Describe your SimpleDrive   STI-USB235/160 160 GB Hard Drive Problem The problem I am having is with the usb port on the actual hard drive. It has come apart and loose in the drive. I know the hard drive is working. I can hear it working when I plug it in. Do I just need a new "case" to hold my hard drive?

Unfortunately, I think you're toast! Depending on how much you need/want those photos, you might be limited to relying on an expensive 3rd party data recovery process. The noise indicates that the read/write head is scratching along the surface of the disc platter. Even if you could install a new read/write head, the physical damage to the disc platter may prevent any data recovery anyway. Check around on the Net and in your local area for data recovery services. They might be able to provide a better diagnosis of the problem, and possibly suggest a quote if they think they could recover any data for you.

Check the cable or if possible change the usb cable for another one.

Yes, you should turn the HD off when not in use. The direct drive mechanism is constantly turning when current is applied. Turning off the unit will preserve it. Four years is quite a long time for a hard drive and may need replacement soon.

go to simptec site and try to expean you rproblem they will help

there site is

http://www.simpletech.com/commercial/products/simpledriveexternalpininfarina.html

you can get the driver at the products web site

scan your harddriver for errors
chkdsk hard_drive /f /r

How long did you wait. I bet it's fragmented all to heck and just takes a while to read all the data.

In applications find a folder called Utilities, in there find and select disk utility connect the simple drive and when it shows up in the left side of the window select it and there will an option to formatt it

since when did this problem start?
have you checked the cables?

You may not see any icon on desktop but should see "found new hardware" at the bottom right by the time. Right click My Computer and click Manage. Under Storage click Disk Management. You should find your drive here. If its a new drive, no letter may be assigned or it may not be partitioned or formatted yet. Right click on the drive to format it and to assign a drive letter. If its already formatted and works on other computers, let me know because it could be a USB error or faulty cable.