My WD My Passport external hard drive was accidentally tugged by its cable while it was starting up. It never hit the floor or disconnected, but immediately afterward it began making a clicking noise. I safely ejected it, and now the drive spins for about three seconds before stopping while the power light remains on. My computer only offers the option to remove the drive, and the disk does not appear in TestDisk. I have already tried plugging it in one more time, but I'm worried that continued attempts could make things worse. The drive contains nearly 5 TB of data, and although the files are not irreplaceable, recreating the collection would take a huge amount of time. Is the drive likely mechanically damaged, and what are the realistic repair or professional recovery costs?
2 Answers
Stop powering it on now. Clicking followed by a few seconds of spinning and then stopping usually indicates a mechanical failure, such as damaged or misaligned read/write heads after the impact. Repeated power cycles can cause the heads to scrape the platters and reduce the chances of recovering the remaining data. Software such as TestDisk cannot repair this kind of physical problem because the drive has to be functioning well enough for the computer to communicate with it. If the data matters, keep it unplugged and contact a reputable professional recovery lab. They may need to open it in a cleanroom and replace the head assembly. Do not open the enclosure yourself or try freezer, tapping, or repeated-cable tricks.
Recovery pricing varies a lot depending on the exact damage, the drive model, and whether the platters are still readable. A simple electronics or connector issue can be relatively inexpensive, but a head replacement and imaging job can run from several hundred to well over a thousand dollars, with more severe cases costing even more. Ask labs for a diagnostic evaluation and a written estimate before authorizing work. Since the drive is clicking, preserving its current condition is more important than trying additional software or adapters.
I unplugged it as soon as the clicking started, although I did try it once more to confirm the problem. It has almost 5 TB on it, so even if the files are replaceable, rebuilding the collection would take a very long time. I’m trying to get an idea of what professional recovery might cost.