Dropped External Harddrive

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z2k

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#16823 29-Oct-2007 20:20

Hi everyone.

Im just wondering if anyone can help me out. I dropped my external 3.5" harddrive recently, it still works but sometimes the harddrive will stop spinning and I wont be able to read or write anything from/to it. Then if I shake it around a bit, it'll start up again. I know the harddrive itself is under warranty, but what I would like to know is if the problem is caused by the harddrive itself malfunctioning or is the fault in the enclosure/case?

Thanks in advanced.

rscole86

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#92978 29-Oct-2007 20:22

The fault is probably the HDD, and it would have been caused from you dropping it.

Unfortunately that means no warranty, so I would copy off anything I can before it well and truely dies!!!

tonyhughes

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#92982 29-Oct-2007 20:47

z2k: Hi everyone. Im just wondering if anyone can help me out. I dropped my external 3.5" harddrive recently, it still works but sometimes the harddrive will stop spinning and I wont be able to read or write anything from/to it. Then if I shake it around a bit, it'll start up again.

D'oh. Get all your data off it right now.

I know the harddrive itself is under warranty,

Not anymore it aint... warranty is for manufacturing defects. Dropping an item is not a manufacturing defect.

but what I would like to know is if the problem is caused by the harddrive itself malfunctioning or is the fault in the enclosure/case? Thanks in advanced.

Its a fault in the hard drive itself. It will stop working forever very soon. Get your data off it, then throw the drive into the bin. The enclosure is possibly still okay.

Bung

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#92985 29-Oct-2007 21:27

If the drive stops spinning occasionally that sounds like a faulty connection. I would look at the connections in the enclosure.
Dropping hard drives will cause head crashes leading to fatal data errors. That isn't recoverable by shaking.

z2k

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#92986 29-Oct-2007 21:40

I'm backing up everything right now..

its been like this for about a week now. when it works, theres no problem with it and it'll run fine for about a day or so. Then the drive will stop spinning and if I shake it around it'll run fine for another day..

When I dropped the harddrive it was off, and also the enclosure is metal and quite thick. Also, i've opened it up and none of the visible connections are loose. Maybe its something in the harddrive?

I read that with the warranty, they send you a replacement and you send the faulty drive back. maybe I could do so as I dont think there would be any visible signs of the drive being dropped.

z2k

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#92989 29-Oct-2007 22:09

the drive doesn't make any weird sounds like most others i've read about after they've been dropped. the only problem is that it'll randomly stop spinning.. if the drive doesn't die in maybe another 2 weeks, would it be safe to assume that its something else at fault?

also, the same time i started noticing the problems coincided with me installing vista.. i know this is a long shot but has anyone heard about vista x64 having issues with external storage?

bradstewart

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#92991 29-Oct-2007 22:22

z2k: also, the same time i started noticing the problems coincided with me installing vista.. i know this is a long shot but has anyone heard about vista x64 having issues with external storage?

No! That was a long shot, but your drive is dead/dying, it is my opinion that is has suffered mechanical damage which unrepairable. Just get everything off it and but a new one.

tonyhughes

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#93000 30-Oct-2007 07:07

z2k: I read that with the warranty, they send you a replacement and you send the faulty drive back. maybe I could do so as I dont think there would be any visible signs of the drive being dropped.

The owner where you bought it probably reads here. The damage INSIDE the drive will leave no doubt its been dropped. You have just proposed (in a public forum no less) to commit fraud basically.

Why should someone else pay for your carelessness?

Every fraudulent claim like this, if accepted, only serves to drive prices up for others...

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Bung

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#93017 30-Oct-2007 09:35

tonyhughes: The damage INSIDE the drive will leave no doubt its been dropped. You have just proposed (in a public forum no less) to commit fraud basically.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments as far as bogus warranty claims go I'm at a loss as to why the hard drive itself has been assumed to be damaged. As I've said before the usual hard drive damage isn't something that responds to shaking.

z2k

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#93030 30-Oct-2007 10:14

tonyhughes: The owner where you bought it probably reads here. The damage INSIDE the drive will leave no doubt its been dropped. You have just proposed (in a public forum no less) to commit fraud basically.

Why should someone else pay for your carelessness?

Every fraudulent claim like this, if accepted, only serves to drive prices up for others...

I guess your right. That was the advice I got from reading other forums while trying to figure out what the problem was. I guess its different here in new zealand :/

anyways, im starting to assume that it might have something to do with the power supply.. I'll let it run for a few more days and see how things go.

freitasm

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#93032 30-Oct-2007 10:18

While it is "running for a few more days" I would copy everything to another drive - because if it dies it will cost you an arm and leg to get anything out of it later.

z2k

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#93498 2-Nov-2007 16:30

anyways, just an update to whoever might be interested. I opened up the enclosure to check it again and found that one of the wires connecting the harddrive to the power was lose. I tightened it and put everything back together and haven't had a problem since. (touch wood). Also the harddrive was a little lose inside the enclosure so I placed a piece of cloth against it, not sure if that did much but I'm guessing that when i was shaking it before, it must've knocked the power connection which allowed the drive to keep working again.