Hard Drive Crashed!

Try connecting it to another computer? Whatever you do however, don't re-initialize it. You'll wipe the drive if you do that.

If you can't get the OS to recognize it, try running the drive through a test scanner - some motherboards will allow programs like GWSCAN to see a drive via USB, but if you can take the drive out of the enclosure and connect it directly, that's how I would test it to be absolutely certain.

External hard drives are no better, and in some cases, worse than internal drives. They're exposed to more wear & tear than a drive inside of a PC. I hope everything on the drive is stored elsewhere?
 
Well, feel free to reinitialize it, but I'd test it with diagnostic software before I'd trust it to hold data again. :)
 
it's dead then. hang on to it or destroy it. You could try it another PC, but I doubt it'll work. :(
 
Boot from ubuntu and look at the disk utility. It will tell you everything you need to know about a HDD. Example: How days it been turned on, how many times it has been power cycled. how many bad sectors.
 
always use saftey remove when u remove ur hardrive
make sure saftey remove is not hidden
if this does not show up go to control panel/system/device manger/and disable ur drive then enable when u use it again
 
Back
Top Bottom