Clicking external hard drive, can't access.

hedgehog90 · 10-15-2009, 08:41 AM

I have a WD 250GB external harddrive.
I've had it for about 3 years now (which I believe is unusually long for these HDs)
Anyway, here's the story.
I turn on my computer this morning, to find my external hard drive clicking.
It clicks about 5 times, then I hear it stop spinning.

I read up on it and found that none of the methods to fix it worked, so I proceeded to take the thing apart.
I got the harddrive out of its casing and plugged it internally into my computer.

So I start up the computer, and I hear that horrible clicking sound. Same thing, 5 clicks, then it stops spinning.
I got to My Computer, and it's not there.
I goto devicemanager to see if it is detected, and it is.
I then goto Computer Management, and I see that it has detected my harddrive there.
However it shows it's got 18GB (When it stores 250GB), and it is not initialized.
I go to initialize it, then it hangs for 10 seconds, and then I get the error:
"The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error"

I desperately need those files stored on there.
I've got about 8 years worth of files on there, along with a music & movie collection that I couldn't live without.

Please please help.

**raptor_pa** · 10-15-2009, 09:29 AM

This one needs professional recovery either a head stack failure or damage to the service area of the disk. When mounted internally does BIOS recognize the drive correctly by model?

hedgehog90 · 10-15-2009, 09:37 AM

Yes, it recognizes it as a Western Digital

**raptor_pa** · 10-15-2009, 12:14 PM

Does it recognize it by model number WD######-#### WDs are famous for firmware issues being recognized as WD_rom_model_XXXXXX and the family production name of the drive.

10-15-2009, 08:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
hedgehog90 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista	Clicking external hard drive, can't access. I have a WD 250GB external harddrive. I've had it for about 3 years now (which I believe is unusually long for these HDs) Anyway, here's the story. I turn on my computer this morning, to find my external hard drive clicking. It clicks about 5 times, then I hear it stop spinning. I read up on it and found that none of the methods to fix it worked, so I proceeded to take the thing apart. I got the harddrive out of its casing and plugged it internally into my computer. So I start up the computer, and I hear that horrible clicking sound. Same thing, 5 clicks, then it stops spinning. I got to My Computer, and it's not there. I goto devicemanager to see if it is detected, and it is. I then goto Computer Management, and I see that it has detected my harddrive there. However it shows it's got 18GB (When it stores 250GB), and it is not initialized. I go to initialize it, then it hangs for 10 seconds, and then I get the error: "The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error" I desperately need those files stored on there. I've got about 8 years worth of files on there, along with a music & movie collection that I couldn't live without. Please please help.

10-15-2009, 09:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,753 OS: XP	Re: Clicking external hard drive, can't access. This one needs professional recovery either a head stack failure or damage to the service area of the disk. When mounted internally does BIOS recognize the drive correctly by model? __________________

10-15-2009, 09:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
hedgehog90 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista	Re: Clicking external hard drive, can't access. Yes, it recognizes it as a Western Digital

10-15-2009, 12:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,753 OS: XP	Re: Clicking external hard drive, can't access. Does it recognize it by model number WD######-#### WDs are famous for firmware issues being recognized as WD_rom_model_XXXXXX and the family production name of the drive. __________________