24 replies to this topic

[PerfectSilence]

I was transfering over a 30gb selection of files from my external HD to one of my internal one's. It got stalled and I had to close down the transfer around 20gb's transferred. Now the external HD justs keeps making clicking sounds (like it's writing/reading) and the status light flashes. My guess is that it is checking the data that is on the HD to make sure it wasn't corrupted or something during the transfer, but I'm not sure. Here's some additional info if it'll help..

- It stops the clicking when the computer is off and starts up again when the computer is turned on again
- Booting up the computer with the external HD on will drastically slow down the boot up speed of the computer
- When it finally stops clicking and I see it listed in my computer and I click it, I get an error called "I/O Device Error" and it says the drive is not accessible

Please tell me I can get this drive up and running. I've got a lot of important stuff on it.

[papaspud2142]

I have one that's like that...they call it the click of death. I think you are probably screwed. I couldn't get mine to work and I tried everything.

[PerfectSilence]

I have one that's like that...they call it the click of death. I think you are probably screwed. I couldn't get mine to work and I tried everything.

Shit, I have stuff on there that's really important to me. Is there any way to salvage the information on it?

I didn't physically damage it at all, I never touched the thing. All I did was have an interruption in that big file transfer, how the hell could that ruin a HD?

[Catfish]

I'd bet the cause of the interruption was the hard drive dying. You'll probably have to send it off to a data recovery service, the clicking is a mechanical failure of the hard drive.

With old IBM drives when they started dying you used to be able to get them really cold (e.g. put them in the freezer for a few hours) and that might get you a few minutes out of them. Dunno if that still works or not.

[Blue5DG]

Data recovery service is your best bet! What kind of drive is it?

[PerfectSilence]

It's a 400gb external Seagate. I got it in Jan of '06 which puts it at 2 1/2 years old.

Here's the thing. I have some "stuff" on the HD that I wouldnt exactly want other people seeing (not porn!). There's no program or something I can run to try and recover some of the data? The stuff I was transferring I'm not concerned about, I can get that again if I have to. It's other stuff that I'd really like to get back.

What I don't understand is that my fathers computer, which is 10 years old, has been using the same little 10gb HD for all those yearrs and it hasent died. Maybe because I was always putting stuff on and off mine a lot, it did get used constantly over the last 2 years.

So how do these data recovery services work? Maybe my schools IT department can fix it, it's worth a shot I suppose.

[Blue5DG]

http://services.seag...om/contact.aspx

If the drive is working they can try and connect to it over a secure VPN connection and recover the data. I have seen them do magic with the drives in our Seagate Santa Clara facility.

[PerfectSilence]

http://services.seag...om/contact.aspx

If the drive is working they can try and connect to it over a secure VPN connection and recover the data. I have seen them do magic with the drives in our Seagate Santa Clara facility.

Thanks Bluedog. Those services seem to be very expensive though.

I've been reading about various fixes you can do, like freezing it such as catfish mentioned as well as replacing the board on the HD. Even if I can squeeze out just a few minutes or a few files that would be great.

I'm also not above taking the hard drive apart and replacing a certain defective part if that's the case.

[PerfectSilence]

I was thinking...

If I would be able to squeeze a few minutes out of the HD after it is frozen, why not put it in the freezer for a few hours and then use it while it is in the freezer. This is so frustrating. I'm willing to sacrifice the HD if I can get all the things that are important to me off of it before it dies.

Any idea's?

[Blue5DG]

One of the things the guys in Diagnostics said was to try switching to a different computer or a different USB port. Drive clicking says it isn't getting enough power.

http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD

[PerfectSilence]

One of the things the guys in Diagnostics said was to try switching to a different computer or a different USB port. Drive clicking says it isn't getting enough power.

http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD

Power, eh? It's external, so it's not running off my computers PSU. I will try using a different cable though as it's using firewire so I'll try USB. Then I'll move it to another computer if that doesn't work.If that doesnt work I can always take it out of the housing and then hook it up inside the computer, I just hope I have another SATA cable.

Thanks for the help Bluedog, I have a long weeked coming up so I'll definately have a chance to play around with this.

[Blue5DG]

One other thing to try is the diagnostic "SeaTools"

http://www.seagate.c...000f5ee0a0aRCRD

That will test the hardware.

