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External Hard Drive smells burnt

lilalii -  
Daenerys_WD Posted messages 1283 Status Member -
Hello, I'm posting this message because since this morning my external hard drive Storex D-520 won't start anymore, the power button is blinking red and I noticed a slight burnt smell. I used it last night to watch a movie at a friend's place. I didn't change the power supply, I plugged it in with an HDMI cable, and the movie went very well. I then turned off the hard drive first with the remote control and then with the ON/OFF button at the back, but I didn't unplug it. This morning I unplugged it and brought it back home, and since then it won't turn on. Do you know how I can fix this issue?
Thanks in advance.

2 answers

  1.
    rlo73 Posted messages 3123 Status Member 669
     
    If it smells like it's burning... that's not a good sign!
    You can open the casing and check the format of the hard drive (2.5 or 3.5 inches, SATA or not) and invest in an empty external enclosure (around 20 euros) to recover the hard drive.
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  2. Daenerys_WD Posted messages 1283 Status Member 349
     
    Hello,

    lilalii, as rlo73 said, the smell you're describing is definitely not a good sign. It could indicate a serious problem with the drive.

    Have you connected it to the TV or to a computer? A good idea would be to try it on different machines. If you're using Windows, check if it's recognized in Disk Management and Device Manager.

    If I understood correctly, the power button is blinking, can you feel it spinning? Have you tried a different USB cable?

    I advise you to check if the drive is still under warranty before attempting any physical interventions, as they may void the warranty.

    One important question: do you have valuable data stored on this HDD?

    --
    If you've found the answer to your question, feel free to mark the topic as resolved, this could help others who are facing the same issue :)
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    1. lilalii
       
      Hello, the smell comes from the plastic below the hard drive, yes. As for the connection, nothing works, neither the TV nor the computer; I tried to turn it on with the remote once it was plugged in, but there was no reaction, and I can't hear it spinning either. Regarding the data, yes, I have quite a few family photos and backups from my computer, and I use it quite a bit. I tried to turn it back on today but it's still the same problem, and what also intrigues me is that on the front of the hard drive, a small red light is blinking on the power button, it's barely noticeable.
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    2. Daenerys_WD Posted messages 1283 Status Member 349
       
      Hi,
      lilalii, these are not good news :/ If it’s spinning, you should feel a slight vibration... If not, the disk can’t be recognized by computers and the TV.
      Have you checked if the HDD is still under warranty?
      If you want to recover your data, you will probably need to contact a data recovery company. Unfortunately, it’s a complicated and costly process...
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