WD My Book 1TB Hard Drive Not Recognised

Lmizzkitty on 22/07/2015 - 01:02

Backed up all my work and files and did time machine back up on my WD hard drive and then… it started to click… I can connect it and it will light up and spin but then it clicks or makes a scratching noise. I can't get it to register on any machine. (tried 4).

Anyone know any way to get the stuff back without having to send it to a specialist and pay hundreds $$$ ?

http://images.macworld.com/images/reviews/graphics/131837-my…
This is what it looks like for anyone who might know about hard drives.

Also, I guess I'm now in the market for a new one. So if you savvy bunch know of any good portable hard drive deals, please let me know.

Thanks in advance. : )

Computing

Comments

  • Sage on 22/07/2015 - 01:38
    +1

    rip the drive from the plastic shell and connect it through sata to a desktop's motherboard.
    I had an external hard drive doing the same spin click thing and this solution worked.

    if you need further instructions for connecting the drive as an internal drive there are lots of guides out there or you can PM me.
    the good thing about this solution is you don't have to buy anything extra aslong as you have a working desktop PC. Another solution would be to put it in another enclosure, but without knowing if the drive itself is broken that could be a waste of money.

    • mizzkitty on 23/07/2015 - 02:58

      Thanks - I've given that a shot and it still doesn't recognise…. : (

      • Jase83 on 24/07/2015 - 06:51

        It is recognised in the BIOS list when your computer is starting up? If you you can boot into a program called spinrite. It is a low level disk maintenance and recovery tool. I've saved many a drive with it.

        • mizzkitty on 05/09/2015 - 22:04

          I do t know what BIOS is but I'll try to get spin rite and give it a go - thank you : )

  • jzdhgkd on 22/07/2015 - 07:47
    +2

    clicking = bad sign that some hardware within the drive itself has failed and there's essentially nothing you can do as an end-user AFAIK. The raw file recovery programs won't work because the drive head is completely stuck.

    If you don't have anything super important or irreplaceable, it's time for a new drive. Quicker the better if you don't have any other backups for your work/files.

    If you have any super important files on the drive and you have no backups for them, you'll most likely need professional services and pay hundreds of $$$ as you said.

    Oh and there are some extreme-sounding fixes I've read too. Last resort kinda things I would only try if there's nothing critical because they may prevent the professionals from recovering your files.

    • mizzkitty on 23/07/2015 - 03:00

      I tried the freezer! it stopped the clicking. Don't know if this is a good or bad sign… But it still won't register.
      Might have to try get some help and try the brute force fix.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/07/2015 - 09:48
    +1

    Make sure your power supply to the unit is good.

    • mizzkitty on 23/07/2015 - 03:01

      Yeah one of the cables is a bit loose/dodgy. I swapped it over with a new one but it didn't change. Thanks though!

  • j03 on 31/08/2015 - 16:31
    +1

    What I don't get is you said that you've backed up. If you are properly doing backups, you'd have a duplicate copy of your files you can revert to. Moving/Saving files to your Backup Drive isn't backing up.

    Try contacting pinoy from ozbargain or hddguru. He works for a data recovery place in melb cbd.

    Scratching sound on a HDD could most likely mean the heads are scratching the surface.

    Your attempt to follow DIY suggestions here can be catastrophic and most likely complicate things for future data recovery. FYI the freezing or banging trick some people did was for a stiction problem where the heads are stuck on the platter.

    • mizzkitty on 05/09/2015 - 22:02

      Thanks, I'll try contact them. Nah, I wasn't smart enough to back up my back up… : ) Just saved everything on the hard drive and thought I was good. Now I know for next time.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join