Faulty ext Seagate hard Disk

[Surfer01]

I bought the ext Seagate 1TB hard Disk in November 2011 so no warranty according to Seagate.

It has its own power supply.

 

The Hard Disk has been working fine up to Monday this week when without warning it packed up.

 

The green light is on solid and I can hear the disc whirring, but Win 7 does not recognise or detect the disk.

 

I tried it on another computer, but the same thing. I replaced the USB cord, but still no difference.

 

I have some data on it, but not a lot that I need to recover.

 

Is it possible for this to be done without being ripped off?

 

Thanks.

[locutus]

Try making a Ubuntu boot CD, loading into Ubuntu and checking in their for accessible data.

 

Inside these it's just a standard HDD. Most likely can open the unit, take the HDD and plug it into a tower PC or another external housing if that is what is faulty.

[gpmsc]

Try going into control panel, administrator, computer management, disc management and see if shows up if it is there the drive may be RAW and will need the file system to be converted to NTFS

 

Gerry

[BazzaS]

Try making a Ubuntu boot CD, loading into Ubuntu and checking in their for accessible data.

 

Inside these it's just a standard HDD. Most likely can open the unit, take the HDD and plug it into a tower PC or another external housing if that is what is faulty.

 

^ good advice. If the HDD itself is "shot" it won't likely fix, but if it is the drive interface (e.g. USB -> SATA) that has failed and the HDD itself is fine, using a different SATA interface will allow the data to be rescued.

 

Try going into control panel, administrator, computer management, disc management and see if shows up if it is there the drive may be RAW and will need the file system to be converted to NTFS

 

Gerry

 

Bad advice. "Converting" the file system will likely lead to loss of the data if the drive were salvageable. If the file system isn't corrupted why convert it?

If the file system is corrupted then data recovery is a better option than converting the file system (using e.g. Reccuva [free] or one of the proprietary packages for Windows)

Were this to have been a Mac there are similar programs such as Disk Warrior (not free).

 

The OP hadn't posted back in the 2 months+ since locutus's reply.

[Surfer01]

Still around with problem unresolved. At the moment no money to send it off for retrieval of files.

[renegadeimp]

Have you tried the ubuntu idea?

[Surfer01]

Have you tried the ubuntu idea?

 

Not yet as I am not familiar with Ubuntu and to download it will take forever and a day.

[BazzaS]

Still around with problem unresolved. At the moment no money to send it off for retrieval of files.

 

Paying for retrieval of files likely to be expensive : are they that important to you that you want to go down the "professional data retrieval" route ?

 

If they weren't that desperate would you consider posting geographical areas you'd meet a "skilled amateur" in, if a CAG'ger then might offer to take a look at it for you?.

I'd be happy to take the drive out of it's casing, pop it into a hub that has 2.5" SATA, 3.5" SATA and IDE docks, and see if it mounts.

 

If someone did this and it was the interface at fault and not the drive, they could pull off a few files for you then and there, or advise you on a new external casing.

 

I've had successes in the past with this, but tried this recently on a USB 3.0 drive where the USB -> SATA adapter was built into the drive (so it couldn't be mounted in the dock )

 

If the drive itself was faulty, you could then try a professional data recovery service : but I fear it won't be cheap!

[andydd]

Insude they are just standard sata drives, rip it open and try it in another pc, wire it up directly using molex/sata power connectors and sata data cables.

 

Sometimes they are repairable using various software but often youll lose data or maybe drive is totally dead, there r companies that can retrieve data but often this will be very expensive costing hundreds.

[san_d]

http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

 

You can install it on a USB drive, then you can analyse your hard drive and if possible also recover data.

[Surfer01]

I am in Worcestershire. The documents are personal and relate to pension credit claims and not mega important unless the DWP mess up and demand a repayment or something equally silly, however I lost a load of photos that I cannot replace and they are the concern.. Probably less than a GB of files.

I have tried another laptop running XP but the drive is not recognised at all and as if it does not exist although the HD lights up to show that it is on and running. You can heard it running.

[sillygirl1]

I had a load of data transferred from an old PC which had packed up - however the drive was still working - that cost £40 which was worth it as a lot of the files weren't available any more to download from other sources.

