Hello Friends,

i posted on an existing thread http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41868 but I realized this may deserve one on its own.

I was saying I have had it connected more or less idling ever since I bought it. A few days ago I needed to copy some data so i open its folder, check a few sub-folders when the window suddenly disappeared. I then reopen it and start the copying. The process went a bit on but then stopped followed by the message attached:

download/file.php?mode=view&id=23043

I tried a few times to copy and it seems the problem is persisting, it manages to end the coping of small size (few hundred MB) data but when it gets to GB the drive's head (I presume) gets busier the usual making a sound the moment it stops at some point at the beginning of the process.
I recorded the sound, you find it attached.

The drive is supposed to be still under warranty. I guess the best is returning it...

What could have happened?
Any advice on how to make sure all data are properly erased?

Thank you for your support

You should check your power supply. An aged power supply may cause unstable voltage outputs, beyond design limit of HDD.
According to Seagate product manual, startup surge current of large capacity helium HDDs can reach up to 2.6A. If you are using it in an external enclosure, make sure the power adapter is enough (12V 3A) to handle.

A full format would be enough to destroy the data unless you have gov't or mil grade requirements.

Thank you @frontwing, your advice is greatly appreciated,

The drive is mounted on a desktop. I purchased the power supply unit a couple of months prior I got the hdd, so it is supposed to be recent and hopefully working.

Nothing of extreme relevance other than some personal photos and business stuff.

Really disappointed.. I thought I had solved my problems with storage space. And yet it is good it is still under warranty.

How about filling it with worthless data overwriting the previous on the platter?

I'm trying it already also as a test to see how many times it stops and surprisingly it has been working kinda okay. It just stopped a couple of times doing that type of noise that I recorded but other that that it resumed the copying process until the end.
What could possibly have happened to have it turned this way??