External USB HDD no longer spins up

[Seraphic]

Hi, what are my options here? I mean, this HDD is no longer spinning up and I can't be the power supply as I've tried two different ones. It's still under warranty, however, I don't want to lose the data. Could it be the logic board of maybe the headers/platters are stuck, or could the drive be dead? Drive never made clicking sounds are worked great since I have had it. Just turned it off one night and then back on the next day and it would not spin up.

Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[g-paw]

Have you tried running it a an internal drive? If it's recognized, I'd copy the data and send it back.

 

[Seraphic]

Can't really open it as it would void warranty. Would have to call their tech support line and ask for permission first. Might just send it to them and ask that the data be moved to the new drive.

But, what can it mean when a drive no longer spins up?

 

[jackluo923]

Is your External USB HDD 3.5' or 2.5'? Some 2.5' USB buspowered HDD fails to start because the lack of electricity. If the USB HDD comes with a Y type USB cable, be sure to plug both of them into the USB ports.

 

[Seraphic]

It's a 3.5. Was thinking it might be something lose inside the case, but I don't know for sure what could be wrong.

 

[jackluo923]

Does the HDD show any sign of being turned on? Such as a lit LED or possibly faint electric current noise which not a lot of people can hear because of its high pitch.

 

[The-Pizzaboy]

I think something got stuck inside, or just the spinning-engine is dead...

My advice will be that you call the Technical Support Line and ask them for permission to open the drive.

 

[Seraphic]

Well, the blue LED comes on but not the green read/write. Also, Windows sees it just as a Removable Disk and no longer a Hard Disk Drive.

 

[jackluo923]

Well you can be sure that the PATA/SATA -> USB chip is working since windows detect it. Your problem would most likely be the hard drive not getting enough power. This is what happen to me every day where the drive fails to spin up, but windows detects it as a unknown USB device. I think you should just call the Technical Support Line and ask for permission to open the drive. Then just hook it up inside your computer and back up your external HDD to your local drive. Then exchange the External HDD with a new one.

 

[Seraphic]

I guess I'll give that a try Monday when they are back in their office. Just need to make sure I have extra sata cables.