My Hard drive makes a clicking sound and is not recognized by BIOS

Holiday · 04-04-2008, 12:59 AM

I have a Western Digital 500GB SATA Hard Drive. It was working fine, then I tried to turn on my computer yesterday and it just kept making a "click" sound about every 5 seconds or so, and BIOS is not recognizing it

I tried putting it in the freezer over night, then running it, but that didn't fix anything. The disks are spinning.

I want to recover my data, but I am lost. What should I do? And does anyone know exactly what is causing that clicking sound?

PC eye · 04-04-2008, 01:34 AM

Generally when you hear clicking sounds and a drive isn't listed in the post screen that spells "toast"! The clicking is may simply be a loud drive like seen in the video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMWG3fwiEU or now being heard spells the worst where a data recovery service would be needed if the drive's heads/actuator are spent.

There's only a 3 nanometer gap between drive heads and the platters themselves where if the heads slapping there or the actuator is simply swinging rather freely the drive is gone. The cost for a recovery service?

!!! "that much!"

Holiday · 04-04-2008, 01:43 AM

I'm hearing you but not listening! (I know my drive is toast).
I will not take toast for an answer

There has to be an ALTERNATIVE

I've read some stuff about buying an identical HD and swapping the platters. Some say it will work but it is very risky

What do you ppl think about this idea?

Holiday

Cleric7x9 · 04-04-2008, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holiday

I'm hearing you but not listening! (I know my drive is toast).
I will not take toast for an answer

There has to be an ALTERNATIVE

I've read some stuff about buying an identical HD and swapping the platters. Some say it will work but it is very risky

What do you ppl think about this idea?

Holiday

unless you have access to an anti-static lab, removing the platters with any hope of data recovery is impossible.

g25racer · 04-04-2008, 02:08 AM

You have to do it in an absolutley clean environment/room and anti-static. You must be very cautious. It's like doing surgery on a brain!! My friend has done it before but a couple days later the platter dropped and basically destroyed it. He was going to throw it away anyways.

camel lips · 04-04-2008, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cleric7x9

unless you have access to an anti-static lab, removing the platters with any hope of data recovery is impossible.

Doesent sound like he has anything to lose except his data.I say go for it.The worst thing you can lose is a few hours of your time,,,and your data.

Holiday · 04-04-2008, 02:51 AM

Alrighty then. Somebody has to tell me how to make a Clean Room!!!

I will get my data back!

Here's what I'm thinking of so far: I will cut up a big trash bags and tape them together and hang them from the ceiling. so ultimately I will make a little almost air tight environment. Put an air purifier in it and dress myself in scrubs. Then I need to take an identical (good) hard drive, take out the platters and put the platters in it that I need to recover the data from.

So, how does that sound?

PC eye · 04-04-2008, 02:57 AM

Why do you think data recovery services get away with charging high prices? They are equipped for this type of activity. But they are equipped to read the platters individually as well as reading them while in the original casing. Those are precise gaps seen between drive heads and the platters themselves. If you are off only a little when getting the platters into another drive's casing... oops! oh well...

dznutz · 04-04-2008, 09:53 AM

rule is when the external doesn't work try taking the external casing apart and put the hard drive in the pc. something may be wrong with the controller card. hopefully you have the right connections and or extra cables. report back to us after you try this.

on a side note i wonder when will the majority of users buy another hd for important backups

patrickv · 04-04-2008, 12:51 PM

OP let me tell you something, having experience data loss time and time again, you cannot get an identical drive and swap the platters.
As someone posted you need to be in an anti static Lab.
Even if the smallest particle fell over those platters you're doomed.
i also had that thought when my hard drives burned. but i can't afford those anyways.
You're best bet is to give it to Recovery services somewhere as they have the means and machines to solve your problem.

trust me i know how it feels to lose data.. just do a search on me regarding data loss

04-04-2008, 12:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
Holiday Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: US, Maryland Age: 17 Posts: 616	My Hard drive makes a clicking sound and is not recognized by BIOS I have a Western Digital 500GB SATA Hard Drive. It was working fine, then I tried to turn on my computer yesterday and it just kept making a "click" sound about every 5 seconds or so, and BIOS is not recognizing it I tried putting it in the freezer over night, then running it, but that didn't fix anything. The disks are spinning. I want to recover my data, but I am lost. What should I do? And does anyone know exactly what is causing that clicking sound? __________________ OS: Win Vista Ultimate 3.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor With HT NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 1536MB(1.5GB) DDR PC2700 RAM 2x256+2x512 500GB WD HD + 250GB Maxtor HD + 160GB HD BLASTER Live! 24.bit 96kHz/100dB SNR HD SONY Double Layer DVD Writer DRU-720A HP DVD+R\RW DVD Writer LCD 19" Flat panel f1903

