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External HD not working

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  • 07-04-2017 1:43pm
    #1
    davidm25
    Registered Users Posts: 84 ✭✭


    Hi everyone

    I have an external Hard Drive, an Iomega 500GB (not SSD) that has stopped working. It hasn't fallen, been dropped, etc - it just stopped working this morning. There is power going to it fine (the LED still shines) and if you listen very carefully you can hear a very faint clicking noise when it starts up first. But it doesn't spin, and therefore doesn't show up in file browser to get at the data, etc.

    Naturally this is not good, but has anyone any ideas about
    - what the problem might be
    - how to fix it (if it's simple)
    - where to get it fixed (if it's not simple) and if so, how much such a job might cost

    I'm confident enough to take it out of its external casing, but not at all to open the drive itself (nor would I want to as I know this is very dangerous territory).

    All help appreciated...

    Thanks,
    D


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    #2
    mordeith
    Registered Users Posts: 5,278 ✭✭✭mordeith


    davidm25 wrote: »
    I'm confident enough to take it out of its external casing,
    If you can remove the drive (that is it's not soldered) then you could try hooking it up to a PC if you have access to one. The clicking noise is usually and indicator of mechanical failure on the drive though.
    davidm25 wrote: »
    but not at all to open the drive itself (nor would I want to as I know this is very dangerous territory).
    Definitely don't do this


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    #3
    davidm25
    Registered Users Posts: 84 ✭✭davidm25


    Thanks mordeith, yes that's what I was afraid of. It's not bad sectors or anything like that, it's just not spinning - so something mechanical or electrical is at fault here.

    The one possibility might be that the USB part of the external casing is shot, in which case connecting it directly into a PC might work. But it's a bit of a long shot...

    Baring that - can anyone recommend a place to get this looked at (professionally) that won't cost the earth?

    Tnx
    D


  • Options
    #4
    davidm25
    Registered Users Posts: 84 ✭✭davidm25


    Success!!

    I had another external HD knocking around that I knew was working fine, different make but similar year and also had an IDE drive inside it like the first one. Took the drive out of it and tried it in the casing for the one not working. Same result - wouldn't spin, wouldn't start, clicking noise - but had been working fine 2 mins earlier in its own casing. So with much hope I swapped the drives and tried the 'not working' drive in the 'definitely working' casing. It spun right up and everything is fine on it.

    Now that it's out, I see the original drive was manufactured in 2005 so I could well be on borrowed time with this anyway - a large and long backup is now under way.

    Thanks to sugarman and mordeith for your help.

    D


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