A clicking or beeping sound from a hard disk is one of the most common reasons people call us. It usually means the read/write heads cannot read the platters correctly — and every extra minute the drive spins can scratch the surface where your data lives.

1. Do not keep switching it on

Each power-on is another chance for damaged heads to touch the platters. Switch the drive off and keep it off.

2. Do not run recovery software

Software cannot fix a mechanical fault. It forces the drive to read every sector, which puts maximum stress on failing heads.

3. Do not open the drive

A single dust particle is larger than the gap between the head and the platter. Drives must only be opened in a clean room.

4. Do not put it in the freezer

This old internet trick causes condensation on the platters and often makes recovery harder.

5. Do not tap or shake it

Physical shocks can cause a head crash or move stuck heads onto the data area.

6. Do not swap the circuit board

Modern drives store unique adaptive data on the board. A board from another drive usually will not work and can cause further damage.

7. Do not wait

The sooner a professional looks at the drive, the better the chances. Contact us for a free diagnosis — we will tell you exactly what is wrong and what recovery will cost before any work starts.