I have about 10 GB or more of my own music that i made my self also projects from programs like Sonar, FL studio, line 6 software. I can't lose this information it is a life time of work. When i turn on the computer it started to make a clicking noise and wouldn't show the hard drive. I got another hard drive and installed windows on it and try to read this hard drive but it don't read it at all. I don't have the money to have it sent off and pay for it to get fix. I read something about replacing the PCB but don't know much about it. Can anyone help with this problem please it is important to me in a major way.

Facts:
1.) Maxtor DiamondMax 1000 GB
2.) Makes clicking noise when computer turns on.
3.) Doesn't read the hard drive.

You have not supplied anyone here with enough information to know if a PCB swap will even help, possibly an audio recording? So as of now this could be anything, hardware or low level software, continuing to put the drive under stress could ruin your data, if this is an internal issue it by no means is a DIY or Mom and Pop solution, I'm not trying to claim business because my group doesn't do this kind of work, at this point you have to ask yourself, how important is the data?

What do you need to know? I'm new to this so please forgive me. Only thing i can think of is that it didn't give any warning before and then it stop working. I did check to see if it posted in the bios and it doesn't. It just doesn't see the hard drive. Does this help?

Honestly it will be best to wait for a guru to chime in, I am not sure of common failures of these new Maxtor drives, but if it at all is similar the Seagate models, I would guess internal issues, I know this is vague, but I am not a guru and do not want to put my foot in my mouth,

However I do think a high quality audio recording of the drives clicking could be helpful

Clicking = Pro only. Start getting some quotes sorry

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Zero Alpha: zeroalpha.com.au
Find Cheap Donor Drives App: https://www.zeroalpha.com.au/donor-drive-app Updated February 2026

Agree with ZA, you need to put your hand in your pocket on this one I'm afraid.

NO DIY solution for clicking drive of this model.

It won't be the PCB, I'll bet steak dinner on that.

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PC Image Data Recovery
http://www.pcimage.co.uk

New!! HDD-PCB.COM for all your PCB and donor HDD requirements!

I'll bet more expensive dinner on that at 99%

P.S. if you can't afford at present $$$ for professional help, put drive in a safe place and wait better times, it won't hurt what's inside.

So you guys think it's a bad head?

If it is clicking repeatedly - YES

I recommend you don't power it up anymore, the drive will deteriorate and you risk damaging the platter - if it's not already damaged, that is.

As BS suggests, put it away until you can afford a pro, otherwise you do run the risk of losing this forever.

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Data Recovery Ireland

The clicking noice u hear is made by a read/write head arm as it bangs back on a stoper. Basically what happens ( simplifying a bit ) , is as the power is aplied to the drive it tries to initialise itself. The information for that is stored on the service area of the drive. So ur read head is hovering there , trying to get the information needed to initialise itself, due to some factor or the other the read head fails to get the info , resets itsels and tryes again. When it resets it bangs on a stoper inside making that clicking sound. Most of the time it turns out to be a bad read head. Deity , u are in states so there will be a reasonable ammount of good DR companies offering free diagnostics. But choose with care. U can get a referal here on forum. Ppl are knowlegable. Or if noone steps forward - Ontrack does diagnostics for free.