External Hard Drive not showing up.

[jimithing33]

I usually use the hard drive with the desktop, however the other day I plugged it into the laptop, it was running at the time, and was accidentally unplugged, since then it doesn't seem to be recognized in either computer. The laptop will make the noise when I plug in the external drive, and it shows up in device and printers. It does not show up in computer management though. I have tried the chkdsk, but it wont work, I am pretty sure I have the right letter, but says no volume. Please help.

Just an add on, the hard drive does light up, but does not spin. I did try installing it in the desktop, but it was not recognized when I tried that.

After awhile of being plugged in the hard drive shows up in disk managment, however when I try to Initialize it, it says I/O Error

 

[TechpumpkinWD]

Hello jimithing33 ,

Getting an I/o error usually isn't a good sign as often it's related to failed hardware. I guess you already tried using different USB port and cable. What model is this HDD? Is it power fed through the USB cable? You could run the manufacturer’s diagnostics tool to see if it will detect it.

 

[jumanji]

..... I did try installing it in the desktop, but it was not recognized when I tried that.

After awhile of being plugged in the hard drive shows up in disk managment, however when I try to Initialize it, it says I/O Error

When it shows up in Windows Disk Management capture and post the screenshot.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

Note: Please plugin only your problem external drive. Remove any other USB Storage Device. Make sure to hide the Console Tree and Action Pane as indicated in the above tutorial so that we get a full screen, untruncated Disk Management Window.

 

[jimithing33]

today I took the top of the hard drive off, and it spins manually no problem. One of the heads did look a little banged up, but nothing too bad. I looked at the circuit boards, and I don't see any burn marks, not sure what else it can be. I found a new circuit board online for 50.00, but not sure I want to take the gamble on that not working. I just plugged the hard drive in to load up, and see if it will show up in device manager again, if so I will take a screen shot.


I don't think this is even possible, but is there a way to take the platters out, and into a new hard drive? that would be too good to be true.

 

[jimithing33]

here is the screen shot

 

[jumanji]

Click on the drive 1 icon with the red arrow and try to initialise it.

If initialisation goes through, stop with that. That is if the screen asking you whether you want to it to be a MBR disk or GPT disk, close it.

If on the other hand if you get an error message post that error message.

 

[jimithing33]

I get I/O device error when I tried that the other day

 

[jumanji]

OK, I missed my track on this thread.

You already said that you got an I/O error message. Unknown, Not initialised, capacity not shown, I/O error - not a good prognosis.

Did you expose the drive platters to the outside world? It is a sure recipe for disaster. A drive should be disassembled only in a clean room by experts who know the job. Even a minute microscopic dust particle entering into the assembly can kill it. You had done something else than what was asked for.

Anyway, now take out the drive , and hook it up as a second internal drive on your desktop, and post a screenshot of Windows Disk Management.

Also let us know the make/manufacturer/ model number of the HDD when you take it out of the external case as well as the make/ manufacturer/model number of the external casing.

 

[mjf]

today I took the top of the hard drive off, and it spins manually no problem. One of the heads did look a little banged up, but nothing too bad.

Seriously?
Unless you have absolutely priceless information on this HDD I'd simply write it off. Never open a HDD - even changing the torque on the screws can foul it up.