Western Digital My Book Essential

kelack

kelack

TPer Emerita - But she's back!
Messages
10,607
Name
Kelly
Edit My Images
Yes
Can anyone help me have just spent the last 3 hours trying to fix my external hard drive and starting to get seriously p'd off. I connected it up and it did it usual whizz brr and the lights flashed to denote that it was connecting. I got to the folder where all my pictures are and double clicked it to open it. The whole folder closed and now I can't access the drive at all. The light is still on but won't flash, I have disconnected properly each time and disconnected the power of everything including my laptop. Starting to really lose my temper now. :bang::bang:

Also, I have no sense of humour any more and really won't be receptive to any jokes
 
Giving up, feel like crying, everything is on there, holiday photos, tons of photos I have scanned in that I got off all the family last year for our birthday, wedding photos, everything.

Looked around on web and it seems a lot of people have had this problem and that it could be a dead drive.

Worse thing is, I have no space to download my cards from the last couple of weekends, I have a portrait evening at my local club and no way of getting to a camera shop to buy a new card in time for tomorrow night.

Really f***** off now. Only had the poxy thing 6 weeks
 
have you tried it in another port or another computer? I'd also suggest shutting your computer down fully for a minute or so, then fire it up without the drive attached before attaching it.
 
Have tried it on my work laptop and husband's work laptop, nothing on any.

Left the computer off for half an hour to see if that worked, disconnected all power, everything.

Off to bed as I'm wiped out now and only going to throw it across the room:(
 
well short of a faulty cable it does sound like the drive is erm... due for a throw across the room. :lol: Just a point worth mentioning is try a different usb cable just in case... the shorter and thicker the better...
 
Yv said:
Does the drive still whir when you turn on it, as if it is actually functioning mechanically?
Click to expand...
It is but it is also making the dreaded clicking sound which is why I think it's dead. Have just tried Hepburn's suggestion of using another cable and it's doing the same :(:(:(
 
And it's just stopped :(

Going to bed as I'm not going to get it fixed in the state I'm in. I'll take it back to PC World, still have the receipt, as I said, it's only 6 weeks old and the receipt is still in my purse wrapped around the change.

Thanks for trying to help both of you
 
ahhh b****x!! You could try turnng the drive off and givng the drive itself a good hard tap or two with a finger - smacking its bottom as my old tutor called it - nothing too violent, but enough to release the read heads if they have got them selves wedged in place. Its an old trick, but it once saved the data on a failing HD I had a few years ago. Failing that, there are companies that can apparently recover data from such drives, at a cost, I beleive, and if its only 6 weeks old, I would be having words with the retailer.
 
That's a shame. Yes, a bit of a kick can help a drive back to life, but rarely for any length of time. Just long enough to get the data off it if you're lucky...

I know it's no help now but i have two external disks, 320gb usb only for storage, and a san enabled disk for backup. Inbetween backups data is on my laptop and the 320gb drive. So... get yourself an extra drive cos they're dirt cheap these days and a backup is too useful to not have... :)
 
Windows?

Start - Run - "Compmgmt.msc" (without quotes) - Disk Management - does it show in here at all?
 
itsjosh said:
Windows?

Start - Run - "Compmgmt.msc" (without quotes) - Disk Management - does it show in here at all?
Click to expand...

would I be right in thinking you're way too young to remember the days of hitting winchester 10mb hard drives with a hammer to revive them? :D

edit: Just read your profile. 19 eh? I'll wager a pint you don't remember green mono screens either. I suspect the EU made them illegal before you were born! :lol:

Good tip btw. For those who don't have the run command visible you can get to the same by clicking the right hand mouse button on the my computer icon, selecting Manage, then choosing disk management from the list on the left side of the window.

Typically a clicking drive is a soon to be dead drive. Although i did have a technician once try to tell me it was just the drive heads recalibrating :thinking:
 
Sorry to hear this but Pcw will only accept responsibility for the drive not the data on it.

Not much help but your options are:
1. return drive loose data.
2. try above tapping but may not work as this doesn't appear to be 'sticktion'(sp)
3. freezer over night in plastic bag sometimes will work but make sure you have sufficient space elsewhere to save data if it works.
4. connect to desktop system?
5. void warranty and remove drive and connect into a desktop pc.
6. data recovery outfit http://www.jamieking.co.uk/blogs/why_backup_data.html

Download Speadfan http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.phpit allows you to check the 'smart'

SpeedFan allows you to have a deeper view of the status of your computer. Almost every computer includes support for hardware monitoring. Accessing digital temperature sensors is really useful. If you are trying to figure out why your pc hangs when under heavy load or after some hours of usage, SpeedFan might help you to find the real cause. Very often it is a poor power supply, or an improperly installed heatsink that lead to behaviours that we tend to associate with errors from the operating system, but that are not. SpeedFan automatically searches your computer for interesting chips: the hardware monitor chips. SpeedFan can expose voltages, fan speeds and temperatures. On rare occasions, the BIOS doesn't activate such features. SpeedFan tries to enable them as long as this is a safe thing to do. Not only the motherboard is searched, but also some video cards and almost every recent hard disk. SpeedFan can access status info from EIDE, SATA and even SCSI drives, showing, in a consistent way, internal data that can be used to diagnose current and future hard disk failures. This is known as S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology). At the lowest level, SpeedFan is a hardware monitor software that can access digital temperature sensors, but its main feature is that it can control fan speeds according to the temperatures inside your pc, thus reducing noise.
 
