WD2500JB-00REA0 help on deciphering clicking sounds

[mycp]

Hi all, first off I am not HDD guru, hats off to you all out there with the expert knowledge and sharing with rest of us.

My PC was running and suddenly partitions on the slave drive were not accessible. These drive letters disappeared from Windows explorer, and the slave disc could not be seen under Windows disc manager. I rebooted and saw that the slave disc was also not seen under BIOS. The problem prevented the PC from booting into windows so I took out the slave disc and put it into external enclosure connected via USB. Now everytime the external drive powers up, I can hear the disc spinning up, clicks a few times, then spins down, and the pattern repeats. I have uploaded a recording of ths sound.

I did some research online and saw many posts about replacing the PCB and putting back the original U12, but before I attempt to do that can someone have a listen at the recording to see if it sounds like a problem to be solved with the PCB/U12 fix?
(sorry about the windows device sounds meshed in the recording, windows kept trying to connect to the drive everytime it powers up).

Specs: WD2500JB-00RE0
PCB: 2060-7012920991 REVA

The 5 year old disc is disposable but contents are invaluable to my family.. so unless I am selling a kidney I must try to fix this myself.

Attachments

wd2500.zip

wd2500 recording

(2.45 MiB) Downloaded 439 times

[mycp]

recording converted to mp3

Attachments

wd2500mp3.zip

mp3 file

(766.7 KiB) Downloaded 404 times

[granaryloaf]

Hi mycp,

Now everytime the external drive powers up, I can hear the disc spinning up, clicks a few times, then spins down, and the pattern repeats. I have uploaded a recording of ths sound.

This is not what is happening in the recording, there is no spinning down of the drive, has the behaviour changed?

You need pro help for this one I am afraid, even to do as little as accurately diagnose the fault. Anyone could make a guess at the underlying problem, but I would be concerned as to whether this drive has damaged media (platters).

Has the drive been opened?

[BlackST]

It won't cost a kidney but you can't do it yourself for sure. And don't turn the drive on unnecessarily or your 'invaluable' stuff will turn into a zero cent value.

[mycp]

This is not what is happening in the recording, there is no spinning down of the drive, has the behaviour changed?

Has the drive been opened?

The behaviour has not changed, I thought the whirring sound after the clicks is the driving spinning down, is that incorrect? The drive has not been opened, it's been powered up a handful of times, nothing more.

Sounds like a DIY solution is out of the questions here... any recommendation of a reliable affordable place for diagnosis / repair in the Toronto GTA area? What kind of price points am I looking at? I got laid off recently so budget is really an issue right now

[Steve]

Check with Alexii member14086.html

[Alexii]

Heya m8. Answered ur PM.

[Alexii]

ended up being the board =) Mycp is a lucky girl =)

[mycp]

Thanks Alexii, appreciate your expertise. Lesson learned: got everything backed up and won't have to depend on luck next time

[pcimage]

Well done Alexii

Nice work.