> that it is unformatted. Computer Management shows it as a RAW partition with a drive letter (so, unformatted).

Yes of course, it is completely normal and expected behaviour after the Reinitialise Disk Surface test.

Thank you, So a reinitialization test deletes the partitions. I missed that. ok. No problem then. Good. Thank-you.

FYI, By "reinitialization testing on partition 3 only" I mean using the test configuration to only test the blocks that correspond to that partition (i.e. 7230 to 9999)

(I retrieved all data, did repair tests. Then wanted to do reinitialization tests to further exercise the drive to see if more errors would appear, but wanted to avoid the middle area that initially reported errors.)

Thank you, So a reinitialization test deletes the partitions. I missed that. ok. No problem then. Good. Thank-you.

FYI, By "reinitialization testing on partition 3 only" I mean using the test configuration to only test the blocks that correspond to that partition (i.e. 7230 to 9999)

(I retrieved all data, did repair tests. Then wanted to do reinitialization tests to further exercise the drive to see if more errors would appear, but wanted to avoid the middle area that caused the two semaphore timeouts.)