I purchased a 5TB WD Elements external Hard drive from Best Buy the same time I purchased my laptop. The external drive working all good until 2 weeks ago. It’s not being read by my pc, it lights up, shows some sort of error in disk management too. I do not travel with this drive, it stays at home along with my Windows 11 Laptop. I travel with a Chromebook, never leave home with out it. I recently early retired from the food service indusrty. I needed a hobby other than reading. Purchased Podcast software, I purchased a Drone. I purchases a DJ Controller. I PURCHASED ALL THE SOFTWARE to enjoy my early retirement and STORED it on a WD 5TB External Hard Drive. OBS Studio, Searato DJ Pro 2.0 AND 3.0. CorelDRAW 2023 SUITE. Serato Studio… Manuals for all these software…to sit back and take MY TIME to learn and enjoy. Yeah, WD Elements E5TB xternal Hard Drive told me to stick it where the sun does not shine. Well over $3,100 in software down the drain on a $119 external hard drive. I’m mad as hell. What do I do? I mean is anyone going to read this and help me? I have never felt so bad before in my life.
Hi,
please tell us a bit more about the error you are receiving in disk management.
Do you hear any clicking sounds from the external drive?
Yes, there was a clicking sound. Windows did an update overnight and after I logged into windows and the desktop was on screen…that is when I noticed the clicking noise. But it continued to function until last week, when another update was performed. Attached is a screenshot of disk Management.
If you have data on the drive, you should try to recover the data using Data Recovery Software.
If the data is not important, you can try to format the drive.
But it sounds as if the drive is failing. Was there a mechanical impact on the drive?
No, it has been setting on the counter next to my laptop. Laptop doesn’t move, I leave it setting on the counter. This is the 2nd time with a WD Element I have lat all my data on it. I’m going to see if I can order the connecting cable from Amazon, it’s 3.0 and see if that the problem.
I have multiple WD Elements and they are all working still. Maybe yours don’t have enough space to „breath“?
I have had occasional drops when I was using them 24/7 though. After they cooled down they were working fine again.
I have a PS4 that has a 2TB Drive that I also purchased a couple of days afterwards. It uses the same type of cable attachment, so I switched it out, the 2 TB cable with the 5TB Drive. The Drive lights up, but doesn’t register in My Computer. So, I figure the Drive is Shot. The 2TB drive has a PS Logo on it, can’t tell the make or model though.
First, try replacing both the power cable and the USB cable just to make sure the problem isn’t as simple as that. If that isn’t the problem and if you have a desktop PC, or have access to one, you can pull the drive out and put it directly into a PC and check and see if the drive still works. If so, then your problem is with the enclosure. The downside to this of course, is that it would void the warranty, but if the drive works, you wouldn’t have to pay for costly and not always successful data retrieval. As I said, if you open it up, you wouldn’t be able to get a replacement external drive under warranty, but you could always purchase an empty enclosure ( cost between $20-$60, or so ) and put your drive in it. Not an easy decision, because if you pull the drive out, and find that it truly is dead, then you’ve lost your data AND a warranty replacement. Good luck!
I seen a video on YouTube that opened one up, you just can’t jack it into the motherboard off of one of the lose cables like you would do for a hard drive. I thought of opening it up, but fo le now it’s just setting in a drawer. Thanks.
What I meant was taking the drive out of the enclosure and plugging the drive itself into a PC via sata cable ( not USB ). I’ve done it before, it’s a piece of cake.
Okay, I Google the data cable. Basically it’s the same cable that plugs in usb? No, you said it didn’t. Send image of said cable and where do I plug it in at? Has to be usb? Hmmm. Help is much appreciated.
An SATA cable is different than a USB cable. In a desktop the SATA cable connects a hard drive to your computers motherboard. I actually thought of an easier and cheaper way for you to check your drive should decide to remove it from the enclosure. For between $8-$20 you can purchase a SATA to USB converter and plug your drive directly into your laptop to see it it works. If you decide to go this route, keep in mind that you’ll need to get a converter that also has a power supply ( some don’t ) since the drive inside of your Elements needs power. The one I have cost around $15.00 and works with 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch HDD’s as well as SSD’s. Regardless of this particular issue, one of these converters is just good to have around. I’ve attached a photo of one that comes with a power supply. To see more options just go to Amazon and type USB to SATA converter and you’ll see tons of them.
I forgot one part, MAN!! What does it mean when I plug it in and there are 3 rapid blinking lights. Doesn’t happen all the time. But it has done it 3 times since it stopped functioning. Again it doesn’t do it every time I plug in.
Just to be sure… The picture. I think I have seen something like this on my FB feed, an advert. Okay, the picture, the square thing…it’s 3 sided for plugging in different male external or even internal hard drives? Being that the Element does not use an external power source this hardware does need one. Setting it up, all I have to do is plug it in usb and it gets read like an external drive. That IS IF its the case of the Element is what’s stopping it from being read by my laptop.
I just tried it again, no pause this time for the light on the drive to come on. Ususally there is a 1.5 second pause before the light comes on. I feel the platters rotating, but nothing happens. I’m also thinking it might be the pins on the drive itself.
I’m ordering on Friday. Wish Radio Shack was still in business because… ‘You Got Questions, We Have Answers’.
I have only one other suggestion. You said:
I’ve heard others say that, but what I know is that USB alone usually doesn’t provide enough power for 3.5" HDD’s. That’s why Elements drives come with a AC adapter, just like My Book and all other external drives. My final suggestion would be to plug in the power adapter and see if your drive works. it may not, but I always use the additional power supply for my external drives and have never had any issues. That’s all I have regarding your issue. I hope you get it sorted out.
Thanks for all your help.
