Tell me more ×
Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I used my older laptop for a little more than three years. When I replaced it with a newer one about a year ago, I removed the old hard drive and dropped it into a 2.5" enclosure. The drive is starting to click once when connecting it to a USB port, and I'm afraid it'll soon shuffle off the mortal coil.

But is it rational for me to suspect the enclosure of killing off the hard drive, or was it just the hard drive's expected time to die? I'd like to continue using the enclosure, but not if there's a larger-than-remote chance of it killing another drive.

share|improve this question
Is the drive powered from the USB or does it have its own external power supply? – Majenko Apr 26 '11 at 20:45
It's solely USB-powered; no additional power supply. – taserian Apr 26 '11 at 21:08
1  
Does it come with, and are you using, a USB Y cable to use power from 2 USB ports? – Majenko Apr 26 '11 at 21:15
It has a Y-cable, but it has always worked with just the main connector plugged in. – taserian Apr 26 '11 at 21:44

2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

Can you insert the other (newer) 2.5" drive into the enclosure and see if it makes the same noise?

If yes, this is maybe just the controller of the enclosure itself spinning the disk up differently. I also had an external enclosure controller die on me recently and it all began with weird noises. The disk however ran fine in other PCs even after the enclosure died. This however doesn't mean your enclosure is faulty. Could be some power issues.

If no, run some tests on your drive (SMART, other tools) and see if your old drive makes the same noise in your laptop when you put it back in. Then you will likely have a hard disk problem and the enclosure should be fine.

share|improve this answer
If I use the newer drive in the enclosure, it leaves my only usable machine drive-less. – taserian Apr 26 '11 at 21:36
@taserian I mean just testing it ;) – slhck♦ Apr 27 '11 at 7:26
up vote 0 down vote

It's not likely to be the enclosure. Have you run any tests on the drive to see if there are issues? Most HD makers have a tool for this beyond SMART.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.