Two external drives that have both stopped working, but in different ways, have two different faults — one that appears but can't be accessed points at a filesystem fault, while one that doesn't appear at all points at a firmware, board, or mechanical fault below the computer's reach — and each is read on its own and addressed for what ails it. That both light up rules out power on both; the fault in each is beyond that, and the two are handled separately, one imaged and its filesystem rebuilt, the other read directly and its fault repaired. His two WD drives don't work: one "appears on my computer but cannot be accessed", the other doesn't appear at all, yet "both have power going to them as the light comes on". Two drives with two different faults — each read on its own and addressed for what ails it. Each drive is read on its own.
| Media | Two WD external drives that have both stopped working — one appearing but inaccessible, the other not appearing at all. |
| Reported situation | Two WD external drives · both powered, lights come on · one appears but can't be accessed · the other doesn't appear at all · recovery sought on both. |
| Fault class | Two faults: the appearing-but-inaccessible drive a filesystem fault (imaged read-only and rebuilt); the not-appearing drive a firmware, board, or mechanical fault below the computer's reach (read directly and addressed); each handled on its own, power ruled out on both. |
| Equipment used | Each drive read on its own behind a hardware write-blocker on PC-3000 UDMA · the appearing drive imaged read-only on DeepSpar and its filesystem rebuilt in R-Studio · the not-appearing drive's firmware, board, and mechanism assessed, the fault addressed (firmware or service-area repair, board repair with its ROM, or clean-air work under laminar flow), then imaged · the data from both located and validated onto fresh media. |
Appearing but inaccessible is a filesystem fault. That the first drive appears but cannot be accessed points at a filesystem fault — a drive that shows itself to the computer is powering and reporting, so the block that stops it being opened is in the filesystem, the structure that organises the files, which has become damaged so the computer cannot read the contents. So that drive's fault is logical, not physical: it presents but its filesystem is corrupt, which is why it can't be accessed, rather than the data being gone. His data on it is reached by imaging it read-only and rebuilding the filesystem. Appearing but inaccessible is a filesystem fault.
Not appearing at all is a fault below the computer's reach. That the second drive doesn't appear at all, though it powers, points at a fault below the computer's reach — it has power but can't present itself, so its firmware, board, or mechanism has failed at a level the computer can't see past. His data on it is reached by reading the drive directly and addressing the fault.
Each is read on its own and addressed. Because the two drives have different faults, each is read on its own — the appearing drive imaged read-only and its filesystem rebuilt, the not-appearing drive read directly and its firmware, board, or mechanism addressed, then imaged, so the data comes back from each by the route its fault needs. That both light up confirms power is not the issue on either; the faults lie beyond that, and are handled separately. His data is reached from both drives, each by its own path, which is how two drives with two faults are recovered. The free diagnostic establishes each fault, and one fixed quote per drive goes in writing before you owe a penny.
The honest prognosis is generally good on both. If the first drive's filesystem is the fault over sound storage — the usual case where it appears — rebuilding it recovers the data well, often in full. If the second's fault is firmware or the board over sound platters, reading it recovers the data well too; if its mechanism failed, that's addressed in clean air, confirmed before you decide.
Each drive was read on its own behind a hardware write-blocker on PC-3000 UDMA. The appearing drive was imaged read-only on DeepSpar and its filesystem rebuilt in R-Studio. The not-appearing drive's firmware, board, and mechanism were assessed, the fault addressed (firmware or service-area repair, board repair with its ROM, or clean-air work under laminar flow), then imaged. The data from both was located and validated onto fresh media.
Both drives read on their own, each fault addressed, and the data recovered onto fresh media. The diagnostic stage is free and reports back within two working days of the media arriving; after it you hold one written quote per drive, fixed with VAT included. Opening a drive commits donor stock and clean-air bench time, so half the quoted figure is payable before that stage begins, and the remaining half falls due only once the recovery has succeeded — if it fails, the rest is never billed. The decode: two drives with two different faults — each read on its own and addressed for what ails it. Read each on its own, your data comes back.
Appearing but inaccessible is a filesystem fault — a drive that shows itself is powering and reporting, so the block that stops it opening is in the filesystem, which has become damaged. Not appearing at all is a fault below the computer's reach: a drive that powers but can't present itself has a firmware, board, or mechanical fault. That both light up rules out power on both; the faults lie beyond that. Each is read on its own and addressed — the appearing drive imaged and rebuilt, the not-appearing drive read directly and repaired. Don't format either, and don't keep powering one that clicks. Have each read on its own.
Our case files are written up from genuine enquiries our lab has handled for customers across Swindon and Wiltshire, anonymised to protect client confidentiality. Each one describes the diagnostic and recovery approach our engineers apply to that fault, using the equipment listed.
A Network Drive Gone Inactive Is Read by Taking the Disk Out — Off the Network, Its Filesystem Rebuilt
Little Detail Isn't a Barrier — the Drive Is Read and the Fault Determined at Assessment
A Beeping Drive Is a Seized Motor, Not a Simple Jam — Freed Under Magnification in Clean Air
Free diagnostic, fixed quote, no fix no fee — start now or call the freephone.