External HDD won't work

[Kaladin_Stormblessed]

Hi Guys,

I have a one TB WD Passport HDD which is not working. When I plug it in, the icon does show up but the moment I click on it my explorer hangs up. The second I unplug the drive the PC is working again fast as ever. Here is the stuff I tried:

1. Ran check disk via CMD... doesn't work. The windows just doesn't respond.

2. Ran SFC ... nothing no response.

3. Booted Linux tried to mount ..nothing happens.

4. Booted into GParted, it keeps loading doesn't respond.

5. At least 5 different hard drive "scanning tools" don't detect the HDD either. They keep loading.

The drive is spinning I can hear it and no clicking sounds either. I have plugged it into another PC, same response. In fact the one I plugged it in earlier is a brand new core i7 8700k with a nvme SSD and 16 gigs of lpx vengeance 3000 ram.

I can rule out malware as Linux will have filtered it out (I think). The hard drive is spinning so it's not a broken header( I hope).

This drive has fairly sensitive data. but I don't really have the dough to shell out 500 bucks for an HDD repair.

Best Regards,

Kaladin Stormblessed!

P.S...

 

[Kaladin_Stormblessed]

I have also replaced the cord and tried Booting with the thing plugged it.... My PC wont boot if the drive is plugged in

[Radium_Angel]

The controller is probably bad. This has been my experience.

Yank the drive out of the enclosure and mount it directly. Then, and only then, will you know if it's okay

[Windows7ge]

Just now, Radium_Angel said:

The controller is probably bad. This has been my experience.

Yank the drive out of the enclosure and mount it directly. Then, and only then, will you know if it's okay

He might not be able to do that. I owned a WD passport before. It was a 2.5" drive and the Micro-USB port was directly integrated into the HDD's PCB. It didn't use a detachable daughter-board.

[Airdragonz]

If you can disassemble the drive, do it. If not, then you need to buy a new drive or send yours back if it's under warranty. If you got any sensitive data that you need recovered, try sending to a data recovery service. 

[Radium_Angel]

1 minute ago, Windows7ge said:

He might not be able to do that. I owned a WD passport before. It was a 2.5" drive and the Micro-USB port was directly integrated into the HDD's PCB. It didn't use a detachable daughter-board.

Oh that sucks...

[Radium_Angel]

There is one other option, if all else fails, but it's very tricky...

 

Take the drive out, and the controller board on the underside of the hard drive, unscrew it and there is a model number, serial number, etc. on it.

Find an identical one on ebay, and install that. Then reassemble the case and see what happens.

 

I've done this before with success.

[Kaladin_Stormblessed]

4 hours ago, Windows7ge said:

He might not be able to do that. I owned a WD passport before. It was a 2.5" drive and the Micro-USB port was directly integrated into the HDD's PCB. It didn't use a detachable daughter-board.

You are correct this has a dedicated proprietary interface that does not work with the SATA connectors that are usually common. 

[Kaladin_Stormblessed]

4 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

There is one other option, if all else fails, but it's very tricky...

 

Take the drive out, and the controller board on the underside of the hard drive, unscrew it and there is a model number, serial number, etc. on it.

Find an identical one on ebay, and install that. Then reassemble the case and see what happens.

 

I've done this before with success.

I read that you cannot just remove a drive out and swap out the controller board. Usually there is a BIOS that encrypts the drive that you need to de-sodder and reintegrate into a new one. But you said you have been successful before ? 

[Radium_Angel]

1 hour ago, Kaladin_Stormblessed said:

I read that you cannot just remove a drive out and swap out the controller board. Usually there is a BIOS that encrypts the drive that you need to de-sodder and reintegrate into a new one. But you said you have been successful before ? 

If the drive has auto encryption, then yes, you are SOL.

If it's a "standard" laptop hard drive, I've done this before several times (I used to do data recovery as a living) but you have to find the *exact* controller board, right down to the bios revision number (which can be changed out....sometimes on systems) otherwise no go.

 

Like I said, this is a tricky business to avoid paying for a data recovery specialist.

FWIW I am sorry you are going though this. 

[Kaladin_Stormblessed]

@Radium_Angel and @Airdragonz

Thanks both of you for help. This does confirm I will need to go-to a data recovery service. I was hoping i could resolve this on my own. I have ordered a duplicate board from ebay so I hope that works, but not too too hopeful. I will shell out the money for data recovery i guess.