External HD problem

Captain Slow IRL

I managed to drop my Iomega MDHDU and the blue light that is usually solid is now flashing rapidly and the computer is not picking it up. Iomega's website is surprisingly useless and google is showing up feck all.

Is there any way of recovering the data off it, some very important (and irreplacabe) photo's on it.

ap1986

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I managed to drop my Iomega MDHDU and the blue light that is usually solid is now flashing rapidly and the computer is not picking it up. Iomega's website is surprisingly useless and google is showing up feck all.

Is there any way of recovering the data off it, some very important (and irreplacabe) photo's on it.

can u hear a clicking sound

Captain Slow IRL

I can hear a barely audible ticking sound with the light coming on and off.

big man andy

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I can hear a barely audible ticking sound with the light coming on and off.

Can you see it in Windows Disk Management?

Captain Slow IRL

Is that when you click on the "Computer" icon and see all the different drives?

If so, no.

jhud

Windows disk manager is if you right click on my computer and click on manage there will be windows disk manager on the left almost at the bottom of the open screen.

Captain Slow IRL

I right clicked "Computer" then
"Manage"
"Storage"
"Disk Management"

It's only showing the laptop's hd and cd drive.

ArtyM

Hey
These external hard drives are usually just normal bog standard computer hardrives in an enclosure.
The chances are that any damage from the fall was to the enclosure, not the drive inside.
If you open it up and take the drive out you can put it into a pc or into another suitable enclosure and you should be fine - enclosures are available in most pc stores for 20-50 yo yos.
Not all external hard drives are easily opened though.
If the drive was physically damaged you will usually hear a clicking/metalic knocking sound coming from it or a repetitive/loop like a cd starting a spin, stopping, and starting again and again.
Good luck

Captain Slow IRL

I took it apart to have a quick look but need a smaller torx screwdriver to remove more than the outer shell - is there anything to be wary of when opening it?

ArtyM

Dont have it plugged in, obviously.
Be reasonably careful when disconnecting the connectors from the hdd - if it is the older ide/pata type they have many pins(connector will be white plastic) try and slip the connector off uniformly i.e. not one side first as it can bend the pins.
Honestly, reasonable care should see you through. They are very simple devices inside.
You are only opening the Iomega case though - dont go trying to open the hard drive!

Captain Slow IRL

What do I do when I open the hd? When do I stop stripping?

ArtyM

The video below should help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Hpa-sh23g