WD My Passport Has Pending and Uncorrectable Sectors: Protect the Photos Before the Drive Gets Worse
TL;DR:
Immediately power off a WD My Passport showing a BAD SMART status with pending and uncorrectable sectors and utilize a professional data recovery lab rather than running CHKDSK, formatting, or initiating direct recovery scans.
● Keeping the failing WDC WD10SDZE drive unused and physically protected prevents additional operational stress while arranging professional hardware stabilization.
● Users accepting the risk of a DIY attempt must first create a sector-level image using a read-focused workflow that skips unreadable areas before attempting any file retrieval.
● Logical file recovery software like Recoverit Hard Drive Recovery is strictly limited to scanning the stable clone and cannot substitute for hardware diagnosis on the original disk.
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Power the drive off and stop testing it. A WD My Passport that stalls File Explorer, opens with a “parameter is incorrect” error, reports 0 bytes used and 0 bytes free, and then shows BAD SMART status with many pending and uncorrectable sectors should be treated as failing hardware. Do not run CHKDSK, format it, or launch a long recovery scan against the original drive when the only copy is important family photos.
That is the state in this failing-WD recovery case on Reddit. The OP later posted CrystalDiskInfo details showing a WDC WD10SDZE with a BAD health status, a high pending-sector count and uncorrectable-sector errors, then asked whether the drive could simply remain unused while they found a recovery provider.
The BAD SMART Result Changes The Recovery Decision
Western Digital says SMART failures and errors mean a drive is at risk of failure and that the data should be backed up to another drive as quickly as possible. In this case, however, ordinary file copying is already stalling Windows and the photos are irreplaceable, so “back up quickly” should not be interpreted as repeatedly forcing File Explorer to read the failing disk.
When a WD drive has no backup and data recovery is needed, Western Digital directs customers to data recovery partners. A professional lab can decide whether the disk first needs hardware stabilization and controlled imaging before logical file recovery.
While You Find A Lab:
Yes. Keeping the drive powered off and physically protected is safer than repeatedly mounting, scanning, or power-cycling a disk that is already reporting SMART failure. Waiting does not guarantee that every sector will remain readable, but it avoids adding operational stress while you arrange recovery.
Only Choose DIY Imaging If You Accept The Extra Risk
Which Path Fits?
- The family photos are irreplaceable or you cannot accept making recovery harder: stop here and use a specialist lab. Do not test CHKDSK, surface repair, formatting, or multiple recovery programs first.
- You accept the risk of a one-shot DIY attempt: make a sector-level image or clone before file recovery, using a read-focused workflow that can skip unreadable areas rather than repeatedly retrying the source. Work from the copy afterward.
A sector-level copy is safer than repeatedly scanning the original because it preserves what the drive can still read in one controlled pass. Recoverit's byte-to-byte backup guidance likewise recommends imaging before recovery scans when the source is still readable and moving to professional diagnosis when hardware symptoms are severe.
When Recovery Software Becomes Relevant
After a lab or imaging workflow produces a stable clone that the computer can read, logical recovery software can be used on that safer copy. Recoverit Hard Drive Recovery can scan readable storage for missing files and save recovered photos to a separate healthy disk. Do not use it as a substitute for hardware diagnosis on the original WD drive in this SMART-BAD state.