External hard drive fell on floor and now doesn't work - help!

InaPickle

:hello: tech peeps!

I was trying to back up my music onto my external hard drive the other day (a Seagate Free Agent 500GB) when my foot got caught in the wire and it fell onto the floor. :doh:. This is bad for two reasons: it's broken and I can't use it to put new information on, but possibly even worse, I can't get the stuff that's already on there off. I can't afford to buy a new one, and need to get the info that's on it off, so if anyone has any suggestions (other than taking it to an uber-expensive shop I can't afford), I would appreciate it.

If it is any help I have an old 250GB hard drive and an eSata drive into which to plug it from when my last laptop when bust (are you getting the impression that technology doesn't like me yet?!). I don't know if the hard drive inside is removable and could be used in conjunction with that or not, but if you do, I would sure be grateful if you could let me know.

Thanks! :T

Pickle

tripled

You could try taking the drive out and fitting it in a pc, buy you may well have borked the drive itself.

LeeSouthEast

Does it do anything when you plug it in, i.e. spin up? If not, it may be the connector that's b0rked. Take it out of the enclosure and try a direct connection.

Richie-from-the-Boro

What tripled and LeeSouthEast have already said, but

- strip it form it's caddy [ wall wart powered ] and switch on if it spins up [ you can hear & feel it ] it may be

- - the caddy
- - the electronics
- - the cable

-in which case run it from e-sata or sata direct to a PC, in fact run it direct from a PC anyway it eliminates all the above & any power ( ing up ) issues.

InaPickle

Hi guys,

Sorry for the late reply but I've been running round like a mad things since I posted this and had to dig the drive back out of its box, connect it etc. to see what it is doing.

The yellow strip of light down the side is still working and I can hear it trying to spin up for a little while, but it's a fairly piteous sound, to be honest. I have no idea how to take it apart without killing something on the inside, if doing so would result in being able to use it with the eSata (would it?), and do you have any recommendations for a more sturdy (and cheap!) replacement to this one, please?!

Thanks!

turbobob

InaPickle wrote: »

do you have any recommendations for a more sturdy (and cheap!) replacement to this one, please?!

Thanks!

Another Seagate maybe like this? http://www.ebuyer.com/product/160907 Just bear in mind any hard drive is unlikely to cope with being dropped on the floor (especially while its operating). Typical shock tolerance is around 350G when in transit, but around 60G when operating as you can see here. Some of the 2.5" portable drives are in "ruggedised" cases made of rubber etc but these will cost you more per GB than the desktop drives (and still I would not bet on one surviving a heavy impact while its operating).

prowla

If the disk drive itself is making grinding noises, then it is pooped.
Sorry.

spakkker

TURBOBOB has it right - I don't have an external drive but only last week a friend said that they were all well and good , but if you drop them........

kwikbreaks

InaPickle wrote: »

I have no idea how to take it apart without killing something on the inside, if doing so would result in being able to use it with the eSata (would it?)

I was looking for videos on dismantling a different Seagate external drive. Nothing for mine but this one is for yours - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIs3Pz15OFU (somebody posted it on my thread yesterday).

InaPickle

kwikbreaks wrote: »

I was looking for videos on dismantling a different Seagate external drive. Nothing for mine but this one is for yours - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIs3Pz15OFU (somebody posted it on my thread yesterday).

Brilliant - thanks! :jHmm, might have to have a play later when I have some time.


Thanks to all the others for the advice. Do you think the data inside will probably be recoverable or not? And I'm now going to need a new external hard drive. Does anyone have any recommendations, particularly as to slightly sturdier ones?

Thanks once again.

kwikbreaks

> Do you think the data inside will probably be recoverable or not?

Impossible to say as it could be a loose connector or it could be a trashed drive.

> And I'm now going to need a new external hard drive. Does anyone have any recommendations, particularly as to slightly sturdier ones?

No domestic quality drive is going to be guaranteed to survive a fall onto a hard surface. One that lays flat instead of standing up like the Freeagent is going to be less vulnerable to clumsiness though imo. If it is only a loose connector then there is no need to replace the drive.