My Computer is not detecting my 320 gig hard drive

[Lance Juson]

I have a 320 gigabytes portable hard drive, Buffalo, I just bring it to school and it was in my bag and my bag was thrown. And when I came home, I plug it in, and I see there's no portable hard drive in my computer. And it spinning and after awhile it stops. What should I do? There's so many files in there that I need to recover.

Help?!

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

You did not keep backups of your files on a second hard drive? Not very wise.

In that case there is nothing you can do as it sounds like the buffalo drive has failed because of it being thrown around.
Hard drives contain delicate parts which can only withstand a small amount of rough treatment.

 

[Lance Juson]

You did not keep backups of your files on a second hard drive? Not very wise.

In that case there is nothing you can do as it sounds like the buffalo drive has failed because of it being thrown around.
Hard drives contain delicate parts which can only withstand a small amount of rough treatment.

So it's like 0% chances to recover my files?

 

[HyNrgy]

this method is a last resort method and use at your own caution.

You need another drive to backup information with this method.
Also, you will probably have corrupt data even if this method works. In a hard drive there are "needles" that can scratch the drive" also there are circuits. Getting thrown is like thowing a plate...you might be able to eat off whats left, you might not.
NOTE: if real critical information you may want a professional data recovery service as this method will probably be a one shot deal

METHOD AS LAST RESORT: Place hard drive in ziplock bag (removing all air possible), put in freezer over night, try again, if works back up immediately, if doesn't then you are more dead then before.