[SOLVED] WD External Hard Drive not accessible

[kingdelon]

Hello,

I'm trying to figure out how to access and old External Disk of mine, it's a WD 5000MES Passport.

When I plug it in, it just starts blinking, it is sometimes "recognized" by Windows as letter E: but I can't access it.
It shows in Device Manager under Disk drivers as WD 5000MBV External USB Device.

Now whenever I'm trying to launch Disk Management it wont load, and it will eventually freeze. I've ran the Western Digital Lifeguard Diagnostics, under the SMART check it says "FAIL". I can't click anything tho, the program freezes. So pretty much everything I try freezes, Recovery programs aswell.

I've disassembled the Drive and I'm assuming it has some problem with the port, as the cable (I've tried 3 of them) Is kinda wobbly.
When I try to stabilize the cable, sometimes the light stays on, but it just makes clicking noises all the time, and sometimes beeping noises, but the problem remains.

I'm suspecting there's physical damage on the port?

Thanks for your help.

 

[SFPCIT]

Based on the symptoms you have described, I'm thinking head failure. If this were my recovery, depending on how critical the data is, I may ship it out to a clean lab immediately.
If I were to try and recover this data best effort I would first remove it from the enclosure, then I would put it in a system, loaded with CAINE, and attempt a low speed byte by byte clone first. at which point I would then attempt to begin working with the data, rebuild the MBR; MFT and so on while migrating the copy to a known good system for testing, sometimes you get a full recovery there and you're done; If not proceed to CAINE and the original drive. If all else fails, ship it out to a clean room, or lose the data forever.

 

[kingdelon]

Based on the symptoms you have described, I'm thinking head failure. If this were my recovery, depending on how critical the data is, I may ship it out to a clean lab immediately.
If I were to try and recover this data best effort I would first remove it from the enclosure, then I would put it in a system, loaded with CAINE, and attempt a low speed byte by byte clone first. at which point I would then attempt to begin working with the data, rebuild the MBR; MFT and so on while migrating the copy to a known good system for testing, sometimes you get a full recovery there and you're done; If not proceed to CAINE and the original drive. If all else fails, ship it out to a clean room, or lose the data forever.

As I suspected. I'm not an expert so I think I'll look for it to be sent to a lab, as I'm sure I won't be capable to do what you suggested.

Thanks for your answer.

 

[SFPCIT]

My pleasure, sorry about your data though. Please be aware, that if you're intending on recovering the data from a 5000GB drive, note that it is going to cost several thousands of dollars. And the cheap quick fix companies that'll do it for 500 will have you sign a waiver, take your money, kill your drive, then say sorry. Make sure you're sending it to a clean room, because they are probably going to have to transplant the platters.