Kayo's Having Problems Again....

[kayo]

Hi guys,

It's been a while since I've troubled you with my probs, so I thought I'd pop my head in.

For about two years now I've had a 120 GB WD (Western Digital) Passport - a USB powered Plug'n'play external HD.

This has carried most of my music and other things for all this time, and I've had it on about 8 hours a day on average (both work and home)

This device still works perfectly.

Last Christmas, I received, very generously, a 250GB WD Passport. For all intents and purposes, from the outside and in terms of usage, it is identical to the smaller one.

I transferred ALL of my music on to this new larger drive (and already need a yet larger one - but that's beside the point)

Unfortunately, now about three weeks later - The Darn thing won't start.

I plug in the usb

the light on the device comes on

the usual message on my desktop comes up "This device can work faster with a USB 2.0 etc..." which is fine, as I don't have USB 2.0 ports.

So far all is normal.

Except that now, I just hear a funny soft noise a little bit like an irritating alarm clock "boo boo bah, boo boo bah" - and that's it. The indicator light stays on.

Now,

I've tried it on two other computers. Same.

I've tried different USB cables. Same.

I've just tried freezing the drive for half an hour, and re-trying it. Still the same.

The last thing I've done for now is open up the plastic housing of the drive (NOT the drive itself)

The drives USB connector is like a funny plug, the same sort of shape as the traditional "pin plug" but more like a slide action. This connects to the drive and is removable. The blue light is powered from this "link" piece between the USB and the drive itself.

I tried to exchange this USB/Drive "link" plug with the one from my 120GB drive, but unfortunately the older one has a "pin plug" and therefore can't be interchanged.

But then I reckon the "link" piece is working fine, as the blue LED Does come on.

I think the funny alarm noise is coming from the drive itself.

And there is no spinning up of the drive at all.

WHat's wrong!!!!!!?????????

I want to recover my music.

(On a side note, I've a chance to get a 500GB maxtor external drive for less than 80 GBP. (with warranty, all proper, from PC world.)

Is this a good buy??)

[nikster]

Have you tried powering it with one of those double-pronged USB cables? The idea is that you plug in two plugs on the computer side and one into he hard drive, which then gets power from both ports on the computer. This could make the drive work if your USB 1.1 (!) ports don't have enough power.

However, since this worked before, your drive may be dead. You could take it all apart and connect the drive directly to the eSata or IDE bus - that would rule out problems with the USB box.

It's been my experience that these things unfortunately die, and sometimes without any warning. There are ways to recover the data but they are very time intensive and may not work. I'd suggest taking it to a shop and letting them try to revive it, but be sure to stick around so you can make sure they only try non-destructive things...

[Guest Reimar]

Hi guys,

It's been a while since I've troubled you with my probs, so I thought I'd pop my head in.

For about two years now I've had a 120 GB WD (Western Digital) Passport - a USB powered Plug'n'play external HD.

This has carried most of my music and other things for all this time, and I've had it on about 8 hours a day on average (both work and home)

This device still works perfectly.

Last Christmas, I received, very generously, a 250GB WD Passport. For all intents and purposes, from the outside and in terms of usage, it is identical to the smaller one.

I transferred ALL of my music on to this new larger drive (and already need a yet larger one - but that's beside the point)

Unfortunately, now about three weeks later - The Darn thing won't start.

I plug in the usb

the light on the device comes on

the usual message on my desktop comes up "This device can work faster with a USB 2.0 etc..." which is fine, as I don't have USB 2.0 ports.

So far all is normal.

Except that now, I just hear a funny soft noise a little bit like an irritating alarm clock "boo boo bah, boo boo bah" - and that's it. The indicator light stays on.

Now,

I've tried it on two other computers. Same.

I've tried different USB cables. Same.

I've just tried freezing the drive for half an hour, and re-trying it. Still the same.

The last thing I've done for now is open up the plastic housing of the drive (NOT the drive itself)

The drives USB connector is like a funny plug, the same sort of shape as the traditional "pin plug" but more like a slide action. This connects to the drive and is removable. The blue light is powered from this "link" piece between the USB and the drive itself.

I tried to exchange this USB/Drive "link" plug with the one from my 120GB drive, but unfortunately the older one has a "pin plug" and therefore can't be interchanged.

But then I reckon the "link" piece is working fine, as the blue LED Does come on.

I think the funny alarm noise is coming from the drive itself.

And there is no spinning up of the drive at all.

