Hello, I have a wd elements 2TB. Suddenly, it stopped working and I have lost a lot of valuable information. Is there any way to recover the data with the technical service? The device is still under warranty.
Consider contacting WD for guidance on this. They may have specific steps and software to use.
Hard drive failures are a serious problem. This is especially true when the data stored in the HDD is essential to you, and there are no backups.
First of all try to find out the reasons why HDD failed.
Here are some of the major causes of HDD failure.
Firmware or manufacturer faults.
Electronic failure and Power Surge
Overheating
Mechanical or Internal failure
Corrupt files
Human errors.
These are the major reasons for HDD failure.
- Firmware or Manufacturer Faults
This error occurs due to improper power supply, virus attack, accidental shutdown, interruption during firmware upgrades, or manufacturing faults. You might observe the following symptoms even in a brand new hard disk.
Symptoms:
- Drive freezes at startup.
- The system can’t detect/identify the hard disk at all.
- The system fails to boot/hang up in the middle of booting procedure.
Solution:
Users can contact the hard disk manufacturer and ask them for Return Authorization (RA), as the disk must be under warranty. However, manufacturers generally don’t provide any guarantee regarding safety of your data. For more information, please refer to the warranty/guarantee policy provided by the manufacturer.
Further, to recover your data in case of hard drive failure, I would recommend a Stellar professional data recovery tool software .
- Electronic Failure or Power Surge
Sometimes, UPS is unable to deliver the required power supply. It’s either too high or too slow. This can also occur when you use an unreliable power source or there is frequent interruption in the flow of electricity.
Symptoms:
Sudden startup failure
System BIOS can’t detect the hard drive
Hard drive isn’t able to spin up
Solution:
Make sure that the system hardware is getting proper power supply. You can fix this error by using UPS from a well-known brand. Also, turn off your system properly when not in use.
3. Overheating
This error may occur due to faulty CPU fan, improper ventilation, high-voltage power supply, high temperature, virus infection, and development of bad sectors. These reasons could heat up the system and lead to sudden hard disk failure.
Symptoms:
Pc frequently reboots/freezes
Fans are either moving too slow or not at all
System hardware is making clicking sounds or noise
Desktop or Laptop gets heated soon after starting
Solution:
Make sure that the CPU fans are working fine. Double check that sufficient cooling is delivered to the processor and their peripherals. You can also try applying thermal paste between heat sinks of the CPU fan to make it run smoothly.
- Mechanical or Internal Failure
Mechanical failure in your hard drive can occur due to moving parts, malware or virus attack, bad sectors, improper power supply and so on. These reasons could lead to hard drive failure or damage and data corruption.
Earlier, several rootkit viruses were introduced that used to become active with turning on the system. They corrupted the system functioning at BIOS level. However, Windows latest versions (8/10) are efficient at detecting such malware and remove it using UEFI technology.
Symptoms:
Total system freeze
Grinding or clicking sounds from hard drive
Files & Folders becoming invisible or corrupt
Appearance of black screen while booting
Solution:
You must update your system on a daily or weekly basis. Keep your antivirus software updated and scan your computer to analyze malicious activities or virus attacks. Replace your hard drive every 3-4 years.
- Corrupt File
Use of malicious or faulty apps, accidental closure of running programs, unethical way of shutting down the PC, power surges, etc. are reasons that lead to system file corruption and make the hard disk inaccessible.
Symptoms:
- The files become corrupt or damaged.
- The hard drive is inaccessible.
Solution:
Always shut down your PC in the standard manner. It will prevent command kernel to stop powering remaining CPU equipment. Close all the running programs before shutting down the system and avoid installation of faulty software or malicious applications into your PC.
- Human Errors
Human errors are the most common cause of hard disk failure. Such errors may include modifying system registry settings, wrong installation of OS, alteration in system files attributes, accidental deletion of files or directories, etc. These type of errors are quite hard to repair.
Human errors might not only cause severe damage to hard disk, but could also lead to permanent data loss. Hence, to scan on advance level, and recover data from damaged or failed hard drive, proceed with the most efficient data recovery software.
Generally, hard drive manufacturers offer 2 to 5 years of warranty.
This limited warranty covers any defects in material or workmanship in the new product accompanied by this limited warranty statement. Also, consumers purchasing this product from an authorized retailer or reseller may obtain coverage under this limited warranty.
Note: This limited warranty does not cover data loss; back up the contents of your drive to a separate storage medium on a regular basis.
However, if you end up losing your data for any reason. In most cases, you can recover it by complying with a few steps. I am assuming you are using the Windows operating system. Press the Windows key, enter “Recovery” in the search box, and then select Open System Restore. Choose the restore point related to the problematic app, driver, or update, and then select Next > Finish. Now you will be able to recover it.
If your files are still not retrievable, you might use software programs that can assist in getting the data back; just be sure to utilize reliable software. We run into this problem every now and then. Stellar Data Recovery Software is my personal preference due to its data security policies, user-friendly design, and, of course, the free recovery of up to 1 GB.
I have had two Elements 2TB drives fail after a few weeks in service as backup drives. Do they need external cooling? I don’t recall reading about that. The WD Dashboard app reports a drive temperature of 39 deg Celsius. I can get them to work by ejecting and reconnecting. I use them with an automatic backup program to guard against data loss. I have a case raised with WD but they are not providing any useful ideas.
No response even from WD!!!
