Hello everyone,
I have a WD My Passport 1.0TB external USB that suddenly these days stoped working. The symptoms are:
- It is recognized as a external USB HD in Device Manager with correct name (WD MyPassport)
- It doesn’t show any partitions, only unalocatted raw space
- It is making a click noise, as if the head is hitting hard the platter, after a while it cools down and I can only hear the spinning sound, I think this clicking sound only occurs when trying to read data.
- The HDD light keeps blinking all the time, it only settles for a while then keeps blinking.
I use it for my main backup and on top of that, there’s a few sensible data there that i want access to that i don’t have backup anywhere. Additionally, the whole HD is encrypted through VERACRYPT using a hidden partition that windows can’t recognize.
I want serious guideline as how can i fix this drive by myself because the price of data recovery companies are prohibitive and I like the fun of getting this acomplishment.
If you care to read I’ll tell you what I’ve done so far and what I plan to do.
To start, I didn’t dropped the drive, one day it was recognized in my computer but veracrypt couldn’t open it. I thought that was strange, then i opened up device manager and it didn’t show my hidden partition, just a raw unalocated partition, normally it should show an unrecognized partition at least, so I reinstalled the drives with no success.
I cried so many times because there’re unrecoverable data there.
As I don’t trust Windows that much, I resorted to esoteric Linux, just to find it out that lot’s of IO READ ERRORS were popping up in syslog and it took two hours to read SMART data and it finally showed up as follow:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~/Downloads$ sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdc
smartctl 6.6 2016-05-31 r4324 [x86_64-linux-4.18.0-15-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org
=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Western Digital Elements / My Passport (USB, AF)
Device Model: WDC WD10JMVW-11S5XS0
Serial Number: WD-WXN1E53D8255
LU WWN Device Id: 5 0014ee 6ae571c0a
Firmware Version: 01.01A01
User Capacity: 1,000,204,886,016 bytes [1.00 TB]
Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate: 5400 rpm
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)
SATA Version is: SATA 3.0, 3.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled
=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Status not supported: Incomplete response, ATA output registers missing
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED
Warning: This result is based on an Attribute check.
General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status: (0x00) Offline data collection activity
was never started.
Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status: ( 0) The previous self-test routine completed
without error or no self-test has ever
been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection: (17880) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
Suspend Offline collection upon new
command.
Offline surface scan supported.
Self-test supported.
Conveyance Self-test supported.
Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
power-saving mode.
Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported.
General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 195) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 5) minutes.
SCT capabilities: (0x70b5) SCT Status supported.
SCT Feature Control supported.
SCT Data Table supported.
SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 200 200 051 Pre-fail Always - 27
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0027 179 174 021 Pre-fail Always - 2016
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 303
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 200 200 140 Pre-fail Always - 0
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 258
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 198
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 170
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 2288
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 114 095 000 Old_age Always - 33
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 10
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0030 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0
200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0008 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0
SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 17 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
CR = Command Register [HEX]
FR = Features Register [HEX]
SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
ER = Error register [HEX]
ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It “wraps” after 49.710 days.
Error 17 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 258 hours (10 days + 18 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.
After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
04 61 02 00 00 00 00
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:44:28.668 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:44:28.667 IDENTIFY DEVICE
b0 d0 00 00 4f c2 00 00 00:44:17.372 SMART READ DATA
Error 16 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 258 hours (10 days + 18 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.
After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
04 61 02 00 00 00 00
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:40:10.971 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:40:10.970 IDENTIFY DEVICE
b0 d0 00 00 4f c2 00 00 00:39:59.682 SMART READ DATA
Error 15 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 258 hours (10 days + 18 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.
After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
04 61 02 00 00 00 00
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:13.724 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:13.723 IDENTIFY DEVICE
e1 00 0f 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.791 IDLE IMMEDIATE
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.790 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.789 IDENTIFY DEVICE
Error 14 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 258 hours (10 days + 18 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.
After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
04 61 0f 00 00 00 00
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
e1 00 0f 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.791 IDLE IMMEDIATE
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.790 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.789 IDENTIFY DEVICE
e1 00 0f 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:03.848 IDLE IMMEDIATE
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:03.848 IDLE IMMEDIATE
Error 13 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 258 hours (10 days + 18 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.
After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
04 61 02 00 00 00 00
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.790 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:08.789 IDENTIFY DEVICE
e1 00 0f 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:03.848 IDLE IMMEDIATE
e1 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:03.848 IDLE IMMEDIATE
ec 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00:38:03.847 IDENTIFY DEVICE
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged. [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]
SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
1 0 0 Not_testing
2 0 0 Not_testing
3 0 0 Not_testing
4 0 0 Not_testing
5 0 0 Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.
==============================================================
Continuing my story, after that information of pre-fail and old age, I began my procedures to fix the hard drive.
- Change the USB Port, Computer or Cable
That’s right I tried to change USB ports, open it in another computer and finally changed the usb cable and plugged the drive in, it just plain worked, I was so happy and imediately evacuated the MOST SENSIBLE DATA and shut down the pc. (Should Have Backed up everything but didn’t have enough space to copy everything, and I was happy it was the cable, I was so DUMB and so WRONG)
By the course of three days I was evacuating the files a few at a time, as I was clearing space little by little, but by the fourth day my HD SUDDENLY DIED AGAIN.
Changing cables again didn’t do the trick, that’s why I resorted to the next step.
- Opening the Plastic Case
I was totally careful with this one, because i was hoping to find a SATA port so I could test if it was the usb soldering or something like that, just to be frustrated to know that there isn’t any. I check for cold soldering and dust and found a few black spots over some gold connections which leads me to the next step.
- Cleaning the Golden Connections
The PCB has some golden connections to the HD that are not soldered but by contact, I had to untighten the very small screws WITH ALL CARE, DELICACY AND TENDERNESS POSSIBLE and check the PCB ONLY TOUCHING THE EDGES, I specially know this, because I should not touch any electronic components because static eletricity or physical pressure may damage these miniature delicate things. I cleaned the golden connections with a swab embebed in Isopropyl Alcohol as there was signs of contamination. Put everything together afterwards and the HD still didn’t work 
Steps that I plan to do and I want advice on:
- untight/tight the cylinder adjust screw
I still didn’t break the seal on this one, as i’m not sure of what it does, i found a crazy video on youtube but should try only when I’m certain of what it does:
If anyone could enlighten me on this one I’d apreciate it a lot.
- Freeze the Disk on the Fridge
I first looked at this esoteric solution with skepticism, the main argument for this is that it will shrink the components and maybe the head should start to behave or some broken components shall glue back together. Maybe it was a coincidence but these 4 days that the HD worked under a new cable it was really cold days, after it started to be hot and warm again it stoped. So Maybe…who knows.
- Opening the HD and trying to fix something.
As I already evacuated the MOST SENSIBLE DATA, I’m eager to risk opening the drive and losing everything as some other irreplacable files are not worth the fortune recovery data companies are asking for.
But the thing is, I’ll open the drive but what should I look for to fix clicking noises?
I know I should be doing everything in the CLEANIST ENVIRONMENT POSSIBLE, WITH GLOVES, and whatever I do I should be fast and NEVER TURN ON THE DRIVE WITHOUT SEALING IT AGAIN.
So how can I fix this problem ?
Thanks for your time reading this novel.
