I have a 1TB Toshiba Canvio hard drive from 2019 that has stopped working after it fell off my desk from a height of less than 10 feet. Before the fall, it was functioning perfectly. Now, when I plug it into my laptop's USB port, I hear the usual connection sound, but it doesn't show up in My Computer. Instead, I get a notification saying, 'The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it.' I've tried connecting it to another PC, a laptop, and even a TV, but it doesn't show up on any of those devices. I attempted data recovery, but since the drive isn't recognized anywhere, I'm worried my data is lost for good unless I take it to a professional. I suspect the issue is internal. Does anyone have advice or tips? Is there any chance I can get this drive working again?
2 Answers
Check if the drive was spinning during the fall; if it was powered off, it should be fine. However, if it was running at the time, that could lead to more severe damage. If it’s not getting recognized anywhere, it’s probably best to consult a professional data recovery service before trying anything that might make things worse.
It sounds like the hard drive might be damaged after the fall. If it’s an external drive in a case, a common suggestion is to try removing the drive from the case and connecting it directly to your computer. If it’s a traditional HDD, the read/write head could be affected due to the impact. On the other hand, if it’s an SSD, it generally has better durability. It's also possible that the USB port itself might have been damaged. If you're not getting any response from the drive, data recovery might be tough, especially if it’s an internal issue.
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