How to Fix a Dead Hard Drive

Hard Drive Failure is one of the most common problems that computer owners have. It is often characterized by weird, loud sounds coming from the PC, while booting, or clicking sounds that can be heard while you are trying to run some applications. More often than not, it leads to the total disintegration of the hard drive. And of course, when this happens, you really won't be able to use your computer anymore. And you have to prevent this from happening or else, you might lose your files.

Why does it happen?

So, why exactly does this problem exist? Here are some of the reasons:

* Hard Drive Connections haven't been installed properly;

* SATA/IDE to USB Enclosures are not in the right position;

* Hard Drive cannot be recognized by the computer;

* Internal damage, also known as malfunctioning head, and;

* Defective PCB's (Printed Circuit Boards)

If your PC is experiencing from any of these, it means that your hard drive may collapse soon. So, read the tips below to find out what you have to do.

How to fix it

Here are the things that you have to do to fix a faulty hard drive.

* Connect cables properly. There are mainly 3 connectors that you should take note of, and these are 1) SATA Power Connector, 2) SATA Interface Cable, which can be recognized by one, fat red or black cord, and 3) 4-Pin Molex Power Connector, which has 4 thin cords. You have to make sure that they are all properly plugged, but before doing so, unplug the computer from the socket first. Then, you can start booting the computer again.

* Install drives internally. First, make sure that you take the hard drive from its case and install the drive internally on your computer by using a SATA/IDE Cable. You can also use a new USB drive to make sure that enclosures have been properly hooked.

* Check BIOS or use another PC to look for a list of drives. This is essential so that you'd know if the hard drive is recognized by the computer. Enter DEL, F10, or F2 to be able to check BIOS setting after you have turned on the PC. Check "Advanced Settings" to see the list of drives connected to your PC. You can also do this by connecting the hard drive to another computer. If this is the case, just click Windows + R together so that you can gain access to the "run" menu. Then, type "CMD", and press Enter so that you'll be able to see the command prompt. Type "Diskpart" then press Enter and type "List volume" so that you'll be able to see which drives are connected to the PC. If you see the drive in the list, without the option of it being an "accessible drive" then possibly, it is damaged, so you might have to remove and change it.

* Change the PCB. When the PCB or Printed Circuit Drive is damaged, it may cause the hard drive to be damaged, too. You may have to remove it and buy another PCB, or ask a specialist to do the work for you. A damaged PCB also means that the drive is internally damaged. However, you have to keep in mind that you should never swab the PCB, with the intention of cleaning it, because it can further damage the circuit boards, as well as the hard drive, so be careful with that.

* Don't forget to back up your files. Of course, it's important to back up your files so that you won't have a hard time trying to recover them in case your drive has already been damaged. Download software that will help you back up your files the right way.

* And, try to recover your data professionally, if necessary. There are data recovery companies these days may be able to bring back data that you have lost by means of using special tools. Take note that they're professionally trained with these techniques so don't attempt doing it on your own as you may lose more data-and you surely wouldn't want that.

A Healthy Hard Drive

By keeping the tips mentioned above in mind, you surely will be able to prolong the life of your hard drive and be able to prevent other problems from happening. The bottom line is that if your hard drive is working properly, and if you're able to take care of it, your computer will be able to last a long time-which will be convenient for you. Good Luck!