I think we're from the same era Jon.....2Mb Burroughs drives were the size of a chest freezer.

Bob
 
hepburn said:
Yep, and often fitted to their own controller card. Long before the advent of IDE drives (integrated drive electronics for those wondering what IDE stands for.)
Click to expand...

Canon Bob said:
I think we're from the same era Jon.....2Mb Burroughs drives were the size of a chest freezer.

Bob
Click to expand...

failing that Kel, one could get ones pipe and slippers out and chat about the old days :lol:

I will have you 'boys' know I revived a 20GIG, yes, TWENTY gig, ...ahhh, dare I say it..IDE drive from the dreaded death clicking with a good ol slap [not with a hammer] long enough to recover the data - about 2 hours :naughty:

:thinking: wonder if my current 320 gig drives would be that quick to backup? hmmm.....
 
The clicking noise is the data reading arms trying to set themselves, a slight tap does sometimes work.

Don't hurl it at the wall the information is on there and might be retrievable eventually.
http://www.harddriverecovery.org/index.html

Finally go to manufacturers website and see if they have help page or Google it.


Good luck
 
Yv said:
I will have you 'boys' know I revived a 20GIG, yes, TWENTY gig, ...ahhh, dare I say it..IDE drive from the dreaded death clicking with a good ol slap [not with a hammer] long enough to recover the data - about 2 hours :naughty:
Click to expand...

20G? That's but a baby. Under my desk here I have a 2G one.

Anyway, back to the problem in hand. If you take it back to PCW all they will do is exchange it and you'll lose any chance of recovery. If you cannot fix it yourself then you're going to have to get quotes from professional recovery services and then decide if the cost is worth the pictures on it. It sounds to me that it may be.
 
Before you take it back give it one last try.....

Wrap it up in a waterproof bag & put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, take it out (but leave in bag) then try it again. I've had 100% success rate with this (so far) :)

Ps. this is only a temporary fix, as soon as it warms up it will pop again
PPs. LEAVE IT IN THE BAG, otherwise you'll get condensation which is a 'BAD THING'
PPPs. It may not help :shrug:
PPPPs. Don't tell PCWorld you put it in the freezer ;)
 
Thanks everyone for all the comments, I haven't tried today as got up and went to work early this morning as was in other office 60 miles away but will give it all a go tonight. Before I went to bed last night, I turned the lot off and disconnected all power supplies, cables etc so I'm hoping that might work. I was a bit scared to give it a little tap last night as I thought that I might launch it against the wall. Husband reminded me last night that we pay £10 a month for PC Doctor and so might be able to use that at PC World. Why not, we've been paying £10 a month for over 3 years now and not used it once:D

With regards to backing up my back up, where does it end? How many back ups should I rely on........... I haven't the time to keep burning stuff onto DVD which is why I got the external hard drive, does this mean that I need to keep buying smaller external hard drives to back up my terabyte.........could get expensive and haven't the room anyway

Still haven't heard anything from Western Digital though, emailed the support desk last night and they said they will reply in 24 hours so got until 8 tonight...

Oh and I didn't mention last night - it's in my Device Manager
 
kelack said:
...does this mean that I need to keep buying smaller external hard drives to back up my terabyte.........could get expensive and haven't the room anyway
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you don't have a backup on another drive... If you're using external drives as your only means of storage, 2 x 500GB is a safer bet than 1 1TB drive - keep a copy of your photos on each. If one goes, replace and copy from other one. Drives are so cheap now, £50 will get you 500GB, 1TB is under £100 - how much are your photos worth?
 
What other drive, my laptop is full, I've run out of DVDs and my backup hard drive has packed up. By the way, £50 is two month's electricity, at the moment, I want light and heat more than another hard drive. So no, they're not cheap

Sorry, I'm just in a foul mood and really don't want to be told I told you so, you should have a back up. I know you're just trying to help but I'm not in a very receptive mood at the moment

And apparetnly my photos are worth b***er all to everyone, from what I've just been told tonight
 
itsjosh said:
Windows?

