External Western Digital Hard Drive "click of death"?

richardphat · 03-06-10, 02:44 AM

Hi there,
I have some issue with my external hard drive and I need more enlightment about it. Until yesterday, my external hard drive was working fine, however, now, it doesnt let me access files inside anymore.
All I can say is the hard drive makes repeatitive "click clack" sound at a constant rate.

I did a search about dead external hard drive. The most useful information I have found is directed to the following link.

http://geekyprojects.com/storage/how...en-hard-drive/

I strongly believe the case works for external as well as internal hard drive.

I really need more specific information about whether they are really dead or not.
The computer detects the external hard drive. However, it keeps trying to read and read over again. The same case happen when I tried to right click for properties.
It isn't possible to access inside (obviously

).

BUT!!!!! The "click clack" stop whenever the computer stop trying to read it.

This lead me to ask this question. Is an external hard drive necessarly dead even though the computer is able to dectect it despite the noise it produces?

I have planned to take action such as freezing, but before that, I will need some informations.

Thank you for taking your time reading this.

Reece · 03-06-10, 02:57 AM

Sounds like it's hunting to me! It can't come to a ready state, if this is the case it is stuffed, the only possible way to get data off is to have exactly the same type of drive, then swap over the circuit boards, have done this to some drives successfully in the past, but no guarantees.

d@rk51d3 · 03-06-10, 03:03 AM

Had a similar problem with my Seagate. I thought Seagate were meant to be a top brand............ but apparently not, according to all the web reviews. Died after 12 months with a faulty firmware.

Seagate came through, and repaired it for free, with free pickup and delivery.............. and all my data was intact too.

Bought a WD 1TB Caviar Black to compliment it with, since that was what most people recommended, and started running backups on it, just in case the Seagate ever died again.

Well, the good old WD lasted 1 month, and is down with the clickies. I have to pay freight and lose all may data to boot.

What's going on?!?!?!?!?

richardphat · 03-08-10, 11:58 PM

Well, after I tried the freezing, nothing help much.
Except they asked me to format the disk.

Kinda lame, but I have no choice.
The format has been a successed and obviously all my 40gb data have been lost.
Now I can go into my hard disk and store files.

Ships-R-Us · 03-09-10, 12:07 AM

I've done the freezing trick successfully only 3/5 times.....Put the drive in a styrofoam cooler with a piece of dry ice on it.....Keep it in the cooler while trying to read it. Really cold helps a lot... Sounds like the MFT is corrupt so freezing may not work......Send me your drive and I'll recover your data at no charge... Even if you format it several times it makes no difference, but don't do it again....All the electronics inside that drive are not defective... Forget the freezer........ dry ice.

richardphat · 03-09-10, 01:40 AM

I formatted it already .

All data have been erased.
I think I will stick with DVD, as they can't lose data that easily unless I blow those disc

03-06-10, 02:44 AM	#1
richardphat Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 682 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	External Western Digital Hard Drive "click of death"? Hi there, I have some issue with my external hard drive and I need more enlightment about it. Until yesterday, my external hard drive was working fine, however, now, it doesnt let me access files inside anymore. All I can say is the hard drive makes repeatitive "click clack" sound at a constant rate. I did a search about dead external hard drive. The most useful information I have found is directed to the following link. http://geekyprojects.com/storage/how...en-hard-drive/ I strongly believe the case works for external as well as internal hard drive. I really need more specific information about whether they are really dead or not. The computer detects the external hard drive. However, it keeps trying to read and read over again. The same case happen when I tried to right click for properties. It isn't possible to access inside (obviously ). BUT!!!!! The "click clack" stop whenever the computer stop trying to read it. This lead me to ask this question. Is an external hard drive necessarly dead even though the computer is able to dectect it despite the noise it produces? I have planned to take action such as freezing, but before that, I will need some informations. Thank you for taking your time reading this.

03-06-10, 02:57 AM	#2
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 32,800 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	Sounds like it's hunting to me! It can't come to a ready state, if this is the case it is stuffed, the only possible way to get data off is to have exactly the same type of drive, then swap over the circuit boards, have done this to some drives successfully in the past, but no guarantees. __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

03-09-10, 12:07 AM	#5
Ships-R-Us Commander Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 452 Downloads: 134 Uploads: 0	I've done the freezing trick successfully only 3/5 times.....Put the drive in a styrofoam cooler with a piece of dry ice on it.....Keep it in the cooler while trying to read it. Really cold helps a lot... Sounds like the MFT is corrupt so freezing may not work......Send me your drive and I'll recover your data at no charge... Even if you format it several times it makes no difference, but don't do it again....All the electronics inside that drive are not defective... Forget the freezer........ dry ice. Last edited by Ships-R-Us; 03-09-10 at 11:52 AM.

03-06-10, 03:03 AM	#3
d@rk51d3 Sea Lord Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 1,917 Downloads: 193 Uploads: 0	Had a similar problem with my Seagate. I thought Seagate were meant to be a top brand............ but apparently not, according to all the web reviews. Died after 12 months with a faulty firmware. Seagate came through, and repaired it for free, with free pickup and delivery.............. and all my data was intact too. Bought a WD 1TB Caviar Black to compliment it with, since that was what most people recommended, and started running backups on it, just in case the Seagate ever died again. Well, the good old WD lasted 1 month, and is down with the clickies. I have to pay freight and lose all may data to boot. What's going on?!?!?!?!?

03-08-10, 11:58 PM	#4
richardphat Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 682 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	Well, after I tried the freezing, nothing help much. Except they asked me to format the disk. Kinda lame, but I have no choice. The format has been a successed and obviously all my 40gb data have been lost. Now I can go into my hard disk and store files.

03-09-10, 01:40 AM	#6
richardphat Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 682 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	I formatted it already . All data have been erased. I think I will stick with DVD, as they can't lose data that easily unless I blow those disc