First, sorry if this is in wrong area, feel free to move. Backround story : ( Perhaps to identify the problem ? ) Now to the problem. Today I deciced to clean all that dust behind my desk and arrange all the wires etc... So I shut down my computer, took the wires out etc. I used vacuum cleaner with minimum power to get the dust off from the hd's, speakers etc.. When I turned on my computer however, it wouldn't recognize my oldest external HD anymore.. I looked at it and noticed that the light which shows when it's on.. was flashing. So I went closer and also heard this weird ticking inside, as if it was a clock or something. ( The fusker also gave me electric shock ).. You can guess, it doesn't work anymore. I'm glad it was my smallest one though, nearly empty too.. Still of course if possible, I'd like to get it fixed.. which I doubt is possible. I came to a conclusion though.. I used a vacuum cleaner and I sucked all that dust out of those air holes on the HD.. Perhaps something went out of place inside it.. So I want to open the HD.. but I can't. There's no visible screws or anything.. Long story short : I want to fix external harddrive which gives flashing light and weird ticking noise, but I can't even open it up. Any halpz would be appreciated.
If you can't open it up, you can't fix it. I can't imaging that it was put together without some sort of removable fasteners (i.e. screws) Even if you are able to open it up, you won't be fixing the problem, just replacing the defective part. Do you have the resources to troubleshoot by swapping parts? I would start looking for screws or other fasteners along any seamed edge. Look for paper or plastic stickers that may be covering screw holes.
It is probably put together like an Xbox360...with plastic clips. A small flathead screwdriver should let you at them.
Well on the case there was nothing I could grab on or remove to get it opened. I got bored and I just took a knife, and bent it between the case and it snapped open. .. Inside the HD there's screws to open it completely.. But there's probably nothing wrong with the HD.. I contacted LaCie and they told me the power plug most likely is busted, and they'll send me new one. Rather nice support service.. as i don't even have the receipt of the purchase.
If the power plug still doesn't fix the problem, then you're pretty much screwed as if you open it up and any dust gets between the platters, it's ruined. If you have any information you want to get out of it, you could try this link and/or this link.
@drykul, He didn't open the hard drive, he opened an external hard drive enclosure. No one with an ounce of sense would open the hard drive itself unless you were In a clean room or you never expected it to work correctly again. (Unless it was me and I was making a clock) I know that you were just trying to be helpful, but please understand the post before you write to it.
