External hard drive doesn't work

Toonces · November 22, 2012, 03:32:33 PM

Hello.
I have a WD hard drive, about a year old or so. Just recently it won't boot up when I turn on the computer or unplug/replug the USB into the computer. I get an error that a driver didn't install properly. I've used this drive for months with no problems on this computer.

I tried downloading and installing the missing driver from the website, but it didn't make a difference.

What I think has happened is that the drive has failed. The light doesn't come on and it's not making any noise or anything to indicate it's running.

Is there anything I can do to save the drive, or failing that, recover the data on it?

junk2drive · November 22, 2012, 03:44:09 PM

I bought an external drive enclosure for hard drives. It has a pc board with the wires and connectors to plug into the hdd and make it work through usb. What you have is probably a fancy way of doing the same thing. If it is past warranty, I would open it up and either try the drive inside in a computer or try another old hdd in that case. Maybe something is wrong with the case and your drive is fine.

junk2drive · November 22, 2012, 03:48:00 PM

Other thoughts:

Mine has a separate power supply. If yours does too, is it good?

I thought my front usb ports stopped working and while doing something else inside the case, found that I had somehow unplugged the wires from the motherboard.

Try plugging it into another usb port in the front or back or another computer.

Toonces · November 22, 2012, 05:53:27 PM

I googled it and came up with sort of the same answers you said.

It is a Western Digital My Essentials HD with the USB 3.0 adapter. I tried plugging the USB into multiple ports. It is being recognized when I plug it in to various ports, so I don't think it's USB related.

I tried switching it with another cord, but I guess the voltage is different because it didn't come on. I tried using its correct power cord plugged into the wall instead of the power strip, with no effect. In fact, now it doesn't come on at all, even plugged in and with the USB replugged in.

It could be a power supply issue. I guess I need to find a plug to try out that has the same voltage to eliminate that as a problem. It isn't the end of the world if I can't recover the data on it, but it would be nice as I have a lot of pictures and videos I'd like to pull off.

Toonces · November 22, 2012, 05:59:09 PM

Actually, I just checked the back of both power supplies and they're the same. It looks like the drive has completely failed now.

Toonces · November 22, 2012, 06:00:18 PM

This is the exact problem I have (had), starting with mrgray's post on 5-16-11.

http://community.wdc.com/t5/External-Drives-for-PC/My-Book-Essential-Not-Turning-On/td-p/181848

Toonces · November 30, 2012, 11:45:27 PM

Just bumping this one time since I see Markshot is hanging around in here again.

Really, all I can hope is to recover the data on the drive if that's even possible. Is it possible?

eyebiter · December 01, 2012, 12:59:13 AM

You could open the enclosure, remove the WD Green hard drive, install it in a PC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqxBVgKvdxk

Shelldrake · December 01, 2012, 07:29:03 AM

On a related note, the WD USB3 external drive that I am using really doesn't like to be plugged into a USB3 port but works fine in a USB2 port. I doubt that this is your problem but thought it worth mentioning.

Staggerwing · December 01, 2012, 10:23:15 AM

You can also buy very inexpensive enclosures or even just cable interfaces that can let you connect the hdd to a usb port after removing it from the original case. They are useful for making backups or imaging a new drive before swapping it out with an old one, especially in laptops with only one sata connection. The hdd should be the same as those sold for internal use so, while possible, it seems unlikely that it would fail after a year. More than likely something with the case's circuit board or ps failed. Unless you dropped it or knocked it around. Then all bets are off. :D

LongBlade · December 01, 2012, 11:40:43 AM

Quote from: Toonces on November 30, 2012, 11:45:27 PM
Just bumping this one time since I see Markshot is hanging around in here again.

Really, all I can hope is to recover the data on the drive if that's even possible. Is it possible?

Data recovery should be possible. Just depends on the cost to recover it.

There are forensic data recovery firms that can recover pretty much anything. Won't be cheap but they can get it.

republic · December 02, 2012, 10:51:32 AM

If you decide to do data recovery, I can give you a code to get 10% off through DriveSavers. They are not cheap, but I have used them with a few clients. There is no charge if they can't retrieve your data. They actually disassemble the drive in a cleanroom and rebuild them.

Again, it isn't cheap. If its only images you need, the price usually in the $800 range. For a full drive recovery it depends on the size, amount of data, etc.

Toonces · December 04, 2012, 12:56:08 AM

Man alive that's a lot of money. There is nothing on the drive worth $800...just some GoPro video of surfing, some mods for various games, stuff like that. Nothing I can't live without; it will just be time consuming to re-download everything.

I'll try some of those tricks you guys suggested and let you know how it works out when I get around to trying it.

republic · December 04, 2012, 08:52:46 PM

I'd pry it open and plug it in as a standard internal drive or use an external dock. If it spins up but still can't read files, Western Digital has free software to try and recover the data. If that doesn't work I might can help you with some more advanced software.

Toonces · December 05, 2012, 12:33:59 AM

Ok Republic, thanks for the help. I have some time off coming up around Xmas and I'll see what I can do. I'll let you know if I need additional assistance.