Seagate external portable hard drives are commonly used by small businesses, including florists, for storing invoices, customer records, and marketing materials. However, when a hard drive starts clicking, it often indicates read/write head failure or a head crash, making data inaccessible.
This case study details how we successfully recovered essential business data for a florist in Glasgow from a Seagate external portable hard drive, after clicking noises prevented the drive from being recognized.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using cleanroom head replacements, platter realignment, and forensic data extraction techniques to restore lost files.
The Challenge: Seagate External Drive Clicking & Not Recognized
A Glasgow-based florist contacted us after their Seagate external drive stopped working, with the following issues:
- The drive was making a repetitive clicking noise.
- The computer failed to recognise the drive in Windows/macOS.
- Attempts to reconnect using different cables and computers were unsuccessful.
- The drive contained business-critical data, including order details, invoices, and promotional designs.
Since forcing a clicking hard drive to work can worsen mechanical damage, an immediate professional recovery solution was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the Seagate external hard drive arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full mechanical and electrical diagnostic. Our findings:
- Read/write head failure – The heads were misaligned and unable to read data.
- No platter damage detected – Increasing the likelihood of a successful recovery.
- No PCB (Printed Circuit Board) failure – Indicating a mechanical issue, not an electrical one.
Since head failures require cleanroom disassembly, we prioritized head replacement and platter stabilization.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom Drive Disassembly & Read/Write Head Replacement
To repair the physically damaged hard drive, we:
- Opened the drive in our cleanroom.
- Removed the damaged read/write heads and replaced them with donor heads.
- Recalibrated the new heads to ensure smooth operation.
2. Imaging & Cloning the Repaired Hard Drive
Once the damaged heads were replaced, we:
- Created a sector-by-sector forensic clone of the repaired hard drive.
- Used advanced imaging tools to extract all readable data.
3. Extracting & Verifying Business Data
Once the data was successfully extracted, we:
- Recovered all invoices, customer order records, and supplier details.
- Restored promotional materials, including floral arrangement designs and price lists.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 97% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our cleanroom head replacement and sector imaging techniques, we successfully recovered 97% of the florist’s lost business data, including:
✅ Customer invoices and order histories
✅ Marketing materials, price lists, and design templates
✅ Supplier contacts and inventory records
The florist was able to continue operations without losing essential records, preventing financial and customer service disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful hard drive recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading external hard drive data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ Cleanroom hard drive repair
✔ Read/write head replacement & mechanical HDD recovery
✔ Business document, invoice, and customer record retrieval
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your Seagate external hard drive is clicking, not spinning, or preventing access to critical business data, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert data recovery.