JT! Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) So I brought back my external hard drive from home back to the US, but at some point when I was back home I threw out my bag of miscellaneous computer cables and the power cord and usb cable for it was never seen again. So now that I'm back home I found a power cable that did the job, but the light on the HDD just flashed and it makes a ticking noise. Found another power cable and it did the same thing. Is it f**ked or could there be a problem with the fact that i bought it in the UK and now trying to use a power supply in the USA? Edited October 28, 2011 by JT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Reynolds Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 So I brought back my external hard drive from home back to the US, but at some point when I was back home I threw out my bag of miscellaneous computer cables and the power cord and usb cable for it was never seen again. So now that I'm back home I found a power cable that did the job, but the light on the HDD just flashed and it makes a ticking noise. Found another power cable and it did the same thing. Is it f**ked or could there be a problem with the fact that i bought it in the UK and now trying to use a power supply in the USA? Usually means the hard drives failing to spin up. Maybe the power adapter your using has different voltage to the original one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Voltage is the same, polarity is the same. However I don't know what current it's supposed to be using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Reynolds Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Dont know much about current, but im my experience appliances use only as much as they need (within reason). Have you tried taking the hard drive out of the external and plugging it into a computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 I don't have a computer or the expertise to do so. Yeah that's what I thought about the current. The light on the front flashes though so it's definitely getting power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Canham Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Searched on google... Dunno if its any help. Make sure the computer and external hard drive are powered on.Safely remove the drive from the computer(if possible).Disconnect the external drive's USB or FireWire cable.Disconnect the power supply plug from the external drivePower off the computer.Disconnect the computer's power supply cord for 60 seconds.Reconnect the computer.Power on the computer.Connect the power supply to the external drive.Connect the drive's USB or FireWire cable and check for detection. Is the computer recognizing the drive? Edited September 3, 2011 by Tom Canham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 (edited) ]Is the computer recognizing the drive? Nope. Normally when I plug the hard drive in the blue light on the front stays on and it makes the usual HDD noises, just makes a faint clunk clunk clunk every second. Edited September 4, 2011 by JT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrayvon Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 Sounds like its fubared to me! Have you dropped it or anything? I've broken many external hard drives just by knocking them over on a hard floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 It's just been sat for 2 and a half years. I brought it back with me in the plane and it didn't get knocked or dropped or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossMcd Posted September 5, 2011 Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 it probably needs a clean. its probably a bit dusty inside. take it apart and give it a good clean out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 Aren't hard drives supposed to be sealed and never opened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted September 5, 2011 Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 Yes they're supposed to be sealed. Sounds like it's naffed to me. That noise is it attempting to spin up the discs or move the arm to read something, but it's failing and restrying, hence the click. If there's anything gravely important on it, then I'd send it off to one of those data recovery companies and let them deal with it. Can cost £50+ though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted September 5, 2011 Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 Did it go through the X Ray machine at the airport? I know nothing about computers but may have affected something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 Did it go through the X Ray machine at the airport? I know nothing about computers but may have affected something? About 6 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted September 5, 2011 Report Share Posted September 5, 2011 An X-Ray won't have done anything! How many laptops (obviously containing HDD's) do you think get X-Rayed at airports every day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 An X-Ray won't have done anything! How many laptops (obviously containing HDD's) do you think get X-Rayed at airports every day? Quite a few I would imagine - Like I said, I know nothing about computers but was simply throwing an idea in the pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 What make/model is the drive? It might be possible to get the specs of the power adaptor online. A lot of power adaptors won't have enough current for an external hard disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Canham Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 (edited) Could it be the volts? The mains in the UK runs at 230V? and in the USA the mains is 110V? Could it be that there is not enough power going to it?? (only a guess) Edited September 7, 2011 by Tom Canham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 What make/model is the drive? It might be possible to get the specs of the power adaptor online. A lot of power adaptors won't have enough current for an external hard disk. iomega mdhd320-u Could it be the volts? The mains in the UK runs at 230V? and in the USA the mains is 110V? Could it be that there is not enough power going to it?? (only a guess) It's 12 volt, and that's what I've tried. It says 2.0A on the drive but the plug i've been using says 300mA on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrayvon Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) iomega mdhd320-u It's 12 volt, and that's what I've tried. It says 2.0A on the drive but the plug i've been using says 300mA on it. That could well be it, my external hard drive is 1500mA. (output) and 500mA input Edited September 8, 2011 by Wrayvon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 It's 12 volt, and that's what I've tried. It says 2.0A on the drive but the plug i've been using says 300mA on it. Wait so youre trying to use a drive that requires almost 7 times peak load than the power supply can actually supply? Thats assuming the 2.0A is referring to the drive current draw, if then it sounds fubar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 If it's the PSU that came with the drive, then surely it should be fine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 So I brought back my external hard drive from home back to the US, but at some point when I was back home I threw out my bag of miscellaneous computer cables and the power cord and usb cable for it was never seen again. If it's the PSU that came with the drive, then surely it should be fine? Schoolboy error right there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Wait so youre trying to use a drive that requires almost 7 times peak load than the power supply can actually supply? Yes, this is what I'm trying to do. It says on the hard drive 'input rating 12v 2.0a. So do i basically find a 12v 2.0a plug and it should work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted October 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) This is depressing me now, got a power supply, right voltage, right amp, right polarization. Making a different noise but still no go. Won't even turn on now. And the power supply is making a chirping/clicking sound. Edited October 28, 2011 by JT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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