External hard disk failure - want to recover it instead of replacing it. Help needed.

[crysisftw]

My Toshiba external hard disk failed. LED doesn't glow but hard disk itself spins without clicking noises. I tried with different ports, cables and computers but no solution till now. I have heard that mostly it is a problem with the controller, in which case I should buy an external controller like Anker's USB to SATA adapter and remove the hard disk from the enclosure and use it with that.

Does this seem like a controller failure or hard disk's failure itself?

My drive is still under warranty but I have just so much of important data in it that I want to try to recover it instead of getting it replaced with a new one. But if this doesn't seem like a controller failure, then I have to get it replaced with a new one otherwise the warranty will become void once I open the enclosure to try. Any ideas?

 

[velocityg4]

If I understand correctly you just want to try and keep using the disk. In which case it is not worth the risk. Just get it replaced under warranty.

 

[RolandJS]

There are no recent, current, backups, correct? Going forward, please institute and continue a routine of making OS and Data partition images onto external media.
Meanwhile, the best option you now have is to send the HD to any well-known, well-respected data recovery company or local specialist. S/he might be able to pull off the data for you.