Hard drive won't boot up, faint clicking sound 1

[bobbybrady456]

My Seagate external hard drive turns on and I hear the sound from the computer that it's hooked up but the letter drive isn't on "My Computer". If I put my ear up to the Seagate drive I hear a clicking sound. Is there any way to save the drive. I don't have all the files backed up. I read that you can put it in a freezer for fifteen minutes but hesitant to do that of course. Any advice much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bobbybrady456]

Forgot to add that device manager would not open up without disconnecting this drive, some other programs would not open up either. Maybe a virus?

 

[rclarke250]

Don't stick it in the freezer, that issue was if you had a bearing stuck, or sticktion (where the head would rest against the hot spun down platter and as it cooled it stuck to the surface of the platter). This doesn't happen as the head no longer makes contact with the platter. Try to pull the drive out and hook up internal to the computer. As long as the drive isn't encrypted this should work to pull off the data. Also when it is hooked up to the computer with th eusb, did you try to right click on computer,and click manage and then go to the drive manager, and see if it was even showing up there? Do other USB drives work okay?

 

[bobbybrady456]

Yes, all other usb drives are working. It won't let me open drive manager when it is hooked up. Once I remove it the drive manager opens. Thanks.

 

[bobbybrady456]

What is EUSB?

 

[bobbybrady456]

Also want to add that I hooked it up to my dad's laptop and I did see the letter on his "This PC" page flashing on and off but it still clicked.

 

[bobbybrady456]

I am now seeing the Seagate drive in computer management-device manager-disk drives but it still won't open. I also see that it's listed under local drives in "My Computer". I assigned it another letter but it still won't open. Thanks. It is still clicking.

 

[rclarke250]

eusb, was me typing and not going back to read it, the e is from "the" in the word before, just hit the space bar too quick. I would still pull the drive from the enclosure and see about hooking it up internal to the computer.

 

[bobbybrady456]

I don't see any screws on it, I guess I will have to pry it open. How do I run it internally?

 

[bobbybrady456]

How is running this as an internal drive going to make a difference? Thanks. I took it apart and I'm ready to hook it up.

 

[rclarke250]

To see if the sata to usb card is the issue, if it is, then you can still get your data back. It should act like a regular hdd when connected to a sata port.If it still hangs the system and drive management can't access it, the only way to get the data off, is send it to a lab to have them pull the data, and that is going to cost a lot of money.

 

[kjv1611]

As far as how to open up your drive, you could look online to see if there are any instructions. There should be screws and/or a release mechanism. Don't just rip it open if you want to be able to use it later without securing it with duct tape.

For your data's sake, I'd SERIOUSLY NOT TRY TO ACCESS IT ANYMORE OVER USB. If the drive is damaged, trying to access the data only makes it worse, and shortens your window of opportunity to get data off of it.

If you can get it out of the enclosure, and then connect as an internal drive in your computer, then it would probably be best to just use some recovery software to let it recover whatever you can get. One of the better ones is Active GetDataBack, Active File Recovery, Active Partition Recovery. There are also some others. I'd suggest looking for reviews to see which one you feel most comfortable with, and also determining whether or not you're willing to spend money to tray and recover the data.

If the data is really really valuable, and worth it, and you can't get to it, seemingly through these methods, there are professional data recovery services. However, if you have to go that route, be prepared to pay $1,000+ if they have to open up the drive itself.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[goombawaho]

Clicky clicky normally means roasty toasty hard drive. If you have ANY desire to recover your data via paid recovery, finish testing and then unplug the drive and leave it alone. Sometimes, actual platter damage can be happening when you hear noises, rendering data recovery less likely. It depends on the failure mode your drive has suffered of course. Not all noises are metal on metal scraping.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[bobbybrady456]

Thanks, I'm going to try running it as an internal drive this weekend, also someone told me I can clone it. If worse comes to worse I'll buy the same drive off ebay and exchange the platters.

 

[rclarke250]

Oh, you have a laboratory clean room? sweet, I wish I had one, because if you pop the covers in a normal room, you will likely have 2 bad hdd. Also, what is swapping the platters going to do? do you have the ability to align the heads and platters?

 

[bobbybrady456]

No I don't have either of those, lol.

 

[goombawaho]

Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT remove the hard drive cover unless you totally just want to play around and pretend you are the equivalent of a neurosurgeon and start operating on the drive internals. That is unless you really don't care about your percentage chance of recovering any data from that drive. Because your chance of getting data off will drop to about 1% if you pop that drive open. This is NOT like changing the spark plug in a lawn mower.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[edfair]

goombawaho is an optimist:
"your chance of getting data off will drop to about 1% if you pop that drive open"

I would guess in the low .001 percent range.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[goombawaho]

I resent being called an optimist, but fair point (get it, fair). Opening a hard drive and not having a clean room is kind of like rubbing a brick across your nose when you have an itchy nose.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[bobbybrady456]

This is a small portable goflex, can I still run it internally?