Topic: External hard drives are indispensable tools for storing large amounts of data in a portable, easy-to-use format. However, their convenience and portable nature come with the risk of damage and data loss, especially when mishandled. Retrieving data from an inactive external hard drive can be a daunting task, but with the right guidance and expertise, it can be a successful endeavour.
When an external hard drive becomes inactive or is deemed to be "dead", it may be due to a variety of reasons such as physical damage, logical errors, or environmental causes (such as extreme heat, natural disasters and other less common events).
Our specialised guidance provides you with the essential procedures to diagnose the problem accurately and take the necessary steps to recover your valuable data.
As a result, there are many people who scour the web in search for the answer to one important question: How to recover data from a dead external hard drive? In this article, you’ll find the answer you’re looking for.
Summary:
External hard drives are a popular choice for storing large amounts of data due to their portability, ease of use and high storage capacity. Drops in price and cost per megabyte have also seen their sales skyrocket.
However, the unfortunate event of a drive failure can result in the loss of valuable data. Fear not! This comprehensive guide is designed to assist you in finding new and time-tested methods to recover data from a dead external hard drive. Rest assured that your important files can be retrieved, alleviating concerns or distress.
What is a Dead Drive?
Before delving deeply into the details of recovering data from a dead external hard drive, let's begin by defining what is meant by a "dead external hard drive."
Data recovery specialists typically refer to an external hard drive as "dead" when the storage device is either logically or physically damaged, making it unreadable and/or unrecognizable.
When it comes to logically damaged dead external hard drives, the issues that arise are distinct from those caused by mechanical failures. In this scenario, the problems are primarily rooted in software-related issues rather than physical defects. The damage often manifests in the file system or the firmware of the external hard drive. This type of damage can occur due to various reasons, such as corrupted files, improper ejection of the drive, power surges, or even malware attacks.
Common Causes of External Hard Drive Failure:
Physical Damage: Dropping the drive, water damage, or excessive heat can physically damage the drive, leading to failure.
Logical Errors: Corrupted files, improper shutdowns, and software conflicts can cause logical errors, making the data inaccessible.
Firmware Corruption: Problems with the drive’s firmware can prevent it from being recognized by the computer.
Power Surges: Electrical issues can damage the drive’s internal components, leading to failure.
When data recovery experts describe an external hard drive as dead, they usually mean that the storage device is unreadable and/or unrecognizable because it’s either logically or physically damaged.
Physically damaged dead external hard drives pose a significant challenge when it comes to data recovery. These devices fail to function properly as a result of a range of mechanical issues that can occur:
Shattered platters, which are responsible for storing data on the drive, render the information inaccessible.
Broken connectors further compound the problem, preventing the drive from establishing a connection with a computer or other devices.
The impact of these mechanical failures can be devastating, as valuable data stored on the external hard drive may become irretrievable. In such cases, seeking professional assistance from data recovery experts is often necessary to attempt to salvage any recoverable data from the damaged drive.
How Do External Hard Drives Become Dead?
Having understood the concept of a dead external hard drive, let's delve deeper into the primary reasons behind both logical and physical failures of external hard drives:
😫 Failed formatting: Formatting is a crucial process that establishes a new file system on a storage device. It involves preparing the drive for data storage by organizing its structure and allocating space for files. However, when the formatting process fails prematurely, it can have detrimental consequences. In the case of an external hard drive, if formatting fails before completion, the drive may become inaccessible and appear unreadable to the operating system.
💦 Water damage: Water and electronics don’t go well together. Unfortunately, it’s fairly easy to spill a glass of water on an external hard drive placed on a desk, and the consequences can be disastrous. Water damage is a common yet perilous issue that can occur unexpectedly, leading to significant repercussions for electronic devices like external hard drives. When liquid infiltrates the delicate components of external hard drives, it can result in short circuits, corrosion, and irreparable harm to the internal circuitry. The presence of water can cause the external hard drive to malfunction, potentially leading to data loss, system failures, and in worst-case scenarios, rendering the device completely dead.
