Turn it off and leave it off
Clicking usually means the heads are failing to read and resetting. Every restart is another chance for them to scratch the platters, and badly scored platters are one of the few real limits in this work.
Don't run it one more time to copy a few files. A failing drive gets worse with every read, and the first copy should be made on equipment that controls how hard the drive is pushed.
Don't freeze it, tap it or open it
Putting a drive in the freezer is an old trick that does more harm than good: condensation forms on the platters when it warms up. Don't tap or shake it either.
Opening it on a workbench lets in dust that can ruin the surface. Swapping the board from an identical drive almost never works on anything from the last 15 years, because each board carries data unique to its own drive.
What the sound usually means
Clicking or ticking: the heads are failing to read and resetting. Spins up, beeps, then stops: usually heads stuck on the platters or a seized motor. Completely silent: most often a board or power fault. Shows up as 0 GB: the drive can't load its firmware, and the files are normally untouched.
You don't need to diagnose it yourself. Tell us what it sounds like and what happened just before, and leave it off.
Have this handy
- What happened just before: a drop, a surge, a different power adapter.
- What it sounds like, and whether the computer sees it at all.
What happens when you bring it in
A standard evaluation for one device is free within 72 hours. You get the findings and a written quote before any recovery work. The drive is only opened if the fault is mechanical, and then only in our ISO 5 / Class 100 clean room.
We image the drive once, weakest areas last, and rebuild your files from the copy. If we can't recover your files, you pay nothing for the recovery, parts included.
Bringing it in
Drop it off at #610 - 11012 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, with no appointment needed: Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Outside Calgary, call (587) 387-2346 for packing instructions before you ship it; how it's packed matters.