WD external hard drive not mounting

[Mac Bauer]

Hello, my name is Mac. I am wondering if I can ask you a help.
what if a hard drive (WD. Model number is unknown,,,,, maybe 4310B) is NOT amounting even under DiskUtility, which is, Im aware,bad start unlike MItch's case. Anything I can do?

Moderator Edit - This post and the next 3 were part of another thread, I moved them to their own. -SNGX1275

 

[SNGX1275]

I suppose you could try a different USB cable. Does it have another connection interface - like firewire? If so, try that.

Have you tried it on another computer. I have seen a WD external (a 2.5" one not a full size 3.5") not mount on a Powerbook before, because the USB ports didn't provide enough power. I have not seen that happen on a Macbook or MBP.

If it still doesn't work, and it isn't under warranty, you could open it up. But then you'll need a dock or an adapter to try to read the disk. Enclosures can die when the HD is still ok, but I don't have a real guess on how common that is (probably not very common).

 

[Mac Bauer]

Hi SNGX1275

thanks for a reply.
I have tried a new data transfer cable without any luck at a computer shop today. also with a different computer (pc only though) and it didn't work. according to a staff there, this paticular enclosure cannot be replaced.... and a data recovery is an only option (no reason for him to lie because he don't offer the service or cannot rip me off unless he is inexperienced....). I'm in Singapore and seems a data recovery will cost at least a grant (US 750 bucks). how much would it be at where you are?
dock/ adapter to read HD? you cannot really do it without having a new enclosure? (I'm not familiar with this except I did put 2.5 hard drive into some enclosure 5 years ago and I think that enclosure died whereas HD was ok)
heard It will probably require DOS commands to talk to the drive by passing OS. not sure what it is... any more advice?
thank man. mac

and no FireWire on.....

they are the problematic hard drive,,,,, hope it helps you to understand a bit more,,,,

 

[SNGX1275]

Important edit: Since I thought I could read the serial number on your drive, I went to WD's warranty check page and selected Singapore. Here is the result:
WX61C10A1334 WDBABV7500ABK-PESN In Limited Warranty 5/28/2013†

So unless you absolutely have to get that data back, I'd just send it in for warranty. They will charge you a ton for data recovery, so if you really need the data read on. If you open it up, they will not honor it's warranty.

Data recovery when a drive won't mount is always very expensive. My sister had a hd die with some important stuff on it a few years ago, and I believe she was quoted $2000. Turns out her stuff wasn't $2000 important to her

Looks to me like you can get that enclosure open. The disk inside should be a regular 2.5" notebook hard drive. Hopefully its sata. Docks are about $30 give or take a few and you'd know right away if the disk or the enclosure is dead.

I would open it up with the intention of never using that enclosure again, so if you break the enclosure getting the drive out, it isn't a big deal. You can probably wedge something like a putty knife along one of the long edges in that last picture, then try and pry it open.

I wouldn't worry about anything you've heard about using DOS commands. If the enclosure is what died, the drive will mount using a dock (or a sata->usb adapter). If the drive still doesn't mount after that you've got real problems, problems that will probably require sending the drive off to data recovery experts. There is some software that can attempt (with varying degrees of success) to grab the data, if the drive spins up without the click of death.

If it doesn't spin, you might get lucky trying to find the exact drive (going to be pretty difficult since its originally in an enclosure) and replacing the PCB. If that still doesn't work your only remaining option to get the data back is to send it off.

There are a ton of 'if this, then thats' in this post. So, the thing I would do at this point is find a way to get that drive out of that enclosure.

 

[Mac Bauer]

Horrible news,,,,
I found out that this hard drive is a bit dodgy SATA. As seen on a label on a drive (inside a case), it is SATA, but a physical data socket is not SATA. That is, none of docks and new enclosures can connect this hard drive. Rather this black enclosure is not really an enclosure , just a plastic case as seen in another photo. I went to a few computers stores with an intention of grabbing either dock or new enclosure, even a store that is specialized in hard drives responded to me that he has never seen this socket or a cable that can fit it (well maybe a guy there was useless,,,, a random cable that was plug into his PC was the one he was after,,,)
Good news is that another shop is offering me that a data recovery service at S$180 (US$130) whereas another big data recovering company S$1000+ (you also mentioned US/S$ 2000) But you know, this 180 guy can do, some data 180 but rest 1,800 after he "kidnaps" my drive and finds he can recover all of them. How could you be certain that he wont do it? Also I have another concern, what if he screws up and erase/ ruin all data. well, even 1000bucks company can do it "accidentally", cannot they?
What would you do? Any advice would be really appreciated again. By the way you are Julio and I had also sent you a message through a different thread? ciao. Mac Bauer

 

[Mac Bauer]

 

[Mac Bauer]

 

[Mac Bauer]

 

[SNGX1275]

I don't know what I'd do. But that looks similar to a USB type B mini male connector.

Unless the data is being transferred over those pins.

Julio is different person than me.

 

[Mac Bauer]

Hi there. Thanks for info, but I am just not sure how I can use your info.
One side of the USB cable (seen in the very first photo) goes into this socket (female part), with or without that a black case. I attached another photo here.
I think about this part I already made myself cleared. so only choice I have got is changing this female part to a new one? but how?
is there any chance to just remove this female part (this part keeps the drive from connecting into a dock, I believe) and plug the hard-drive into a dock/ enclosure?

 

[SNGX1275]

The connector on the left in the pic, fits into the connector on the drive (right side of pic). Thats the only connection to the drive right?

So I guess what this establishes is, my original idea of putting it in a SATA dock or getting an adapter is out. Because the physical drive itself is using a USB connection. I was hoping the drive itself was a sata drive in a USB enclosure. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

I may have missed this, but is the drive spinning up at all? If it spins up, you can download Hirens Boot CD and boot into XP Mini mode (it should boot to mini xp even on your macbook). There are some recovery tools in there that might help.

If the drive isn't spinning up, I think you are out of options.

 

[Mac Bauer]

Hi Singx

Thanks for trying to help me. I really appreciate it. Seems running out of options unfortunately. I just passed it a computer shop that offers me a data recovery at 120 USD (without a charge for diagnosis). Cross-fingered. Wish me luck.

The connector on the left in the pic, fits into the connector on the drive (right side of pic). Thats the only connection to the drive right?

So I guess what this establishes is, my original idea of putting it in a SATA dock or getting an adapter is out. Because the physical drive itself is using a USB connection. I was hoping the drive itself was a sata drive in a USB enclosure. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

I may have missed this, but is the drive spinning up at all? If it spins up, you can download Hirens Boot CD and boot into XP Mini mode (it should boot to mini xp even on your macbook). There are some recovery tools in there that might help.

If the drive isn't spinning up, I think you are out of options.