📳 Shocks and vibrations: Traditional spinning external hard drives house rotating plates attached to a movable arm with a read/write head on it. The head floats just a few nanometers above the rotation plates, and even relatively small shocks and vibrations can cause them to physically touch and potentially break.
🐞 Software bugs: The firmware that controls how modern external hard drives function is highly complex, so it’s no wonder that it sometimes contains bugs. The same holds true for the operating systems and applications that store data on hard drives. Most software bugs, fortunately, don’t cause external hard drives to become dead, but some do.
🔥 Excessive heat: Most external hard disks are designed to operate in temperates of up to 50°C (122°F). During hot summer days, your external hard disk can easily reach and exceed 50°C just by being exposed to direct sunlight. A short exposure should be fine, but a long one can cause irreparable damage.
🦠 Malware infection: In recent years, ransomware has become one of the most prominent cyber threats. Designed to encrypt data, ransomware can infect both internal and external hard drives and make them unusable.
As unfortunate as it is, most people get to experience at least one of the above-described causes of external hard drive death sooner or later.
Can You Recover Data From Dead External Hard Drives?
Logically Damaged External Hard Drives
In many cases, logically damaged dead external hard drives can be recovered through a series of steps that involve diagnosing and addressing the underlying software issue. This process often begins with troubleshooting common problems that may be causing the drive to appear dead. By following specific guidelines and utilizing specialized tools, users can attempt to revive the external hard drive and retrieve their valuable data.
When simple fixes fail to revive the external hard drive, users can turn to data recovery software applications for a more advanced solution. These software tools are designed to scan the drive thoroughly, even in cases where files have been permanently deleted. By employing advanced algorithms and techniques, data recovery software can often recover lost or inaccessible files, providing users with a chance to retrieve important data that may have seemed irretrievable.
Physically Damaged External Hard Drives
While it’s usually not possible to recover data from broken external hard drives at home unless the damage is minor (such as a bend—not broken—connector pin), there are many professional data recovery centers that employ experienced professionals equipped with cutting-edge tools for solving even the most serious data loss scenarios. While minor issues like a bent connector pin may be fixable by individuals with some technical knowledge, more serious damage often requires the expertise of professionals.
By entrusting your dead external hard drive to Wildfire Data Recovery, you are tapping into a wealth of knowledge and resources that can greatly increase the chances of successful data retrieval.
Our experts follow strict protocols and procedures to ensure the safety and integrity of your data throughout the recovery process. Additionally, they have access to specialized software and hardware solutions that are specifically tailored for recovering data from damaged storage devices.
How to Recover Data From Dead External Hard Drives?
Method 1: Repair the External Hard Disk
Just because your external hard disk seems to be empty or triggers all kinds of strange error messages doesn’t mean that you can’t bring it back from the land of dead computer parts. Windows and macOS come with handy disk repair tools designed to bring dead storage devices back to life:
Windows:
Launch the Terminal or Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with your drive letter) and press Enter.
2. If asked, confirm your decision to dismount the drive by pressing Y.
Type attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:*.* and press Enter (replace X with the letter assigned to your external drive).
The command attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:*.* is used in the Command Prompt on Windows to change the attributes of files and directories on a specified drive. Here's a breakdown of what each part of the command does:
attrib: This is the command to change file attributes.-h: Clears the Hidden attribute. Files and folders that are hidden will become visible.-r: Clears the Read-only attribute. Files and folders that are read-only can be modified.-s: Clears the System attribute. Files and folders that are system files will no longer be marked as system files./s: Applies the command to all files in the specified directory and its subdirectories./d: Applies the command to directories as well.X:*.*: Specifies the target drive (X) and all files and folders on that drive.Purpose
This command is useful for:
Making hidden files visible.
Removing read-only status from files, allowing them to be edited or deleted.