Start - Run - "Compmgmt.msc" (without quotes) - Disk Management - does it show in here at all?
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't


Still not working. I've even now tried to cuddle it and talk to it nicely

Ah well. Never mind. Back to PC World it goes (gone through all the stages now, Panic, Anger, Depression, Love, Acceptance:lol:) think the love and acceptance stage are aided by alcohol though
 
It's still in the Device Manager bit though :shrug:
 
alcohol is never a good thing to give to your hard disk. :D (hope you're now in the mood for jokes btw ;) )
 
Sort of ;)

Went to Photography Club tonight and if one more person bloody tells me, ah didn't you have a back up, I'm going to have to work out how to tell my insurance how my 70-200mm got inserted sideways somewhere.:nono::nono:

I think I'm also in a lot of trouble with husband as this will be two nights running I'm going to go to bed late and wake him up and he has to get up at stupid o'clock in the morning.........

Have now worked out, if I don't pay the phone bill, could probably afford to get another 3 hard drives and have 2 million back up copies of everything :D Give or take 5
 
hepburn said:
aww... who told ya that? I've seen some of your pics and not all of them are worth b****r all... :lol:
Click to expand...

Awwwww you know how to make a girl feel better about herself, thank you;)
 
Sheila, I'm loathe to suggest it but if you are beyond all attempts to repair and just looking to replace the drive I would suggest the one hard bang method.

Ensuring you're not going to break anything off or crack any plastic, i would literally "slam" the drive down, largest surface area downwards, on something soft but solid (leather placemat on a desk or floor maybe). It's kind of a kill or cure method but as a last resort it might be worth the risk.

Of course if you do this and it falls to pieces then I shoulder no responsability. That said, if it works I will expect to be rewarded with copious amounts of alcohol. :D
 
Kelack

Sorry to here about your drive, I will be changing one of mine over in the next couple of days I have to increase the size of my digital vault for aperture so I have a 750 I will be changing out with a 320 (I think...)

You are welcome to use that
 
kelack said:
Ah well. Never mind. Back to PC World it goes (gone through all the stages now, Panic, Anger, Depression, Love, Acceptance:lol:) think the love and acceptance stage are aided by alcohol though
Click to expand...

If there are photos on it that you really value I'd be reluctant to hand it back to PCW for a replacement. If you were to come in to some money at any time (or even started saving up) and could afford to have them recovered you'd probably be a bit gutted if you no longer had the drive. It's a difficult choice to make.

And I only saw one picture in your gallery that was worth bu*ger all.
 
That's cos I don't put my crappiest ones in the gallery :lol::lol:

(Which one though?)

It's sitting next to me here at work, I'm going to give it one more try, maybe the car journey made it magically fixed and then off to PC World at lunchtime.

Spoke to mny Dad last night and his new laptop which he bought from there about a month back stopped working. He had loads of stuff on there that he just hadn't got round to backing up on his external as he's only just got the laptop. They took all his stuff off it and put it on a new one for him, so they might do it. What am I paying £10 a month for otherwise?
 
Shutterman said:
Kelack

Sorry to here about your drive, I will be changing one of mine over in the next couple of days I have to increase the size of my digital vault for aperture so I have a 750 I will be changing out with a 320 (I think...)

You are welcome to use that
Click to expand...

Aww, cheers mate, I'll let you know how this one pans out
 
I sympathise with you kelack,

I have one of these dumbfounded drives too.

I had no end of problems with it connecting. It's all well and good having a drive that's supposed to self-detect when it's connected to a PC but when it doesn't, you're well and truly stuck.

After trying loads of things I finally got mine working but it wasn't any one thing that worked so I can't point you unfortunately. It just decided to connect. I have never touched it since (too scared to), it fires up each time with the PC but I don't trust it at all. The sooner I can get all my data off of it the sooner it'll be having a forced meeting with a hammer...:bonk:

Best of luck.

Guy
 
kelack said:
That's cos I don't put my crappiest ones in the gallery :lol::lol:

(Which one though?)

It's sitting next to me here at work, I'm going to give it one more try, maybe the car journey made it magically fixed and then off to PC World at lunchtime.

Spoke to mny Dad last night and his new laptop which he bought from there about a month back stopped working. He had loads of stuff on there that he just hadn't got round to backing up on his external as he's only just got the laptop. They took all his stuff off it and put it on a new one for him, so they might do it. What am I paying £10 a month for otherwise?
Click to expand...

Not telling you which one :razz:

If PCW got stuff off a failed laptop then it probably wasn't a failed hard drive. To get a dead drive working you either need to replace the external circuit board, or open the drive case to access the internal mechanics. I'm talking about the actual hard drive metal case here - not the plastic box holding the hard drive in the case of external drives. This second operation requires a seriously clean 100% dust free environment, and this is where the money is spent on professional recovery. It's highly doubtful PCW replaced a circuit board, and they definitely didn't open the drive case. They most likely removed a working hard drive and slaved it in to another pc.
 
Well went to PC World, after a long discussion, they have replaced my WD Book and are charging me £29.99 for hard drive recovery. Managers discretion and good will - no guarantees yet that they can recover it but they were really nice and helpful. :) Fingers crossed that they can recover my data.
 
That sounds like not a bad result at all.

If you don't want to get another HD for back up you could use something like Mozy...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top