My Portable Hard Drive Isn't Working

Not sure if this goes in Tech or in Requests, but I don't have time to worry about that.

Basically, I dropped my portable hard drive about three feet onto the floor, and now it isn't being recognized by any of the PC's that I plug it into. It turns o n and all, but I can't access the data that I need, the games I downloaded, etc.

So does anyone know of any program that will suck the files off a "dead" hard drive (be that as it may)? Or some way to fix it? I'm at my wit's end and I need help to figure out what to do.

Another hard drive question eh? It is unlikely you will be able to recover your data, unless:
1.) You are somehow able to access it, in which case self-recovery may be possible, or
2.) You are willing to spend the hundreds of dollars it takes for a recovery company to recover your data.

Balls. TT-TT I had a lot of really important stuff in it too... Thanks though, I just wish I could get my data out TT-TT

There's absolutely no program I can use to like siphon the info out of my portable hard drive?

Not if you can't access the hard drive.

T-T Will removing the platters and putting it into a similar hard disk drive help? This website suggests that:

http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/securitymonkey/the-hard-drive-is-dead-but-the-data-lives-6564

Dear me. If you're that desperate, you can try, but even I wouldn't try to attempt something like that.

-.- I guess I shan't try that until the end I suppose...

If the hard disk drive doesn't spin when it's plugged in but it powers on and beeps, is it completely dead or unsalvageable?

Bend the reader, crack the disk, does it crunch went it starts or try to spin. if you move it slightly does it sound like nuts in a can. Anything but the first is unsalvageable, and a bend reader is going to cost more money than buying a new one.

Err... don't have a torque (Never needed one until now) so I can't check the inside, but it doesn't crunch or sound like nuts in a can. It just... powers on, beeps, and refuses to be read.

Crack circuit board... maybe?

I removed every screw that can be removed without a torque, and I couldn't find anything cracked or damaged... so unless the circuit board is underneath the portion that requires a torque screwdriver I think it's intact...

I've run into this issue many times with WD hard drives. The light is on, but the computer does not acknowledge that the hard drive is connected. I've tried switching the USB cables, and that didn't work. Sometimes it was the positioning of hard drive that allowed it to be read. Other times, I think there's something wrong with hard drive as I either I hear clicking noises or the disk isn't spinning at all, which could suggest a failure with the circuitry/hardware.

Click of Death,

say good bye to that harddisk, if you don't have money to move all the data in it.

Hrm.... I suggest you take it to an electronic shop so they can repair it...

But sometimes they'll tell you that all the data will gone though..

I previously read that there are certain models of WD external hard disks which have connection problems. If it is possible, remove the hard disk from your current casing and attach it to another. There is a possibility that it might work.

Quite a few people are raving about Solid State Drives. Perhaps when its price falls and capacity increases, I should purchase one.

I checked with some people and everything was intact, just seemed that the arm wasn't moving when it powered on. Something about the reader and the platter not recognizing each other...?

I am aware of how old this thread is, however I will say this for people who are also unable to access their external hard drives: Click here for my thread on how I managed to get the files off my external hard drive, despite it being corrupted and inaccessible.

~^-^~

Tegumi, edit your FAQ and add general questions about HDDs and answers.