How to recover data from a broken external hard drive

[patsyb]

My drive does not show up on my computer anymore, is there a way to recover my files.

 

[alvine]

does it make any sounds?
is it physically broken?
you could take it out of the external enclosure and connect it internally

 

[tony_28]

does it make any sounds?
is it physically broken?
you could take it out of the external enclosure and connect it internally

how can i connect it to interna please

 

[p000n-tang_be4r]

how can i connect it to interna please

You need to take the hdd out of the external casing and open up your computer and connect the sata data and power cable to the hard drive and it will show up in my computer. If you don't have any spare data power cables coming from your power supply then you will need to buy a 4x peripheral molex connector to sata adaptor. If you don't have a spare sata data cable you will need to buy one of those as well. They are not expensive they usually cost about $3

 

[bizzay]

alvine yes my ex-harddrive (labtop type) makes noise.
it actually fell on the ground whiles it was in an external case
can it be repaired if yes pls show me how?

 

[kuk]

alvine yes my ex-harddrive (labtop type) makes noise.
it actually fell on the ground whiles it was in an external case
can it be repaired if yes pls show me how?

Bizzay: Omg! i have the same situation. And i really want to recover my files! Please share if you've had any success. tnx

 

[imamao]

Hi...
If you have problem not able to recover your data then you can try one of the data recovery software for external hard drive that you can get easily from the internet.

Thank you gary!!! i am in that process...can i recover from signature files ?

 

[Hall539]

The advice below is based on just what info you have given in the question and that the USB controller sees a drive and so I’m assuming the controller is working.

1) Turn the drive off right now. You have a spinning platter hard drive that was dropped while it was running, you most likely have had a head crash ( if the head is not “parked” when it was dropped the head will hit the surface of the spinning platter and damage the head and the surface of the disk).

2) IF it is a head crash and I think it is, software will not fix this type of failure but if you want to follow the software path I have had very good luck with Spinrite http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm but you will need to connect the drive internally and not on a USB adapter.

3) You will never have those 3 years again. If it were me I would just not risk anymore damage to the drive and send it to Drive Savers http://software.bigbigsoft.com/data-recovery-mac You are going to pay through the nose but they should be able to get the data back.

4) Storage is cheap, if you don’t have it saved in two places you don’t have a backup. I have four copies of all my wedding photos. DVDs are very cheap too, send copies to the in-laws every year.

5) Hard drives fail, period.

6) Good luck.

 

[nathan-vusyn]

does it make any sounds?
is it physically broken?
you could take it out of the external enclosure and connect it internally

it does have a continuous sound but it is not opening

 

[Toffa]

The advice below is based on just what info you have given in the question and that the USB controller sees a drive and so I’m assuming the controller is working.

1) Turn the drive off right now. You have a spinning platter hard drive that was dropped while it was running, you most likely have had a head crash ( if the head is not “parked” when it was dropped the head will hit the surface of the spinning platter and damage the head and the surface of the disk).

2) IF it is a head crash and I think it is, software will not fix this type of failure but if you want to follow the software path I have had very good luck with Spinrite http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm but you will need to connect the drive internally and not on a USB adapter.

3) You will never have those 3 years again. If it were me I would just not risk anymore damage to the drive and send it to Drive Savers http://software.bigbigsoft.com/data-recovery-mac You are going to pay through the nose but they should be able to get the data back.

4) Storage is cheap, if you don’t have it saved in two places you don’t have a backup. I have four copies of all my wedding photos. DVDs are very cheap too, send copies to the in-laws every year.

5) Hard drives fail, period.

6) Good luck.

I am facing a similar challenge with my external HD not showing up when connected via the USB to the computer. It normally vibrates few times and stops but the light shows constantly. Few weeks ago, it would show up on PC but data could not be opened, but now it`s not even showing on PC. Any useful tips/advice os how this could be resolved.