So it looks like my 7 year old Seagate Desktop External 4TB drive has started to seen better days. Unfortunately, it was my backup hard disk drive, I had it attached to an ASUS RT-AC87U. It had been giving me problems lately so I disconnected it and connected it directly to my computer, and it would show up as a drive, I would see my files but I couldn't copy them. Then the connection became very unstable and well, I inadvertantly knocked the hard drive off my desk and probably killed it, since it hit hardwood floor. It was probably only a 2 1/2 ft drop, too. I spent an hour or so researching how to take it apart, so I did, then plugged the bare drive itself into some other hard drive base I have which plugs into USB 3.0. I heard the same sounds, same results. Pretty sure the drive is dead.
Are there other ways of doing data recovery without having to go get it paid to get it done or will I just end up with the same result? I do have an eSATA port in the back of my computer. I wouldn't know if plugging it in there might have different results, or if I'd get different results should I start my computer with a bootable USB into some different OS. Any input would be great. Thanks.
EDIT: I thought I should mention that when the drive starts up, I hear some ticking noise in the initialization but then it goes away in a few seconds. I'd been watching YouTube about taking the drive apart, spinning the platters counter-clockwise with a screw driver until (I'm not sure what you call it?) the "Landing zone?" is off of the platters, then reassembling. Not sure if I should try doing that myself, but at this point, I feel like I've got no other choice unless I want to pay for expensive data recovery, which I don't.
EDIT #2: I decided to plug the hard drive back into my HDD dock (I'm using this one). Basically after it starts up, the light is flashing blue/purple, repeatedly and I'm getting the Windows 10 sound for a disk disconnection every 5-10 seconds. Still haven't tried to take the hard drive apart, I'll do that tomorrow. I thought I'd give it another go to see if the disk shows up in Computer Management. It does not, unfortunately.
Are there other ways of doing data recovery without having to go get it paid to get it done or will I just end up with the same result? I do have an eSATA port in the back of my computer. I wouldn't know if plugging it in there might have different results, or if I'd get different results should I start my computer with a bootable USB into some different OS. Any input would be great. Thanks.
EDIT: I thought I should mention that when the drive starts up, I hear some ticking noise in the initialization but then it goes away in a few seconds. I'd been watching YouTube about taking the drive apart, spinning the platters counter-clockwise with a screw driver until (I'm not sure what you call it?) the "Landing zone?" is off of the platters, then reassembling. Not sure if I should try doing that myself, but at this point, I feel like I've got no other choice unless I want to pay for expensive data recovery, which I don't.
EDIT #2: I decided to plug the hard drive back into my HDD dock (I'm using this one). Basically after it starts up, the light is flashing blue/purple, repeatedly and I'm getting the Windows 10 sound for a disk disconnection every 5-10 seconds. Still haven't tried to take the hard drive apart, I'll do that tomorrow. I thought I'd give it another go to see if the disk shows up in Computer Management. It does not, unfortunately.
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