WD Hard Drive - Powers On, Ticks, Powers Off - Am I Doomed?

StevenBogda · 10-14-2008, 05:04 PM

Problem: "External Hard Drive" bought off Ebay worked for 2 years, then suddenly stopped working. I would power the unit on, it would sound normal, the computer wouldn't recognize it, then it would go "tick tick tick (deep sounding 4th tick), repeat the ticks for like 15 seconds then just power off.

Almost 2 more years have passed, I have gained more knowledge about computers and building them. I found the old external hard drive, took the drive out of the casing, discovered it is a Western Digital Caviar, the sticker reads the following things:

Western Digital - WD2000 - WD Caviar - Enhanced IDE Drive - Drive Parameters: LBA 390721968 - 200.0 GB - S/N: WMAER1265031 - MDL: WD2000BB (hyphen) 98FTA0 - DATE: 22 May 2004 - DCM: HSBACTJAA - WD P/N: WD2000BB (hyphen) 98FTA0

The data on the disc is extremely important, but I always have days when I am like, "Oh I really want to open this video, oh wait, I can't...it's on the external drive that died and I was too dumb to back stuff up back then, oh well".

I have hooked the drive to my custom PC, powered the computer on, and it did the same ticking thing then just didn't work.

Is there no fixing this? I wouldn't even mind paying somewhere to fix it for me...is that possible?

Thanks,
Steven

Tumbleweed36 · 10-14-2008, 05:31 PM

Steven, have you tried to download and test this drive with the Western Digital utility called "Data Lifeguard?" It does sound like it is gone, but what can you lose?

StevenBogda · 10-14-2008, 06:35 PM

No, I never tried that but I will now. If it doesn't work out, is it even possible to recover what was (hopefully still is) on the drive? I don't mind paying money unless its thousands of dollars. I just don't know where to start with this kind of stuff.

StevenBogda · 10-14-2008, 06:38 PM

Ah, it says it only works with everything except Vista. Sounds like it needs the drive to actually be running to work too, which mine only does for about 30 seconds in total starting at the powering on of my computer

10-14-2008, 05:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
StevenBogda Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista 64	WD Hard Drive - Powers On, Ticks, Powers Off - Am I Doomed? Problem: "External Hard Drive" bought off Ebay worked for 2 years, then suddenly stopped working. I would power the unit on, it would sound normal, the computer wouldn't recognize it, then it would go "tick tick tick (deep sounding 4th tick), repeat the ticks for like 15 seconds then just power off. Almost 2 more years have passed, I have gained more knowledge about computers and building them. I found the old external hard drive, took the drive out of the casing, discovered it is a Western Digital Caviar, the sticker reads the following things: Western Digital - WD2000 - WD Caviar - Enhanced IDE Drive - Drive Parameters: LBA 390721968 - 200.0 GB - S/N: WMAER1265031 - MDL: WD2000BB (hyphen) 98FTA0 - DATE: 22 May 2004 - DCM: HSBACTJAA - WD P/N: WD2000BB (hyphen) 98FTA0 The data on the disc is extremely important, but I always have days when I am like, "Oh I really want to open this video, oh wait, I can't...it's on the external drive that died and I was too dumb to back stuff up back then, oh well". I have hooked the drive to my custom PC, powered the computer on, and it did the same ticking thing then just didn't work. Is there no fixing this? I wouldn't even mind paying somewhere to fix it for me...is that possible? Thanks, Steven

10-14-2008, 05:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,680 OS: XP Professional	Re: WD Hard Drive - Powers On, Ticks, Powers Off - Am I Doomed? Steven, have you tried to download and test this drive with the Western Digital utility called "Data Lifeguard?" It does sound like it is gone, but what can you lose? __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

10-14-2008, 06:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
StevenBogda Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista 64	Re: WD Hard Drive - Powers On, Ticks, Powers Off - Am I Doomed? No, I never tried that but I will now. If it doesn't work out, is it even possible to recover what was (hopefully still is) on the drive? I don't mind paying money unless its thousands of dollars. I just don't know where to start with this kind of stuff.

10-14-2008, 06:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
StevenBogda Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista 64	Re: WD Hard Drive - Powers On, Ticks, Powers Off - Am I Doomed? Ah, it says it only works with everything except Vista. Sounds like it needs the drive to actually be running to work too, which mine only does for about 30 seconds in total starting at the powering on of my computer