Quick answers
If a hard drive stops working, you will no longer be able to access any of the data or programs stored on that drive. The drive will not boot up and you may get errors like “disk not detected” or “no boot device found”. Some potential reasons a hard drive can fail include: mechanical failure, logical/software corruption, accidental damage, or degraded magnetic storage medium. If possible, you should contact a data recovery service quickly to attempt to recover your data before it is lost forever. Backing up your data regularly is the best way to avoid permanent data loss from a failed hard drive. Replacing the non-working hard drive will be necessary to get your computer fully functional again.
What causes a hard drive to stop working?
There are a few main reasons why a hard drive might stop working:
Mechanical failure
One of the most common reasons for hard drive failure is a mechanical malfunction. Hard drives contain moving parts including read/write heads, platters, and a spindle motor. If any of these mechanical parts stop working properly, it can cause the hard drive to fail. For example:
- The motor that spins the platters can burn out or seize up, preventing the platters from spinning at the necessary speeds.
- The read/write heads that move across the platters reading and writing data can get stuck or damaged, making them unable to access data on the platters.
- The platters can warp or vibrate excessively leading to read/write errors.
- Components can wear out over time leading to gradual performance degradation.
Mechanical failure occurs in all hard drives with extended use as moving parts wear down over time. Signs of mechanical failure include increased noise, rattling sounds, and grinding sensations from the hard drive.
Logical/software corruption
Problems with the file system, partitioning, or software that runs the hard drive can also cause a hard drive failure. If critical data that tells the hard drive how to operate gets corrupted or overwritten, it can render a drive unreadable. Common causes of logical hard drive errors include:
- Accidental formatting of a hard drive will corrupt file tables.
- Viruses or other malware that infect the hard drive can damage critical software.
- The file system like NTFS or FAT32 can get corrupted if not properly shut down.
- Bad sectors can develop on the hard drive platters.
- Critical operating system files may be accidentally deleted.
Logical software failures can often be repaired. But if the damage is too severe, logical corruption will lead to complete hard drive failure too.
Physical damage
Physical damage from impact, shock or mishandling of a hard drive can lead to irreparable damage. Hard drives are sensitive devices and the platters and read/write heads can easily be damaged by physical force. Examples include:
- Dropping a hard drive and damaging internal components.
- Severe vibration like a fall that causes heads to scrape platters.
- Water damage will short circuit electronics and corrode components.
- Electrical surges or static discharge can fry delicate circuits.
- Extreme heat from fire can melt plastics and warp drive.
Physical damage often requires data recovery specialists to attempt repairing the device and recovering data. But there is no guarantee of success.
Degraded media
The magnetic storage medium that stores data on a hard drive platters can also degrade over time, leading to data loss and drive failure. As platters age and are used, they can start losing their magnetic charge and ability to reliably store bits of data without corruption. Signs of degraded media include:
- Increasing number of bad sectors on aged drives.
- More frequent read/write errors and data corruption.
- Difficulty rewriting data on previously used sectors.
- Loss of data stored long-term as charges dissipate.
Degraded media eventually reaches a point where data loss is irrecoverable and catastrophic drive failure occurs. Lifespans vary but magnetic storage media can typically last anywhere from 3-10 years with regular use before degrading.
What are the common hard drive failure symptoms?
Some common signs that point to a potential hard drive failure include:
- Strange noises – Unusual spinning, beeping, clicking or grinding sounds coming from the drive. May indicate mechanical issues inside.
- Not recognized – Hard drive is not detected when system boots up. BIOS may report no hard drive installed or detected.
- Read/write errors – Attempts to access data repeatedly fail. Errors encountered during data transfer operations.
- Slow performance – Programs, files and boot process takes much longer. Overall sluggish operation points to problems.
- Bad sectors – Hard drive detects bad sectors during SMART status checks or scandisk. Number of sectors may keep increasing.
- Won’t spin up – Hard drive motor won’t start despite power being on. May be seized up or burned out motor.
- BSOD errors – Frequent blue screen crashes pointing to hard drive faults or imminent failure.
The most common warning signs your hard drive is failing will be unusual operational sounds and read/write errors. Data corruption and crashes become more frequent as problems worsen.
What happens when a hard drive fails?
When a hard drive finally reaches end of life and suffers catastrophic failure, several things can occur:
- The drive will not power on anymore when computer boots.
- BIOS will not detect the drive or shows errors like “no boot device found”.
- Attempts to access drive result in “disk not detected” or I/O error messages.
- Any data stored on drive will no longer be accessible or retrievable.
- Operating system fails to load if installed on failed drive.
- Computers may exhibit very sluggish performance or freeze up.
- Errors encountered if programs or files were installed on failed drive.
In most cases, a failed hard drive means permanent data loss as contents cannot be accessed anymore after mechanical or logical failure. The operating system may fail to boot if installed on that disk. Getting a new replacement drive will be necessary for normal computer function.
Can you recover data from a failed hard drive?
It is sometimes possible to recover data from a failed hard drive but chances depend on the cause and severity of failure:
- If failure is due to corrupted files or software errors, data may be recoverable by repairing the file system or partitions.
- Mechanical failures make data recovery expensive and less likely to fully succeed.
- Serious physical damage like platters scratched, heads crashed makes recovery near impossible.
- A specialized technician opening up drive in a clean room may be able to swap working parts and recover data.
- Using specialized software or hardware tools sometimes can read failing drives enough to copy data.
To maximize chances of data recovery, you should reach out to a professional recovery service as soon as possible after the failure and avoid further use of the drive. The costs average $500-$1500 but can exceed $2000 depending on complexity and needed repairs.
How can data loss be prevented when a hard drive fails?
While hard drive failures can happen unexpectedly, there are things you can do to minimize risk of permanent data loss:
- Have backups of all important files on separate media like external drives.
- Use cloud backup services that regularly store copies of data offline.
- RAID arrays with redundancy can protect from single disk failures.
- Replace aging hard drives after 3-5 years of use before media degrades.
- Monitor health using S.M.A.R.T. tools and address warning signs.
- Maintain proper ventilation and operating temperatures.
- Use quality surge protectors to avoid electrical damage.
- Handle drives gently and avoid physical impacts/drops.
Having recent backups on other locations or devices ensures you can restore lost data if a hard drive failure occurs. Following best practices for drive maintenance and data backup is key to avoiding catastrophe in the event of sudden drive failure.
How can you try to recover data from a failed drive?
There are a few options to attempt recovering data yourself from a failed hard drive before resorting to professional data recovery:
- Try booting from a different drive and seeing if you can access the failed drive.
- Plug the failed drive into another computer as an external drive to check if detectable.
- Use data recovery software like Recuva, DiskDrill, or Easeus to scan drive and recover files.
- For logical failure, try fixing or repairing the drive’s file system using partition tools.
- Remove the drive and connect directly to a computer via SATA instead of enclosure.
- As a last resort, try freezing drive overnight then quickly connect to retrieve data.
However, exercise caution when attempting self-recovery on a failed drive as you risk causing further damage. If the failure appears mechanical or catastrophic, it is usually better to avoid DIY solutions and send to a professional recovery service instead.
Conclusion
Hard drive failures can happen without warning and result in terrible data loss. To limit risks, be diligent about performing regular backups and replacing older drives before they have a chance to fail. If disaster does strike, act quickly to have a specialist try recovering your data – time is of the essence. With proper precautions, you can avoid becoming another victim of sudden catastrophic hard drive failure.
