Dropped 1TB WD Elements External HD...

[DaveB_55]

I know this problem has been posted just about everywhere on the Internet, but I was hoping to get some advice anyway... Basically the HD was dropped from chest height by someone who is about 5'7. The drive is detectable, and I can manuever between the main directory and different folders, but when I try to open files, the window will hand and "not respond". I noticed that when it was dropped, part of the plastic shell (I believe the top part) came undone and was snapped back into place. Does anyone think there is any hope of recovery for my HD?

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Just plugging in the HD and using some magical software to recover the data? NO.

Sending it off to a Data Recovery Specialist where they will dismantle the drive, place the platters on their own device and try and recover at the bit level the Data? Possibly they done PCs flooded by Katrina, but the question is HOW MUCH is that data worth to you? Do you have a business proposition worth 1M$ on it? Do you have the ONLY photo of a family member any has on it?

Do you have stuff worth on it willing to shell out the initial $2K to try then potentially 10K to 100K to actually recover the data?

If you don't wish to spend the money then that is it, same answer "everywhere on the Internet" and won't magically change. There is no FREE in the world.

 

[DaveB_55]

So I was able to copy a text file from it onto my desktop, even though it took about 5-7 minutes to do...Would it be possible to take out the HD from the case and use it as an internal HD by plugging it into the sata port? Or do WD Element drives come with the Sata card soldered into the drive?

 

[USAFRet]

Take the external enclosure apart, to discover the actual hard drive.
Remove whatever adapters are there to hopefully expose the standard SATA data and power connections.

Connect this now bare drive either internally on another PC, or in a USB SATA dock.

If the OS can see this drive and do anything with it, great.
If not....$$$$$

 

[USAFRet]

So I was able to copy a text file from it onto my desktop, even though it took about 5-7 minutes to do...Would it be possible to take out the HD from the case and use it as an internal HD by plugging it into the sata port? Or do WD Element drives come with the Sata card soldered into the drive?

If copying a single text file takes "5-7 minutes"...I'd hazard a guess that the actual drive is hosed.

You can try it, as mentioned above.
It won't be any more broken than it is now.

 

[DaveB_55]

So I noticed that if after immediately connecting the HD to my USB 3.0 port, I drag and drop something from the main directory in the HD to somewhere else such as my desktop, it is able to transfer it normally, given the folder being transfered is not more than several gigabytes... I just tried this with a 700mb video file and it was able to transfer it without a problem. However, I noticed after it was transfered, the drive froze up again. Also, the drive does not have a sata bridge card...

 

[USAFRet]

So I noticed that if after immediately connecting the HD to my USB 3.0 port, I drag and drop something from the main directory in the HD to somewhere else such as my desktop, it is able to transfer it normally, given the folder being transfered is not more than several gigabytes... I just tried this with a 700mb video file and it was able to transfer it without a problem. However, I noticed after it was transfered, the drive froze up again. Also, the drive does not have a sata bridge card...

Have you removed the actual hard drive from the enclosure, and connected it via normal SATA cables?
If not, anything else is just speculation.

But it doesn't sound good.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

So I noticed that if after immediately connecting the HD to my USB 3.0 port, I drag and drop something from the main directory in the HD to somewhere else such as my desktop, it is able to transfer it normally, given the folder being transfered is not more than several gigabytes... I just tried this with a 700mb video file and it was able to transfer it without a problem. However, I noticed after it was transfered, the drive froze up again. Also, the drive does not have a sata bridge card...

And did you PLAY the video? Again, no one can say "this directory here" or "the files after such and such" will be perfectly okay but "such and such" is not. The answers still are the same. You want to hit and miss try to copy data, and keep commenting about the drive froze up is similiar to saying you able to drive on the 2 flat tires but you wonder why you can't speed or how there is this funny burning smell. It need professional assistance, plain and simple I am sorry to say.

 

[DaveB_55]

Yes the video works. I've tried this multiple times with videos under 1gb and they all seem to transfer and play fine.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes the video works. I've tried this multiple times with videos under 1gb and they all seem to transfer and play fine.

OK then.....what seems to be the problem?

External drive
You dropped it
It is acting up

Correct so far?

 

[DaveB_55]

So far, it seems that data IS recoverable, but only in small increments/amounts... Anything past 1-2gb the HD will stall.

 

[USAFRet]

So far, it seems that data IS recoverable, but only in small increments/amounts... Anything past 1-2gb the HD will stall.

Then it would seem that the drive is on the way to the grave.
The more you mess with it, the sooner it will actually die.

Toss it, and recover your data from the backup. That drive is just about dead.