Removing the system file attribute from files, making them easier to manage.
Caution
Be careful when modifying system files, as it can affect the functioning of the operating system.
Always ensure you have a backup of important data before running such commands.
This command is often used in troubleshooting scenarios where files or folders are inaccessible due to their attributes. It can help in recovering data by making all files visible and editable.
Mac
Open Finder and go to Applications > Utilities.
Launch Disk Utility.
Select your external hard disk from the left pane.
Click First Aid.
Method 2: Use Data Recovery Software
Even if your external hard disk becomes dead due to extensive file system damage, you may still be able to get back your data using data recovery software like Disk Drill. By analyzing not only file metadata but also raw file signatures, Disk Drill is able to retrieve hundreds of different file formats in just a few steps on Windows and macOS:
Download and install Disk Drill for Windows or macOS.
2. Launch Disk Drill and give it the permissions it needs to recover lost data.
3. Select your external hard disk and click Search for lost data.
4. Analyze the scan results and select all items you want to recover.
5. Click Recover and choose a suitable recovery directory.
Method 3: Send Your Disk to a Data Recovery Center
One common cause of external hard disk failure that is extremely risky to address without proper expertise is mechanical damage. This type of issue requires intricate knowledge and specialized tools to be resolved effectively. If you find yourself facing this problem (which is likely since you're seeking guidance here), it is strongly advised to refrain from attempting a DIY repair.
Instead, your best course of action is to seek help from reputable data recovery centres in Brisbane that specialize in handling such complex issues, such as Wildfire Data Recovery.
If you’re not familiar with data recovery services, then you have nothing to worry about because they all operate more or less the same:
First, you initiate a work order and wait until you receive a price estimate.
Next, you pack your external hard drive and ship it to the data recovery centre of your choice.
Finally, you wait for your data to be recovered and shipped back to you.
Wildfire Data Recovery won’t charge you anything unless data recovery has been a total success.
How to Protect Your External Hard Drive From Becoming Dead
All external hard drives have a limited lifespan. Traditional spinning drives typically last for three to five years, while the lifespan of SSDs is measured in Terabytes Written (TBW), and it ranges between a few hundred and several thousand.
While it's not possible to use a single drive indefinitely, you can prolong its lifespan and prevent unexpected failure by adhering to these recommended practices:
👷 Handle it with care: External hard drives—especially of the 3.5-inch variety—can easily become physically damaged unless you handle them with care, and it can cost a lot of money to repair the damage (if it can be repaired to begin with).
💿 Importance of Data Backups: Safeguarding your data through regular backups is crucial in today's digital age. While a backup won't revive a failed external hard drive, it serves as a safety net to mitigate the impact of such failures. By creating duplicates of your files, you ensure that even if one storage medium fails, your data remains intact.
🩺 Monitor its health: Most external hard drives support the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) monitoring technology to keep track of important reliability metrics, using them to evaluate their own health. Applications like Disk Drill can read S.M.A.R.T. data and tell you if your external hard drive is still healthy enough to be used on a regular basis.
✅ Enable TRIM: TRIM is a useful technology that lets your operating system tell your SSD which blocks are no longer needed and can thus be erased to speed up future write operations. By letting wear levelling algorithms take advantage of recently freed-up space, TRIM can also make your SSD last much longer. The only downside is that it is impossible to recover permanently deleted files, so use it only in conjunction with a solid backup system.
These three easy-to-follow best practices alone can greatly reduce the risk of unexpected data loss and the need to use the solutions described in this article to recover your failed external hard drive.
Conclusion
External hard drives are highly beneficial due to their portability and expanding storage capacities. However, they are susceptible to greater logical and physical damage compared to internal drives. Consequently, the recovery of data from failed external hard drives is a critical matter. The methods outlined in this article offer assistance in retrieving data from both logically and physically compromised external hard drives, without requiring advanced technical skills.
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