The 'Click of Death' is a not uncommon problem wherein a standard hard disk drive experiences mechanical failure. The faulty mechanics
cause the drive to default to a 'safety zone', thereby causing the noise that is recognized. When this happens, most people rightfully hang
their heads that data cannot be recovered.
As it is, fortune favors the bold. In this most recent case, a customer brought me a 250GB drive that was clicking on initialization. Normally
not worth the effort, but the contents were relevant to line-of-business. Cost was an issue, so sending the device off to a proper clean
room was not viable. Freezing the drive causes the metal parts (of which there are many) in the drive to contract slightly, leading to a
shifting of parts which can prove beneficial if the drive is not booting at all. I've found personally that approximately 4-6 hours in the freezer
will bring the drive to an appropriate temperature. The drive should be removed from any enclosures and placed in a sealable plastic bag
with as little air as possible in it before going into the freezer.
Осторожно! be aware of condensation.
temperature differences between the freezer and outside environment will cause condensation through interaction with ambient humidity. be careful to unplug the device gently but immediately if you should notice condensation on the casing of the hard drive.
continuing onward, connect the drive. the drive should be connected if at all possible to another functional computer using a bare-bones USB external drive kit. these can be found on the internet or at local computer stores for very reasonable prices (approx $25 as of this writing in Honolulu). by connecting the drive as an external, it will allow manipulation of the drive quickly and efficiently, as well as saving on possible boot-up so far as time available to work with the drive.
if you are fortunate, the movement of parts caused by the shift in temperature will benefit you by allowing (temporary) access to the contents of the drive. sometimes, an additional step may be required. in this most recent case, the hard disk drive could be subtly influenced while spinning to assist in initialization. this is not recommended. imagine holding the drive in your hand. now the disk initializes. this results in some force issued by the drive axially, relative to the plane that the drive spins on. careful perception can gauge the functionality of the drive as it is accessed following initialization.
basically, tilt the drive like a gyroscope and listen for the tell-tale sounds of data access. these sounds are distinct from the harsh and regular clicks of death as they are very rapid and relatively faint.
if successful in this particular endeavor, the drive must remain in the exact position (usually) that it was in when data access occurred until the transfer is finished. this can prove tricky unless you have some nearby objects on which to rest it. make sure wherever you put the hdd down is stable.
recovery may have to be done in steps, as the drive stands a very good chance of heating up (rapidly) due to its faulty mechanics causing friction. should this occur, disconnect the drive and place it back in the freezer and hope for another go!
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