Hard Drive unreadable after PC freeze

[TheCourier]

Just an hour ago, my PC randomly froze and lost internet connect after starting a Microsoft made application. It was not unfreezing so I had to force the shut down. Well, my external hard drive was plugged in during the shut down and now the PC won't read it. It says the USB devices has "malfunctioned". I tried another USB device and it worked fine. My external hard drive was not backed up so any help would be appreciated. The hard drive was a 500GB Seagate Expansion. I tried more than one port and nothing works. Even unplugging the AC (it was a tip), and nothing. The light stays on even if the USB is not in any port. This never happens. Never dealt with this before so I have no clue what to do. Not sure if this would help but, when the PC was starting up, the hard drive was making sounds like it was starting up and turning off. Almost like it was being plugged in, losing power, and starting up again. I've been coming to the site for a while so I'm hoping to get some help. Again, any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[hang-the-9]

Does this run on external power? Is that plugged in? You could try the drive with another PC, if it also does not detect the drive, you'd need to take out the drive from the case, and plug it either into the PC directly or to another USB drive enclosure.

 

[TheCourier]

Does this run on external power? Is that plugged in? You could try the drive with another PC, if it also does not detect the drive, you'd need to take out the drive from the case, and plug it either into the PC directly or to another USB drive enclosure.

Yeah the hard drive does run on external power. It is plugged in. I also tried it on another computer and nothing happened still. I did take out the removable USB cable and tried another, it said it was installing software for a "Generic USB drive". First response from it for two weeks.

 

[hang-the-9]

Did it work after the drivers got installed? It does sound a bit like the controller board died if it's not seen. Try to take the drive from the case and use another enclosure or just plug it into a PC directly.

 

[TheCourier]

Did it work after the drivers got installed? It does sound a bit like the controller board died if it's not seen. Try to take the drive from the case and use another enclosure or just plug it into a PC directly.

No, after the driver was installed it didn't work. It just installed the "Generic USB drive". I'm worried about taking the drive apart. I'd like to try everything possible before I have to do that. Not sure how much more info you have but I did notice that some of the folders I had on the drive, moved into my thumb drives. They have no data, but they are the folders that were in it. It also doesn't make any noise wants it's plugged in. It used to make a noise like it was starting up. Hopefully you know something else I can try. If not, if you could tell me what to do while taking the hardrive apart, that would be nice.

 

[hang-the-9]

If the drive does not spin up, nor is it seen in the system and you tried a new cable, it's either the board in the enclosure that's bad or the drive. You'd have to open it and at least reseat the drive connections, or get a new enclosure if that does not work.

As far as taking it apart, some are easier to take apart than others, screws, clips, some are just the two halves clicked together. You'd have to look at it a bit to sort out how to pry the case open. You may get some help from the whoever made it if you need it. Once you have it open, it's just a regular hard-drive from there.