I have an external drive - I think a wd 2500b but it could be a 2800b - I can't read the writing on the model no. I moved house and then booted up the hard drive with my lap top - I book g4. When I connected the two, the G4 froze and I had to reboot. I also tried to re boot the drive but to no avail. I think I pressed the auto matic backup button and at that moment the house power went out. This means that now the drive is just continuing on but the power light is out and when I press the power on NOTHING happens, but the hard drive is still turning. God, I hope I haven't lost the info on the drive - I hardly use it but I have put loads of important files and all of our lives photo's on it and a ton of music. I plugged it into the computer but no symbol of recognition comes up - nothing.
Try removing the hard drive from the external enclosure and connecting it to your pc, this way you should be able to retrieve the files from the drive and then reformatting it may fix it and allow you to put it back in the external enclosure.
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A Windows PC computer will not read files on the WD hard drive that has been formatted on a MAC. The fix. Copy your photos onto the MAC computer then remove the WD hard drive and connect it to your Windows PC and format the WD hard drive in FAT32 file system. After formatting has been completed remove the WD hard disk and connect it to the MAC computer. The MAC can read and write to a Windows FAT32 formated hard disk. You can now copy the photos from the MAC to the WD hard disk. When copying is complete, remove the WD hard drive and connect the WD hard drive to your Windows PC and you can now copy the photo from the WD hard disk to your Windows PC.
Suggest you remove the harddrive inside the case of the WD Passport, and install it in an inexpensive external enclosure.
However if the harddrive was on, and in use when dropped, you need not bother.
Inside that plastic case of the WD Passport, is a regular harddrive. There is also a small circuit board. Interface Board. The harddrive connects to the small circuit board directly, or there are cables (Wires) that come from the circuit board, and connect to the harddrive.
Harddrives are measured by their Width. How wide across is it. A laptop size harddrive is 2.5 inches across in width. (6.4cm) A desktop harddrive is 3.5 inches across in width. (8.9cm)
There are two styles usually used in an external harddrive. IDE (PATA) and SATA.
The harddrive in the WD Passport 250GB external harddrive is a 2.5 SATA harddrive.
This is an example of a 2.5 SATA external enclosure,
Why do I state forget about repairing if the WD Passport was on when dropped? The resulting internal damage.
Bear with me, I'll try to make this short;
A) Inside the case of a harddrive as used in the WD Passport, are Platters. These resemble a CD or DVD disk. Usually made of metal, or glass.
The top surface, and bottom surface is coated with a magnetic medium. (Ferrous substance) There are usually 3 to 6 Platters.
B) There is a Read/Write Head for the Top, and Bottom of every Platter inside the harddrive. One on top, one on bottom.
The names imply just what the portion of the Read/Write Head does. The Read portion reads whats on the Platter. The Write portion writes to the Platter (When writing the magnetic medium is arranged. Arranged in 0's and 1's. 1 being ON, 0 being OFF. This is changed into computer language)
C) There is an Actuator Arm for every Platter. Holds the top Read/Write Head, and the bottom Read/Write Head.
The Actuator Arms are moved back, and forth across the Platters. The Actuator Motor moves them. (When the harddrive is operating, the arms can move back, and forth across the Platters, at Hundreds of Times a Second)
D) There is a Spindle Motor that spins a Spindle. The Spindle goes up through the center of the Platters.
The Read/Write Heads are parked away from the Platters when the harddrive is not activated. When activated the Read/Write Heads have a VERY close proximity to the surface of the Platters.
If memory serves it's around .0003 Three ten-thousandths of an inch. An average human hair is .003 Three thousandths of an inch.
With the close proximity of the Read/Write Heads to the Platters, and the extremely fast movement, the Read/Write Heads actually float on a cushion of air.
If dropped while activated, the Read/Write Heads will crash into the Platters. Retrieving information, would require a professional data retrieval shop to remove each Platter, and install them one at a time in a harddrive setup they have.
As much information is retrieved as possible. Once a harddrive is opened up, it is doomed. A harddrive is built in a Clean Room. A room that is 99.9 percent dust free. The tech's wear a suit, and have to walk through a corridor with air jets, before they can enter the Clean Room.
For additional questions please post in a Comment.
External hard drives don't need any program installed on your computer to run. Your operating system Windows, Linux should handle it as soon as you plug the usb in your computer. The programs included in your WD external hard drive are tools to backup your data.
If you try to hook up your hard drive to a Windows prior to XP, maybe your computer will not handle it.
