Software or Hardware HD Failure?

[Serge Skysi]

My 500GB WD MyBook finally keeled over. I restarted my computer yesterday
and the drive didn't show up either in Explorer or Disk Management.
I tried to restart the drive manually by pushing the on-off button and
disconnectinf the usb and power cables, but this doesn't help. The drive
actually starts to spin, but then there're tree clicks one after another;
after 3 seconds there's another 3-click succession, after which the drive
spins down.
Those three clicks -- are they the sound of the heads crushing? I'm
assuming this drive is finished and can't be restored to a working state.

 

[PD43]

I have a lot of data on it that I need restored. Could you suggest any
reasonable priced service that could do this?

What is "reasonable"?

The more you have to recover, the less "reasonable" the fee will be.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You need to stop trying to run the disk drive. You are lessening the
chances of recovering any data on the drive the more you run it.

Replace the drive and reinstall Windows. Take the drive to your local
computer shop and ask them to assist you. If you have not been backing up
your files then you are simply at the mercy of whatever state the disk is
now in.

You can obtain recovery software, but your first task is getting your
computer up and running again. I use a commercial package, EasyRecovery
DataRecovery from Kroll Ontrack,
http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/file-recovery-software/

Others will suggest various software solutions, some free, all with varying
effectiveness.

 

[James W. Long]

pick up the drive physically and twist it- quick snap of the wrist -and then
pray..maybe you can get the motor to spin up.
thats what youre hearing..its trying to spin up.

 

[PD43]

pick up the drive physically and twist it- quick snap of the wrist -and then
pray..maybe you can get the motor to spin up.

Does that work better than throwing it against the wall a couple
times?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

My 500GB WD MyBook finally keeled over. I restarted my computer yesterday
and the drive didn't show up either in Explorer or Disk Management.
I tried to restart the drive manually by pushing the on-off button and
disconnectinf the usb and power cables, but this doesn't help. The drive
actually starts to spin, but then there're tree clicks one after another;
after 3 seconds there's another 3-click succession, after which the drive
spins down.
Those three clicks -- are they the sound of the heads crushing? I'm
assuming this drive is finished and can't be restored to a working state.
---------------------------------
I have a lot of data on it that I need restored. Could you suggest any
reasonable priced service that could do this?

Thank you.

Good recovery services aren't inexpensive, and "reasonable" is a relative
term. The more data you have and the sooner you need it, the more
expensive recovery will be.

The last times I've used recovery services, the price has been in the $1000
range for around 40 gig. We did have to pay around $5000 to recover more
quickly from a 20 gig drive, but all the data was recovered.

The problem you will face is that if the drive has failed electrically or
mechanically, the platters have to be removed and installed on special
hardware. You cannot do this with software, and you can't do it at home.

HTH
\-pk

 

[GHalleck]

My 500GB WD MyBook finally keeled over. I restarted my computer yesterday
and the drive didn't show up either in Explorer or Disk Management.
I tried to restart the drive manually by pushing the on-off button and
disconnectinf the usb and power cables, but this doesn't help. The drive
actually starts to spin, but then there're tree clicks one after another;
after 3 seconds there's another 3-click succession, after which the drive
spins down.
Those three clicks -- are they the sound of the heads crushing? I'm
assuming this drive is finished and can't be restored to a working state.
---------------------------------
I have a lot of data on it that I need restored. Could you suggest any
reasonable priced service that could do this?

Thank you.

Learn to cross-post. Check your multi-posted question in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware. I like the answer posted
by Ghostrider. Especially, underpowered external USB enclosures
exhibit the same type of behavior.