Technology seems to be turning on me.

Mim

Hey you guys!

Okay, short and simple: My external hard drive is not registering on any of my computers. It turns on, sounds like it's working, but nada on the screen. It was working just fine yesterday and now today it's being a pain in my ass.

What's a girl to do?


TL;DR: Really? that was too long? Loser.:P

Kamar

Any chance you bumped or hit it while it was running? Hard drives tend to not like that, and it's very easy to do to an external hard drive. I've killed a couple that way, being clumsy and ADD.

Mim

Kamar wrote: »

Any chance you bumped or hit it while it was running? Hard drives tend to not like that, and it's very easy to do to an external hard drive. I've killed a couple that way, being clumsy and ADD.

Not while it was on. Off? Yeah, that tended to happen, but for the most part I was pretty careful. I didn't bump it between yesterday and today though. It sounds like it's on though. I mean it starts up and everything and isn't making any strange noises...

Daenris

Alright, first, is there data that you need to get off it? If not, try to get it replaced by the manufacturer if it's under warranty.

I just recently had a couple external enclosures that failed, but the drives themselves were fine. They had similar sounding symptoms to what you're describing, I could hear the drives spinning up and the fan on the enclosure worked, but it just never showed up to the system.

If it's a multiple interface drive (firewire and USB, etc) try the interface you're not using.

If that isn't an option or doesn't work, you can take the hard drive out and put it into your computer (or you can buy another external enclosure without a drive) and see if it shows up to your computer then. If that doesn't work, then it's likely your drive has died.

Evyl

It may be trying to use a drive letter that is already in use. Check the disk manager (right-click my computer -> manage -> disk management. If it shows up there, you'll be able to see what drive letter it's trying to use, and you can change it as well.

Mim

Would it be possible to take this to Geek Squad or anywhere else at least to pull the information off the damn thing?

I'm still covered by warranty I believe (thank god I didn't remove that sticker!!) so I can send it back. I just want my shit on it.

Kingthlayer

You can get information off of a dead hard drive but it's not the cheapest thing in the world.

Mim

Kingthlayer wrote: »

You can get information off of a dead hard drive but it's not the cheapest thing in the world.

How much are we talking here?

Kingthlayer

Mim wrote: »

Kingthlayer wrote: »

You can get information off of a dead hard drive but it's not the cheapest thing in the world.

How much are we talking here?

I don't know exactly. More than I can afford.

PracticalProblemSolver

If you want to try to fix it on the cheap you can take the drive out of the enclosure and put it in a computer and see if it works like that.

Professional data recovery is anywhere from a few hundred to $texas.

Don't give the drive back to where you bought it or send it to the manufacturer with data you don't want to lose.

kuhlmeye

For reference, Data Removal from Geek Squad is $99.99.

Mim

kuhlmeye wrote: »

For reference, Data Removal from Geek Squad is $99.99.

Sweet. Well, not so sweet considering for my birthday I was going to ask for a new ipod. This, however will be lovelier because there are things on here I cannot replace (geek squad just replaced the motherboard, video card and wiped my hard drive on my new laptop after it started freaking out on me).

I was listening to the external again last night and it sounds like it starts up but now it sounds like it powers down. Would this make this a hopeless case for geek squad? I don't want to shell out $99 for them to go "Yeah...can't fix it. Sorry!"

Dman

Make it clear before you hand it over that you will only pay if they retrieve your data.

My impression is that in actual data retrieval they should be expecting the device you hand them to be broken, if there was a software fix I wouldn't even call it data retrieval.

Edit: also don't expect a working device for that $99, just the data.

matt has a problem

Dman wrote: »

Make it clear before you hand it over that you will only pay if they retrieve your data.

My impression is that in actual data retrieval they should be expecting the device you hand them to be broken, if there was a software fix I wouldn't even call it data retrieval.

Edit: also don't expect a working device for that $99, just the data.

Don't expect data for $99 either. Reputable retrieval services start at that price, and that's just to find out if there is recoverable data on the drive. Actual retrieval can run upwards of $2000. I wouldn't trust a bag of gravel to Geek Squad, much less a hard drive.

Try unplugging the power and data connection, then plugging it back into the computer, then into power. If that doesn't work, reverse it, try powering it up first, then plugging it into the computer. I have an external at work that's fickle, it will start but has moods on which way it wants to be connected first.

Arikado

I'm assuming this is a USB external. Have you considered that perhaps the USB cord is busted?

Count Funkula

This wouldn't happen to be a LaCie external USB drive would it? I ask because we recently had one fail at work and it had symptoms such as you described. We contacted their technical support and they knew about the issue and said they would send a replacement power supply. I was skeptical because the drive turned on, it just wasn't recognized by the computer. But, in the end, the replacement power supply fixed the problem. Weird, I know.

Otherwise, the interface board in your enclosure could be bad. Have you tried contacting the tech support for the company that makes your drive/enclosure?

Evil Multifarious

totally thought this said "turning me on," not "turning on me."

my expertise is no longer valid.

Mim

Count Funkula wrote: »

This wouldn't happen to be a LaCie external USB drive would it? I ask because we recently had one fail at work and it had symptoms such as you described. We contacted their technical support and they knew about the issue and said they would send a replacement power supply. I was skeptical because the drive turned on, it just wasn't recognized by the computer. But, in the end, the replacement power supply fixed the problem. Weird, I know.

Otherwise, the interface board in your enclosure could be bad. Have you tried contacting the tech support for the company that makes your drive/enclosure?

Sorry, it's a Verbatim external USB hard drive.

The USB cord works for the other externals in the house, just not mine (we all have the same type).

Sorry for the delayed response, my laptop seems to be having an identity crisis. Every time it starts up, it starts an Acer Windows 7 update thing. I keep yelling at it "YOU'RE A GATEWAY, NOT AN ACER!" I don't think it's listening though.

Sir Headless VII

Also If you are planning on returning the drive after you get the data, it seems to me like what the geek squad will do to your drive retrieving the data will probably void the warranty.

Buttcleft

Just pop it in a computer and the answer of whether it works or not will be answered, and for a lot less then letting some monkeys at geeksquad comb your drive over for porn or personal pictures to steal.

blakfeld

Sir Headless VII wrote: »

Also If you are planning on returning the drive after you get the data, it seems to me like what the geek squad will do to your drive retrieving the data will probably void the warranty.

Yeah, if you want the warranty, do NOT take it to geek squad

I'm employed by the squad myself, at what we'll do is take a screwdriver, and either unscrew it, or crack the sumbitch open. Which is a lot of fun, so if you feel brave at all, go for it.

Also, we don't steal porn, we merely giggle like 12 year old girls when we find it.

EDIT
Gateway and Acer are the same company now, so that may be what thats about.

Decius

could be the drive is ok but the controller has died. I've had that happen on a couple external enclosures. If you can find someone good with these type of things and hungry for a good dinner or something, get them to dismantle the enclosure, take the drive out, and plug it into a working computer. Data should come off nicely.

If the drive itself is toast, well that scenario has already been addressed by others here.