External Hard Disk problem

**michailangelo** · August 30, 2011, 08:34 AM

After 6 years of continuous function, my external hard disk(Western Digital 250GB NTFS ) stopped working.

Windows 7 (64-bit Ultimate) still list it as a hard disk but when I click on it the whole system just lags and I can't access it.

My big concern is to save the data. Any ideas?

Thank you

**PoleCat** · August 30, 2011, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by michailangelo

After 6 years of continuous function, my external hard disk(Western Digital 250GB NTFS ) stopped working.

Windows 7 (64-bit Ultimate) still list it as a hard disk but when I click on it the whole system just lags and I can't access it.

My big concern is to save the data. Any ideas?

Thank you

After 6 years that hdd has likely run its course. Maybe a problem with the volume somewhere.

First off - go to Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> and select Disk Management. What do you see there? What drive designation is the ext. hdd (E:\, F:\, Q:\, etc)? Check to see if it is still considered "healthy". I don't want you doing anything other than checking this - the potential for screw up is too great if you don't have an idea what you are doing.

There are other ways to check the integrity of the disk but it depends on your knowledge of DOS and the command prompt. The same applies to restoring that data on another drive.

Do you know how to run a command prompt? Do you know DOS at all? If not then there are cheap hardware solutions that will allow you to check the disk from another boot disk and retrieve all non infected data.

Please answer and good luck!

**michailangelo** · August 30, 2011, 02:19 PM

When I click on Disk Management, it doesn't display anything. It only says "connecting to Virtual Disk Service" and stucks. Anyways, the current letter is J:\ .

Originally Posted by PoleCat

I don't want you doing anything other than checking this - the potential for screw up is too great if you don't have an idea what you are doing.

I insert ubuntu cd and surprisingly made my hd accessible. I thought it was fixed so I switched back to windows which made also the hd accessible. I tried to play an mp3 just to make sure it works but it kept loading forever. I was waiting like 40 minutes just to open the folder. I load ubuntu again to start transfer files to other drive but this time ubuntu couldn't recognize it!

All the time, the hd is making noises. I should add that in order to reboot my system I had to manually disconnect the usb cable so that windows could shut down otherwise they just stuck.

Originally Posted by PoleCat

Do you know how to run a command prompt? Do you know DOS at all? If not then there are cheap hardware solutions that will allow you to check the disk from another boot disk and retrieve all non infected data.

I have used cmd before. All I care is to save the data. I don't care about the hd. I'll buy another one.

Thank you

**PoleCat** · August 30, 2011, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by michailangelo

When I click on Disk Management, it doesn't display anything. It only says "connecting to Virtual Disk Service" and stucks. Anyways, the current letter is J:\ .

I insert ubuntu cd and surprisingly made my hd accessible. I thought it was fixed so I switched back to windows which made also the hd accessible. I tried to play an mp3 just to make sure it works but it kept loading forever. I was waiting like 40 minutes just to open the folder. I load ubuntu again to start transfer files to other drive but this time ubuntu couldn't recognize it!

All the time, the hd is making noises. I should add that in order to reboot my system I had to manually disconnect the usb cable so that windows could shut down otherwise they just stuck.

I have used cmd before. All I care is to save the data. I don't care about the hd. I'll buy another one.

Thank you

Bad. The drive is definitely dying.

Shut down the system, unplug the ext. hdd, then cold boot ubuntu again. See if you can get it operational. I've never used ubuntu so can't give you full instructions there - but if you can get ubuntu loaded then you have a chance. Once loaded plug the ext. hdd in again - hopefully the system will see it. Then start copying files over to another hdd.

If that doesn't work we will try the old school DOS method of copying into a user temp file. Any software that you have on your ext. hdd that requires a Registry key will need to be reinstalled so don't bother copying those out - just save games and music, documents, etc. Good luck!

**michailangelo** · September 01, 2011, 03:39 AM

Ok, now I transfer the files to other drive. It will take days though because of the lags I get. Often I have to let the hd cool a little before I continue the transfer.

Then I'll have to search for a new external hd.

PoleCat thanks for the help.

**michailangelo** · September 01, 2011, 08:24 AM

That's it for my external hd. Now it doesn't make any noises at all. Windows recognizes it with a new name but does not list it in the drives list . Ubuntu does the same and it even adds that it has only 8 GB available while it has at least 15 GB.

I managed to save some files but not much due to the high lag it caused so most of my data are still there.

Is there any hope for them or I just goodbye all the stuff that I gathered in the 6 years of its life span?

**GrnEyedDvl** · September 03, 2011, 08:27 PM

I guess the question is how badly you want the data. It sounds like the drive mechanics are fried. If it wont spin up at all or makes noise when it spins up then the spindle and bearings are likely gone, which will make it very hard to get stuff off of it. If the drive is not spinning true it could even be scored by the head which makes things worse.

However you do have a few options. If you have another similar drive, you can take the two drives apart and swap the platter of the bad drive into the good drive. If you are not mechanically inclined I would not suggest this as you might actually hose the good drive as well. There are tutorials and videos out there on this, and I have done it once myself in an emergency situation.

