I've been using my Maxtor external HD for a few years and it's been jostled a little before and still worked. While it was connected to my main HD, I accidentally tipped it over, and now it makes these weird blip/beep noises and then the drive stops spinning.

I've tried restarting the main computer (Windows 7/HP) and plugging the USB to the Maxtor and power supply back in, and the drive is no longer detected. It continues to beep for a minute, then spins down again. The white light still remains on, but nothing is happening.

I've got a lot of data backed up on it, so I need to know what to do to recover files. I tried looking at the case to see if I might be able to open it myself, but I see no screw holes or anything.

I'm very new to data recovery, and I've only managed to get data off an internal drive using the sata and IDE HD disk enclosure, but from looking at the external one, it looks too big to fit into that, even if I were somehow able to get it out of its casing.

I don't understand why simply knocking it over onto carpet after a few years of use would cause this much trouble.

Heads are stuck to platters and good possibility of spindle motor seizure as well. Hence, the noises you hear. If it's motor seizure then it becomes a very big deal.

Ok, I just found an article about this. So it'd be pretty much impossible to fix it myself? Assuming I can even get it out of the case. It seems pretty complicated and delicate to fix.

Would it be better to take it to someone who can diagnose/repair this?

Iggy3,

Msurgeon sounds spot on, more than likely crashed heads, possibly stuck if the drive was running when it was tipped. If you value the data on there, you'll definitely want to take it to someone to look at, and not just some friend who knows a bit about computers - a legitimate DR Pro. Search this board and I'm sure you'll find more than a few people who are both knowledgeable and close to you.

Best of luck!

Dizi

Yes it would be better to send it to someone who can fix this for you. There is a respected member here on the forum from Florida I recommand you contact him and ask him to take a look at this for you. He can give you a estimate and tell you what is wrong with it. Contact Quasimoto. Give him a PM and he will answer you back right away on this one.

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Iorana Haraharaini

Thanks guys, I'll give Quasimoto a PM about this. Also if all else fails, I guess I can take it to a retail shop, even though it might cost me an arm and a leg.

pm 'quasimodo' not 'Quasimoto' (without ' ) !!

@poehere , @BlackST,

He already has and we have spoken, thanks for the kind words guys

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.

Thanks for the article! I'm on my way to having it taken care of by one of the companies though, since I'm clumsy and definitely not a hardware person.

Percussive maintenance requires a knowledge of hardware, but not the kind you're thinking of. Finesse is not a requirement, either. In fact clumsiness may even be an asset. :D

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A backup a day keeps DR away.