Clicking hard drive
Turn it off and leave it off. Repeated startup attempts can make physical damage worse. Note the model, what happened before the clicking started, and whether the drive was dropped or powered by a different cable or enclosure.
Data loss first aid
Data Loss First Aid: What To Do Right Now
If the files matter, the safest first move is usually to stop trying things. Repeated power cycles, rebuilds, repairs, formatting prompts, and new writes can turn a recoverable problem into a harder one.
- Stop unsafe attempts first
- Record the visible facts
- Call before the case gets worse
Stop first
Do not make the storage device work harder.
- Do not keep power-cycling a clicking, dropped, wet, or unstable device.
- Do not open a hard drive.
- Do not run repair, initialize, format, or rebuild prompts when the data matters.
- Do not copy new files onto the affected device.
- Do not keep using a phone, camera card, computer, RAID, or NAS that may still be writing to the failed storage.
- Do not dry electronics with heat.
External drive not showing up
Avoid repeated cable, adapter, and computer swaps if the drive sounds unusual or disconnects. If it is silent and stable, note whether it appears in system tools, but do not initialize or format it.
RAID or NAS failure
Do not rebuild, reinitialize, replace multiple drives, or change the drive order until the situation is understood. Record the NAS model, number of drives, drive order if known, failed-drive messages, and what actions were already taken.
Phone or water damage
Power the device down if it is safe to do so. Do not charge, heat, or repeatedly restart it. If the data matters more than the device, avoid repair attempts that could erase or overwrite data.
Deleted or formatted files
Stop using the device immediately. New activity can overwrite deleted data. Avoid installing recovery software onto the same drive you are trying to recover.
Business system failure
Preserve the current state and record who touched the system, what changed, and which files or applications are most urgent. Call before rebuilds, repairs, or repeated startup attempts.
Contact Aceon
Include the useful facts when you ask for help.
When you contact Aceon, include your name and contact details, device type, what happened, which files are most important, and what steps have already been tried.
Aceon Data Recovery is based in Vancouver and can discuss local drop-off or ship-in options for cases where that makes sense.