Hello everyone,

I would like your opinion on this, whether it is worth it or not to keep trying.

I received a disk from a customer who dropped an external HDD (Verbatim USB Interface). He assures me that when de disk was off when it was dropped from about 3 feet (up on a desk).
Now the HDD makes repetitive sound as soon as it is plugged in (with other USB interfaces and/or as an internal hard drive on a working PC). I can feel that it cannot spin up, but it sounds like it's trying.

Its a Seagate Momentus ST1000LM024 1TB/5400/8M

Information Recovery Companies on my country are excessively expensive and not really an option on my case, but it is very important for me to recover the information.

Any light on this would be enormously appreciated

Thank you all!

If Data is important, then it is best and safe to take DR pro help.
In your case, assuming what your customer said is true, should be a case
of head stiction .
A professional approach would need a clean room environment(and experienced tech ) to open the drive and have a look at the heads for damages , park the heads and image the drive accordingly.
Surely not DIY this way , sorry.
There are lots of information about other drastic methods ,most of them will damage your drive permanantly, as these are unprofessional and very risky tricks , so not advised,
Your data , your choice

Assuming what the OP said is true (dropped while OFF) then stiction is VERY VERY unlikely as the heads would have been parked.

99.999% to be seized spindle.

But still, like you say, NOT DIY.

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Hi,

At least the DR companies in your country might not charge for the diagnosis fee, so you could check what is the problem.

+1


Loki

@ pcimage

have to open it to be 100% sure.

Assumed stiction ,as it was mentioned that the drive was off when it was dropped.Chances of the head shifting from parking area and locking the platters sounded more likely than Spindle Seizure.
If the drive was spinning (ON)when it was dropped, and caused this problem, then Spindle seizure was more likely.IMHO.

To me it's the spindle, not heads on platters.

Because it was OFF when it was dropped (assuming it is true).

Spindle, warped/cracked platters, bearings, motor, electronics, all possible, yes.
Stiction? I don't think so.

In this case this disk needs to be opened up in cleanroom.

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On a clear disk you can seek forever.