[Catfish]

One other thing to try is the diagnostic "SeaTools"

http://www.seagate.c...000f5ee0a0aRCRD

That will test the hardware.

good suggestion, if it is a SMART capable drive SeaTools will tell you if it is reporting any errors.

[PerfectSilence]

Seatools is no good since every time I attempt to do anything that has to do with the drive it will just start clicking around again.

I left it in the freezer for the night, I'll let you know if that works and I'm able to salvage some of the data.

EDIT: Nope, didn't work. However, It didn't start clicking for a few minutes after I turned it on, but the computer wouldnt regonize it anyway.

[spookyload]

Does the external have a power cord you can plug it in with? I know a lot of the newer seagate models come with external power supplies. The drive inside that case is indeed a standard hard drive. It will void the warranty to take it apart, but if you are at wits end, that may be the best choice. Take it apart and toss it into your computer case. If it still works, you can always buy a external HD enclosure after market for a few bucks and build your own. I would make sure it works before dropping the cash on it. I agree is sounds like it isn't getting enough power. My western digital will do that when I run it on my car stereo. The USB header coming off the stereo isn't a high powered USB jack and it will start clicking occasionally.

[PerfectSilence]

Does the external have a power cord you can plug it in with? I know a lot of the newer seagate models come with external power supplies. The drive inside that case is indeed a standard hard drive. It will void the warranty to take it apart, but if you are at wits end, that may be the best choice. Take it apart and toss it into your computer case. If it still works, you can always buy a external HD enclosure after market for a few bucks and build your own. I would make sure it works before dropping the cash on it. I agree is sounds like it isn't getting enough power. My western digital will do that when I run it on my car stereo. The USB header coming off the stereo isn't a high powered USB jack and it will start clicking occasionally.

Thank you spooky. I was actually waiting for you to chirp in, lol, your advice is always so on the mark.

I am pretty much at wits end. It's just starting to sink in how much I really lost in this little mishap. I frooze it overnight and not much happened. It does indeed have an external power cord, although I can't figure out why the thing would start having problems all of a sudden when transferring a 30gb file unless it was a dead HD. Two years of use too.

I did attempt to take the case apart after I wasn't able to get it back up and running. However, it needs a special screwdriver I don't have (I tried my whole Torx set). I found these instructions online, the external HD in the pictures looks to be of the same model as mine, although I can't tell it's size (gb)

http://www.instructa...rnal-Harddrive/

[spookyload]

I put this question forward to some folks who are tech gurus. Maybe they will come up with something. Doing a little research found that controllers inside the case can go bad. Did it work when you plugged the USB in? Sometimes it is the Firewire controller that goes bad. With luck just putting it in your case will solve your problem.

[PerfectSilence]

I put this question forward to some folks who are tech gurus. Maybe they will come up with something. Doing a little research found that controllers inside the case can go bad. Did it work when you plugged the USB in? Sometimes it is the Firewire controller that goes bad. With luck just putting it in your case will solve your problem.

I tried USB, that did no good. I fully intend on getting it out of the enclosing and putting it in the computer/ I'm desperate at this point : (

[PerfectSilence]

I got it out of the enclosing, I've got it in my computer now. Doesn't seem to have worked, it's still clicking around. The BIOS did however regonize it.

EDIT: Hang on! I got the new hardware found wizard, I'm rebooting now to complete the setup. I saw the drive in "My Computer" too. God I hope this works.

EDIT2: Nope, didn't work Should I try freezing it again but instead wire it through my case? Any other options at this point? Maybe take the HD apart and replace something?

[spookyload]

It doesn't sound good for you. I will post your updated info and see what they suggest. Was the drive dropped or knocked over in some way during the transfer or prior? That is the only way I could see physical damage happening which is what you could be describing. As for data recovery services...it is very expensive. When my wifes laptop was accidentally thrown into a wall by me (oops) I had to recover the data because she is a teacher and her gradebook and tests were still on the drive. The drive would fail halfway through the file transfer, but at least it was working for a bit. I contacted a company about physical drive damage recovery, and it was going to be about $500 to have it taken apart and recovered. I was able to get a program that worked through the grinding, but like I said it would work for the first half of the drive. I don't think that would work for you in this case.