Or you can pay to have it done, but this can be very expensive, especially for a completely failed drive. I have seen companies that charge $1,000 and up for that service.

**PoleCat** · September 03, 2011, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by michailangelo

That's it for my external hd. Now it doesn't make any noises at all. Windows recognizes it with a new name but does not list it in the drives list . Ubuntu does the same and it even adds that it has only 8 GB available while it has at least 15 GB.

I managed to save some files but not much due to the high lag it caused so most of my data are still there.

Is there any hope for them or I just goodbye all the stuff that I gathered in the 6 years of its life span?

Originally Posted by GrnEyedDvl

I guess the question is how badly you want the data. It sounds like the drive mechanics are fried. If it wont spin up at all or makes noise when it spins up then the spindle and bearings are likely gone, which will make it very hard to get stuff off of it. If the drive is not spinning true it could even be scored by the head which makes things worse.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

GreenEyedDevil is right - if the platter or head is gone then the disk is toast. But I'm stilling wondering if you don't have another problem instead. That Ext. HDD has it's own power source - maybe that is what has died? If that's the case maybe you can find a way to salvage the contents of that drive through other mechanical means than switching platters - A suggestion I highly discourage. It's a pain in the ass and the chance of success is slim if you don't know what you're doing.

Can you give us more info on just what part of the drive was making "noises" before it died and can you tell if it was internal or near the power supply and hookup for that drive? That would go a long way towards solving this problem. Good luck!

**michailangelo** · September 06, 2011, 04:17 AM

Originally Posted by PoleCat

That Ext. HDD has it's own power source - maybe that is what has died?

That's not the case. I opened the Ext.HDD and connect it to motherboard via IDE cable. Still not working. Sometimes BIOS recognize it with a different name and a false number of capacity. I should add though that it makes noises. It starts with the noise like when something powers up and then the noise like when something shuts down and repeats this all the time.

Originally Posted by GrnEyedDvl

I guess the question is how badly you want the data. It sounds like the drive mechanics are fried. If it wont spin up at all or makes noise when it spins up then the spindle and bearings are likely gone, which will make it very hard to get stuff off of it. If the drive is not spinning true it could even be scored by the head which makes things worse.

However you do have a few options. If you have another similar drive, you can take the two drives apart and swap the platter of the bad drive into the good drive. If you are not mechanically inclined I would not suggest this as you might actually hose the good drive as well. There are tutorials and videos out there on this, and I have done it once myself in an emergency situation.

Or you can pay to have it done, but this can be very expensive, especially for a completely failed drive. I have seen companies that charge and up for that service.

Yes, it's too expensive for me. The videos you mention is my only option.

**PoleCat** · September 06, 2011, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by michailangelo

That's not the case. I opened the Ext.HDD and connect it to motherboard via IDE cable. Still not working....

Did you also bypass the independent PSU for that external HDD and hook it to the main systems PSU via either a molex connector or a SATA power cable? I'm thinking that it's the power supply on the external that's failing and giving you problems.

Originally Posted by Bolkonskij

If it's plugged directly into the computer, Linux still can't access it?

That's the question now - isn't it? Whether drive damage or PSU failure....

**michailangelo** · September 09, 2011, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Bolkonskij

If it's plugged directly into the computer, Linux still can't access it?

Nope.

Originally Posted by PoleCat

Did you also bypass the independent PSU for that external HDD and hook it to the main systems PSU via either a molex connector or a SATA power cable? I'm thinking that it's the power supply on the external that's failing and giving you problems.

I used SATA power cable. I am sure it's drive's problem.

**Bolkonsky** · September 06, 2011, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by GrnEyedDvl

However you do have a few options. If you have another similar drive, you can take the two drives apart and swap the platter of the bad drive into the good drive. If you are not mechanically inclined I would not suggest this as you might actually hose the good drive as well. There are tutorials and videos out there on this, and I have done it once myself in an emergency situation.

I know a guy that can do this with his eyes closed, practically. He says it's not as tough as it sounds, but I've never had the balls to try it. (He does it for like $50, he has no idea how much it's worth to people I guess.

) I do have a dead drive that I need to get some pictures and stuff off of sitting around in my desk, until I get off my ass. Maybe I'll give it a shot this week.

That's not the case. I opened the Ext.HDD and connect it to motherboard via IDE cable. Still not working. Sometimes BIOS recognize it with a different name and a false number of capacity. I should add though that it makes noises. It starts with the noise like when something powers up and then the noise like when something shuts down and repeats this all the time.

Does it make any noises when it's plugged in with the normal eSata or USB connection and it's independent power source? Or only when it's plugged directly into the computer?

**michailangelo** · September 06, 2011, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Bolkonskij

Does it make any noises when it's plugged in with the normal eSata or USB connection and it's independent power source? Or only when it's plugged directly into the computer?

No noises when becomes external(USB connection).