I have a 4 TB external hard drive from WD that I used for my PlayStation. Unfortunately, after a friend knocked it over one night, it started making some concerning clicking sounds. Visually, it looks fine, but I'm worried about the internals. Now, I need to back up my data before updating my old MacBook to Mojave, but the HDD won't format through Disk Utility. I get an error after hearing three clicks, often referred to as the "click of death." Should I look for a repair service, or is it time to buy a new one? Also, can I salvage anything from the old drive?
2 Answers
Honestly, once a drive takes a fall like that, it often doesn’t end well. If you're hearing those sounds, it’s a good indication it’s damaged. You can try to replace the hard drive inside the enclosure yourself if you feel up to it, but make sure to check if opening it voids any warranties. Otherwise, it might be worth calling a data recovery service if the data is really crucial, but it can get pricey!
Those clicking sounds are definitely a bad sign, especially after a drop. It's usually a term known as the "click of death," which means the drive is likely toast. You might be able to salvage the enclosure and replace the HDD inside, which could be worth it if you can’t find screws to open it up easily. As for new HDDs, they’re pretty affordable these days, but yes, it would be a bummer to see your 4 TB drive go to waste.
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