It is always safer to safely remove your drive using the green arrow icon in the lower right corner of your screen. This way, the drive is shut down properly and you minimize chances of fails when you plug it again on another computer.
It is my belief that the circuit board for your Western Digital external harddrive, has failure problems. Simply put, the circuit board is No good.
I don't know your computer hardware expertise, so please bear with me, if I detail the following information in basic format. It is my intention to explain the basics of how a harddrive works, (Internal or External), so that my solution may be understood in general terms.
What you see right now is an external case. Inside the case is a desktop style harddrive. (3.5 inches in width)
Inside the harddrive are round Platters, that resemble a CD disk. Depending on the harddrive, there are 3 to 6 Platters. Information is stored on the platters, by means of arranging a magnetic media on both sides of each platter. (There is magnetic media on both sides of each platter)
The magnetic media is arranged by Read/Write heads. These heads are attached to an 'Arm'. The Arm moves the Read/Write head back, and forth, across the platter. (Like the arm of a phonograph player)
There are Two Read/Write heads for Each platter. One above the platter, one below. The Write option of the Read/Write head, arranges the magnetic media, for the information put on the platter.
The Read option of the Read/Write head, 'Reads' the information stored on the platter.
All of the above named components are inside a hermetically sealed case, which has an opening to equal pressure with the atmosphere outside of it. There is a special filter in this opening.
All of the above named components are installed in that hermetically sealed case, while in a Clean Room. This room is 99.9% dust free, and the assemblers wear special suits that would make NASA jealous.
The harddrive case Can be opened, But SHOULD NOT be opened! Once the case is opened in anything but a special Clean Room, the harddrive will only last for a few hours.
At the bottom of this case is a Circuit Board. A PCB. (Printed Circuit Board) This circuit board is made specifically for THAT style, size, and type of harddrive, for it's manufacturer. (Western Digital)
This circuit board is a Control Board, for the components I named off above. The circuit board has components on it that can fail very easily. (Electrolytic Capacitors are the ones with the highest fail rate)
It is this component that I believe has failed. You have the option to buy the same type, style, size, and model of Western Digital harddrive, and borrow it's circuit board.
The circuit board is attached with screws to the bottom of the main harddrive case. There are small connectors to disconnect, and that's it. Remove the circuit board from your defunct one, install this one. I would transfer all of your important information, then trash this harddrive. Replace the circuit board back into the one you bought, and use it.
(Your external harddrive case opens like a clamshell. It's made of two halves. There are screws that hold the two halves together. 4 of them. The screw heads are hidden under the labels of the case)
I apologize for the length of this solution, and hope you can make sense of it.
A new harddrive, and borrowing the circuit board from it, will be MUCH cheaper than having a data recovery shop recover your information! (Generally they charge $75 an hour, and it usually takes a while. You can buy a new harddrive for Much less, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3326100&CatId=2458
The above is an example. It is Not a direct example. You need to view the model number that is on the case's label, for the harddrive inside your external harddrive enclosure. You need THE same one)
Try hitting enter, Windows should automatically recognize it as an external drive and install driver. click on "my computer" and the new drive should be there.
There is a number of data recovery solutions online. Just google it. I would recommend one that sends out a static sensitive bag for transportation. But the customer service rep you spoke with, is probably right. The actuator arm has probably locked up and is failing to move back and forth reading and writing to the platters. Good luck and i feel for you with it being your new born on the hard drive.
since your talking about the External drives, a lot of reasons makes this happen. if the resolution above link cant help you, then try this:
Make sure that update the driver of your PC hard drive. Usually, this errors appear if your moving from one hard drive brand to another ex: seagate to samsung etc....
updated hard drive driver resolve this.
Make sure the cables are alright. Or at least have the latest service pack. USB drivers causes issues as well. I updated mine and the problem did not crop up anymore. hope this would help.
I have the 80GB WD passport and it suddenly stopped working one day. The unit lights up but nothing else. Finally I cracked the case open and found, as I suspected, that the drive is simply a SATA laptop drive with a SATA-to-USB conversion card built in. I suspected that the card was **** so I disconnected it and used a USB hard drive adapter (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=3770&name=USB_Hard_Drive_Adapter) and I can read/write to the drive just fine. Best part is that the adapter I use has its own power supply so I'm not pulling juice through the USB cable for a SATA drive.
Even though mine "works" again I don't recommend these drives to anyone. They're just not sturdy enough or well designed.
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