04-04-2008, 01:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,226	Generally when you hear clicking sounds and a drive isn't listed in the post screen that spells "toast"! The clicking is may simply be a loud drive like seen in the video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMWG3fwiEU or now being heard spells the worst where a data recovery service would be needed if the drive's heads/actuator are spent. There's only a 3 nanometer gap between drive heads and the platters themselves where if the heads slapping there or the actuator is simply swinging rather freely the drive is gone. The cost for a recovery service? !!! "that much!" __________________ Turning auto exhaust into a new energy source http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Ahe...ory?id=5552209 Ahead of theCurve: Extreme gamers play 45hrs. a week http://blogs.abcnews.com/aheadofthec...extreme-g.html

04-04-2008, 01:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Holiday Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: US, Maryland Age: 17 Posts: 616	I'm hearing you but not listening! (I know my drive is toast). I will not take toast for an answer There has to be an ALTERNATIVE I've read some stuff about buying an identical HD and swapping the platters. Some say it will work but it is very risky What do you ppl think about this idea? Holiday __________________ OS: Win Vista Ultimate 3.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor With HT NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 1536MB(1.5GB) DDR PC2700 RAM 2x256+2x512 500GB WD HD + 250GB Maxtor HD + 160GB HD BLASTER Live! 24.bit 96kHz/100dB SNR HD SONY Double Layer DVD Writer DRU-720A HP DVD+R\RW DVD Writer LCD 19" Flat panel f1903

04-04-2008, 02:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
g25racer Diamond Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hamilton, MI Posts: 3,789	You have to do it in an absolutley clean environment/room and anti-static. You must be very cautious. It's like doing surgery on a brain!! My friend has done it before but a couple days later the platter dropped and basically destroyed it. He was going to throw it away anyways. __________________ CPU - AMD Athlon 64x2 5200+ @ 2.6ghz Ram - 2GB Stock clock HD - 320gb seagate & Samsung 750gb 32mb cache GPU - XFX 8600GT XXX Zalman @ 680 or 700mhz PSU - Ultra X-finity 600watt OS - Vista Home Premium(32) & Ubuntu (8.04) Ultimate Ed Audio - JVC 460watts Control - Logitech G25 Wheel & Logitech Rumblepad 2 Games - GTR2 and LFS -- Race Sim's for Life --

04-04-2008, 02:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
Holiday Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: US, Maryland Age: 17 Posts: 616	Alrighty then. Somebody has to tell me how to make a Clean Room!!! I will get my data back! Here's what I'm thinking of so far: I will cut up a big trash bags and tape them together and hang them from the ceiling. so ultimately I will make a little almost air tight environment. Put an air purifier in it and dress myself in scrubs. Then I need to take an identical (good) hard drive, take out the platters and put the platters in it that I need to recover the data from. So, how does that sound? __________________ OS: Win Vista Ultimate 3.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor With HT NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 1536MB(1.5GB) DDR PC2700 RAM 2x256+2x512 500GB WD HD + 250GB Maxtor HD + 160GB HD BLASTER Live! 24.bit 96kHz/100dB SNR HD SONY Double Layer DVD Writer DRU-720A HP DVD+R\RW DVD Writer LCD 19" Flat panel f1903

04-04-2008, 02:57 AM	#8 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,226	Why do you think data recovery services get away with charging high prices? They are equipped for this type of activity. But they are equipped to read the platters individually as well as reading them while in the original casing. Those are precise gaps seen between drive heads and the platters themselves. If you are off only a little when getting the platters into another drive's casing... oops! oh well... __________________ Turning auto exhaust into a new energy source http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Ahe...ory?id=5552209 Ahead of theCurve: Extreme gamers play 45hrs. a week http://blogs.abcnews.com/aheadofthec...extreme-g.html

04-04-2008, 09:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
dznutz Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: california Age: 28 Posts: 558	rule is when the external doesn't work try taking the external casing apart and put the hard drive in the pc. something may be wrong with the controller card. hopefully you have the right connections and or extra cables. report back to us after you try this. on a side note i wonder when will the majority of users buy another hd for important backups __________________ ANTEC 900 COOLERMASTER EXTREME 500w MSI NEO-F p35 INTEL E4500 EVGA geforce 7300gs 2gb CORSAIR XMS2 SAMSUNG SH-203N SATA SEAGATE BARRACUDA 1Tb SATA AIRLINK 101 300n pci XP PRO 32 bit, VISTA ULTIMATE 64 bit

04-04-2008, 12:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
patrickv Diamond Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Soul Chamber Posts: 5,427	OP let me tell you something, having experience data loss time and time again, you cannot get an identical drive and swap the platters. As someone posted you need to be in an anti static Lab. Even if the smallest particle fell over those platters you're doomed. i also had that thought when my hard drives burned. but i can't afford those anyways. You're best bet is to give it to Recovery services somewhere as they have the means and machines to solve your problem. trust me i know how it feels to lose data.. just do a search on me regarding data loss __________________ Laptop: Thinkpad X60: Core2Duo T7200 @ 2Ghz,1GB DDR2,110GB SATA -winXP ProSP2 Work Desktop: Core Duo E2180 @ 2Ghz,1.5GB DDR2,240GB HD - XP PRO SP2 Home: Core Duo E2180 2Ghz,1.5GB DDR2,Nvidia GForce 6200TB,320 GB (2x160GB) -Dual boot - XP / OSX 10.5.2

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