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Getting files off a hard drive that won't work

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  • 16-05-2009 12:44pm
    #1
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭


    As the title says - I think my external hard drive had a nasty fall off the bed earlier and now has stopped working (the light does not come on when you plug it in - it's dead). I'm a bit worried as I have 250GB of music and videos on it. Is there any way this can be recovered? I seem to remember a friend doing something like this before by removing the hard disk from the cover but then I can't remember what he did! My OH is the tech savvy one in our house but unfortunately he is away for the next two weeks.

    I'm happy to buy a new one as the one I have is full but the main thing is to rescue the files.

    It's a 2.5" USB powered freecom mobile drive, if that helps.


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    #2
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 20,081 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    A lot might depend on whether the HD was on and functioning at the time of the fall. If it was off, you might be ok, if it was on and in the process of reading/writing , that may not be good as the heads might have crashed into the disc/s.

    The light not coming on might be a good sign, as it could indicate the problem is related to a lack of power, due to a breakage in an internal connection, which might mean the HD itself is OK. Can you hear a noise of the HD spinning when it is plugged in?

    Inside the box is probably a circuit board which handles the communication between the HD and PC and the HD itself, which just plugs onto a multi pin connector on the board.

    I think it is possible to buy just the housings with board and just plug an existing HD into them. So if the problem is with the board or a connection, and the HD is OK, you could just get a new housing. If the problem is in the HD though, you have probably lost what was on it.

    It would be worth opening up the case and looking for obvious things like something broken or the HD having become unplugged. Before touching things, touch the metal casing of the HD to discharge any static.


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    #3
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    Thanks for the reply. It was on but not in use when it dropped i.e. it was plugged in to my computer but I wasn't reading/writing to it. I have a feeling, as you mentioned that it might be the part inside that connects the usb to the device - that's why it's not getting any power. There's no noises coming from it at all. This happened before to use with a media player and we took the actually hard disk out and got all the files off it. I just can't see how to open it up!

    Going to a friend's house for dinner tonight and he knows about these things so I'm going to get him to open it up for me and see what he can do.

    Fingers crossed it's just the housing and the hard disk itself is fine. You can get new cases for them cheap enough from China. I've seen one online that will do for about $30 (that's nz dollars so about €12)


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    #4
    lickarse2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭lickarse2


    watna wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply. It was on but not in use when it dropped i.e. it was plugged in to my computer but I wasn't reading/writing to it. I have a feeling, as you mentioned that it might be the part inside that connects the usb to the device - that's why it's not getting any power. There's no noises coming from it at all. This happened before to use with a media player and we took the actually hard disk out and got all the files off it. I just can't see how to open it up!

    Going to a friend's house for dinner tonight and he knows about these things so I'm going to get him to open it up for me and see what he can do.

    Fingers crossed it's just the housing and the hard disk itself is fine. You can get new cases for them cheap enough from China. I've seen one online that will do for about $30 (that's nz dollars so about €12)

    If the lights off there will be no sounds from the drive. You're probably going to be OK, but don't let friend open the drive itself. I've seen idiots do this and that's been the end of any chance of getting anything back :mad:


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    #5
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    lickarse2 wrote: »
    If the lights off there will be no sounds from the drive. You're probably going to be OK, but don't let friend open the drive itself. I've seen idiots do this and that's been the end of any chance of getting anything back :mad:

    The IT guy at work is going to do it for me. He reckons the hard disk itself is intact.

    Fingers crossed!


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