Is my external HDD dead???

[Davis Goertzen]

Hello all,

Just tonight I tried to plug in my external hard drive, and it won't mount on my computer. This is the first time it's done this. When I power it up, even without it being plugged in, it gives little clicking sounds, like about twice a second. I tried a different enclosure connection, with different USB cable and power supply, and the result was no different, so I'm fairly confident that it wasn't a connection somewhere.

It is made by Aluratek, with WD Green 1Tb drive inside. I bought it something like 3 or 4 years ago, and during that time I think I've treated it fairly well. I haven't dropped it, only smacked it a few times (like tonight, wondering if something might be stuck). On a couple occasions I have unplugged it without unmounting it first, and a couple times it said that it wasn't able to complete the delayed-write thing. But, I didn't think it should have a reason to be dying yet.

Anyway, if you guys can help me at all, I'd appreciate that. I have some important stuff on there that I'd hate to lose. I guess I should maybe have backed up things in a secondary place, but I suppose I trusted the hard drive not to fail.

Thanks for reading, and if you need to ask me something, fire away.

Davis

 

[johnb35]

If it making a clicking noise, thats not a good sign at all. Never fully trust a hard drive, they are mechanical devices and can go out at any time. If you have data on there that you would hate to lose then back it up to several different locations. You can try taking the drive out of the case and hooking it up straight to the computer with a sata connection and see what happens.

 

[kurby]

It sounds like the actuator motor or the the arm itself is stuck. You could try to hook it up to a computer via sata connection but unless you stop the clicking you probably will not be able to mount the partition. I would suggest you buy a new hard drive. If the data is important, you will have to send it in for repair. Also, I have seen people put the hard drive in the freezer with this issue. They would plug it in while the drive was cold and it would mount for a bit. I don't quite know the science behind this method, though.

 

[Davis Goertzen]

Ok, well I can't really connect it directly to my computer because I only have a laptop.

I guess my only option is to take it to a shop somewhere and see if they can recover the stuff on it, eh?

As far as multiple backup locations goes, I guess that's right. How good/bad of an idea is online/cloud backup?

Kurby, I think you're probably right about the motor or the arm being stuck. It sounds like that.

Thanks for the help.

 

[wolfeking]

Cloud backup is only as reliable as your internet service. That and you stand a complete lack of security, as any attack on the server, or just a curious server attendant could access and read your personal data.

Personally, I advise against it, as once something is on the internet, it is there for good.

 

[Davis Goertzen]

Ok, I can see your point. What do you recommend for multiple locations for backup then? Buy 2 or more external HDD and copy everything from the "working one" onto all the others?

 

[wolfeking]

that is a good option. Though what I do is completely different. I back up all pertinent data to:
1. Data partitions on all of my computers (all data on all computers)
2: A external HDD when it is working.
3. To a DVD-r DL disk.
4. To flashkeys.

Also I encrypt the data partitions, Flashkeys, and the external drive to keep the data safe. I got it set to nuke the drive if the password is missed 5 times in a row to prevent brute force attacks on it. But then again, I am paranoid.

 

[Davis Goertzen]

Well, at any rate, I guess it sounds like my best option is to get another drive, and start phoning some computer shops to see about any possibility of recovering the data.

Thanks for the help.