 

I would also try the Ubuntu idea, that is something I am going to do on another PC I've been given to 'break into' as the owner doesn't know what the passwords are.

[fletch70]

Possibly the cheapest option is to buy a new case and swap the HD. They are quite cheap.

My external HDD sometimes shows and sometimes doesn't . I took it into a local shop who said it was the disk failing and to salvage the files would cost £100. I am waiting till I can afford to buy a new drive then transfer

[gpmsc]

He should have backed his data up as a matter of course, it is a Seagate drive. Try going to the Seagate site and download Sea tools or Max Blast both will tell you if the drive is seen. If you cannot access the drive you cannot restore data, that is unless you have the correct facilities.

 

(You must have at least 1 Seagate or Maxtor drive for it to work) Max blast will clone the whole drive to keep as a back up but if not done on a regular basis you must transfer the .pst and .dbx files to up datr your e mails if you are on pop 3 Sea tool will exercise the drive and give the faults. do not go into advanced if you do not know how to use the system

 

Gerry

[cazzajay]

I have used Piriform Recuva (www.piriform.com/recuva) before to get deleted files from a disk - it's free and a UK product

 

Only snag is it takes ages to do a deep scan - took 4 days to do my 320GB external HD. Found and retrieved about 70% of the 60GB of music files though.

 

Just in case it is a fault with the controller rather than the hard drive itself, have you tried disassembling the caddy, removing the physical disk drive and connecting it to a SATA-USB lead (eBay or similar for a fiver or so)?

 

Might be worth a go if you are feeling technical enough?

[Surfer01]

I have used Piriform Recuva (www.piriform.com/recuva) before to get deleted files from a disk - it's free and a UK product

Only snag is it takes ages to do a deep scan - took 4 days to do my 320GB external HD. Found and retrieved about 70% of the 60GB of music files though.

Just in case it is a fault with the controller rather than the hard drive itself, have you tried disassembling the caddy, removing the physical disk drive and connecting it to a SATA-USB lead (eBay or similar for a fiver or so)?

Might be worth a go if you are feeling technical enough?

 

The drive is not recognised at all in Windows, XP, Win 7 or Ubuntu. It is like it does not exist. I am not sure what a SATA-USB lead is. Can you please give me a link so I know what I am looking for? At this point I am willing to try anything.

[andydd]

A sata to usb is effectivbely what is inside the Seagate drive if you take it apart.

 

Here is one > http://www.misco.co.uk/productinfo/productinfo?productCode=162720&affiliate=GooglePLA&cm_mmc=google-_-Product_PlusBox-_-Components-_-162720&catargetid=530001250000007096&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CMng8bfe0roCFVMbtAodYBMAmQ

 

They are pretty useful if you do lots of building/repairing PC's or work in It as I do.

 

Andy

[Surfer01]

A sata to usb is effectivbely what is inside the Seagate drive if you take it apart.

 

Here is one > http://www.misco.co.uk/productinfo/productinfo?productCode=162720&affiliate=GooglePLA&cm_mmc=google-_-Product_PlusBox-_-Components-_-162720&catargetid=530001250000007096&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CMng8bfe0roCFVMbtAodYBMAmQ

 

They are pretty useful if you do lots of building/repairing PC's or work in It as I do.

 

Andy

 

Although technical savvy, this does not extend to computer repair unfortunately. I have removed the hard disk from the plastic and metal casings. I now have the actual hard disk loose and then there is also another small board that connects to the hard disk through what looks like a 16 pin connection. You plug the power and USB leads into the other side. Where does the SATA fit in if no PC recognises that there is an ext hard drive connected? I can heard the disk whirring inside when connected. Not sure where to go now? Thanks.

[locutus]

Can you upload a photo of the connection in the HDD its self?

[andydd]

You have taken apart the casing and yes inside will be the hard drive and the small board is essentuially a sata to usb + power connector but without the fancy coverings.

 

See here > http://www.datarecoverytutorial.com/recover-data-from-failed-laptop-notebook/ you should see something like picture 6, you can either connect it internally direct to a pc motherboard or using a external usb to sata docking..but either way it does sound like your HD is knackered anyway.

 

Andy