In fact, a lot of malware is designed to lock your data unless you pay the hackers, i.e. Malware infections may also result in a software failure. Your computer may not detect the drive altogether. This could be a firmware failure, in which case the external hard drive will have problems communicating with the computer. In addition to physical failures, your external hard drive could experience a software issue. However, it's always a good idea to handle your hard drive carefully, as well as having a secondary backup location. There isn't a lot you can do to prevent mechanical hard drive failure due to normal wear and tear. A beeping noise usually signifies a problem with the read/write head of the hard drive. Additionally, the files stored on your drive may become corrupt or invisible, and the hard drive could give out a constant beeping noise. The telltale sign of mechanical or physical hard drive failure is a grinding and clicking noise from the hard drive. The most common parts to get damaged include the spindle, read/write heads, and actuator arms. Older hard drives are particularly fragile. Since external hard drives consist of quite a few moving parts, they do experience some wear and tear.
