URGENT!! HD problem

[stoid]

I'm doing some video editing using a 30GB external FireWire ClubMac hard drive. I was in the middle of working when the drive made this knocking or clicking sound and stopped working. I restarted the computer (it crashed as a result of the HD issues) and tried to fix the drive by switching it off/on again. I got nothing. I let it sit for a while and then it booted on the second try only to go down about 5 minutes. Again it would not load, but I left it overnight. This morning, I backed-up my internal HD to CDs to give me space to copy everything off the drive to my internal. The drive again loaded on the second try, but this time it only lasted about 30 seconds before it went down. I have not been able to get it to lad since. When I turn it on, it whirrs like normal, but then it makes that same knocking/clicking sound and whirrs at a different speed and gives me nothing. I have not lost any data persay, I still have my raw footage, but I am out 60 or 70 hours of editing working that I can't make-up before my deadline. Is there anything I can do to save my work?? Please help me!!

 

[vniow]

ouch

My dad used to work for Seagate and he's told me more than once that when a drive starts clicking like that, it usually means it's dead. Something on the inside has broken and it's likely to have scratched the platters.

There are some services that might be able to restore your data, but they're expensive. I'll look around and see what I can find, but in the meantime, don't touch the drive, just leave it turned off or you risk losing everything on it with zero chance of repair.

Edit: try these guys: http://www.datarecoverygroup.com/

 

[Dr. Distortion]

I once had the similar problem. An odd but working way to backup all your data is to put the harddisk into a water-proof, sealed plastic bag and leave it in the freezer overnight. When your spin up the harddisk next day you should have just enough time to backup everything from the disk. Also, I've been told this works only once.

Hope this was helpful

-Dr. D.

 

[kiskadee]

The "fridge"-thing seems to be true

The cold make every part 'shrink' a little so that stuck parts can come loose. That could give you the time to backup everything.

If that doesn't work you can try to hit the disk gently on the 4 "sides" (not on the top or bottom plate!). you can use a small rubber hammer on it. Stuck items can come loose. If the disk works again, than back it up as fast as you can! If it doesn't work and your disk remais broken... Well it was worth trying and it was already broken so the gentle hits haven't broken it...

Good luck!

Kiskadee