How to Repair a Hard Drive That Is Clicking to Get Files

A clicking hard drive means that the mechanical parts of the drive are breaking down. This also means that the drive slows down and will eventually stop working. If you need to retrieve data from your clicking hard drive before it fails, you can do this with an external hard drive enclosure. This enclosure will turn your hard drive into a drive that is readable through a USB drive.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips head screwdriver
• External hard drive enclosure
• Computer

Instructions

1. Place the hard drive inside the enclosure.

2. Push the enclosure's two rectangular cables into the back of the hard drive. These will power the drive and allow a computer to "see" the files.

3. Screw the enclosure tight with a Phillips head screwdriver. This will secure the hard drive within the enclosure, preventing it from moving around or falling out.

4. Connect the enclosure power cord into a socket. Place the enclosure's USB cord into the computer.

5. Click "Start," then press "My Computer." The drive will be located under the hard drive portion of "My Computer." Double-click it to open the drive. Drag the data you want to the computer for safe keeping.

Tips & Warnings

• Copy files to a thumb drive or a storage device, so you always have a working copy of them.

• Some folders will not be retrievable because the hard drive cannot access them.

References

• Tech Republic: How do I... Build and Configure an External Hard Drive Enclosure?
• XPC Gear: How to Install an External Hard Drive Enclosure

Resources

• Data Clinic: Hard Drive Failures