WHat's wrong!!!!!!?????????

I want to recover my music.

(On a side note, I've a chance to get a 500GB maxtor external drive for less than 80 GBP. (with warranty, all proper, from PC world.)

Is this a good buy??)

Kayo,

first at all I would go for the Maxtor anyway because is a better drive (from statistics about fails).

Second, sounds like the WD is on a way to the grave. If that drive still has warranty, normally should, send it back to the supplier for exchange but don't expect to get your data back!

Where you are Kayo, in UK or somewhere else?

[kayo]

hi nikster,

Thanks for your response.

I forgot to mention this, but I thought the "power" suggestion may come up, and unfortunately, it isn't the power.

I power all my usb appliances from a mains powered USB hub thing.

three weeks old and already dead!!?? I hope not.

In the morning - it's late here in the uK - I'll see if if I still have the warranty, but yeah, some form of recovery would be far more convenient to me. I can write off the drive, but I have so much rare music on my drive (and most cd's discarded!

Sh1t. Back tomorrow.

edit: Add: Reimar, thank you also for your response.

I think we posted nearly the same time.

Yes I'm in the UK. There's a legitimate PC shop around the corner from me that is doing the Maxtor Onetouch 4 for only 70 pounds plus tax. It sounds too good to be true!

Edited January 22, 2008 by kayo

[Guest Reimar]

Sounds good for the Mator. I would go for it.

Try to find out, if your WD still has Warranty, if there is an Data Recovery Service for WD.

Cheers.

[hbert]

I should try to connect the drive through the normal IDE port if possible. There are adapters from 2.5 inch t0 3.5 inch IDE drives.

I had a 120 GB WD 2.5 inch disk earlier that did more or less exactly the same as yours. In the beginning it worked well from USB but after a while it was impossible to get it to work from USB. Not from powered USB hubs or any other USB connection. It also emitted the sounds as you described.

In the end I did connect it directly with an IDE 2.5 to 3.5 adapter straight to my motherboards IDE connector and it worked flawlessly....

It's worth a try if you are eager to get back your data....

[Guest Reimar]

I should try to connect the drive through the normal IDE port if possible. There are adapters from 2.5 inch t0 3.5 inch IDE drives.

I had a 120 GB WD 2.5 inch disk earlier that did more or less exactly the same as yours. In the beginning it worked well from USB but after a while it was impossible to get it to work from USB. Not from powered USB hubs or any other USB connection. It also emitted the sounds as you described.

In the end I did connect it directly with an IDE 2.5 to 3.5 adapter straight to my motherboards IDE connector and it worked flawlessly....

It's worth a try if you are eager to get back your data....

I think is an SATA drive!

[hbert]

Oh SATA drive....?

Sorry, then my idea might not help if he can not connect it straight to SATA somehow....??

[youngkiwi]

Even new drives can fail. The lesson to be learn't here is always take a backup.

[kayo]

I should try to connect the drive through the normal IDE port if possible. There are adapters from 2.5 inch t0 3.5 inch IDE drives.

I had a 120 GB WD 2.5 inch disk earlier that did more or less exactly the same as yours. In the beginning it worked well from USB but after a while it was impossible to get it to work from USB. Not from powered USB hubs or any other USB connection. It also emitted the sounds as you described.

In the end I did connect it directly with an IDE 2.5 to 3.5 adapter straight to my motherboards IDE connector and it worked flawlessly....

It's worth a try if you are eager to get back your data....

I think is an SATA drive!

Oh SATA drive....?

Sorry, then my idea might not help if he can not connect it straight to SATA somehow....??

Indeed:

The 120 GB drive is IDE

The 250GB drive is SATA (Serial ATA)

Thanks for the tips and pointers. Am going to browse around town today and see if I can come up with something.

Will return later or tomorrow with news.

[kayo]

Right, well the 250Gb Sata drive is dead.

It wouldn't spin up no matter how many different things we tried.

I friend of mine seems to be a bit of a wizz with technology and he managed to recuperate most of my documents (most importantly my beloved music collection!!!) by "manually" spinning the disk. It took him about a day and a half, and I am paying him with free quality single malt whisky any time he comes to my bar. (where we can now once again listen to good tunes!

I will eventually get another disk drive, but for now the music is on the server at work.

[endure]

Staples are doing a LaCie 500gb with a Samsung drive (good reputation and quiet) for 70 quid.

[kayo]

That's an excellent price! thanks endure.