I have a Hitachi 160GB notebook HDD, it was dropped while still inside a Toshiba laptop and is no longer responding. Windows 7 doesn't recognize it on my machines, and when I plug it into my desktop directly with a SATA cable, my PC freezes and won't boot if restarted while the HDD is connected. It doesn't freeze when I connect the HDD via a SATA-USB adapter. The only program that can recognize it is HDD Regenerator, but it sees it as "0" Mb and when I try to repair the HDD, the program tells me the master boot record is damaged. I need to get some music off this hard drive.

Do you guys have any suggestions? Is the HDD gone? (I don't wan't to pay $1000+ to take the data off).

Thanks!

Sounds like heads and/or platter damage. It needs pro help

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

Thanks for the reply. The HDD makes a faint, almost clicking noise when turned on, but then eventually stops making the noise. I don't really wan't to pay so much money to get my HDD repaired though...
Would putting the HDD in a freezer for a bit help? I've read about this online, and then you may be able to temporarily access your HDD to save your files.

The drive was dropped, resulting in physical damage to either the heads or the surface or both. Being colder isn't going to change that.

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

See this thread, but heed the warnings:
http://forums.seagate.com/t5/FreeAgent- ... 242#M11384

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A backup a day keeps DR away.