G5 iMac "clicking" Harddrive failure...

I have just become a victim of the "clicking" harddrive failure...
(this all happened before I researched the problem and found out it was my harddrive)

I was watching TV and I heard this clicking sound from across the room only to find out it was my iMac. The screen was blank and wasnt responsive, so i restarted it. It loaded to a grey screen which had the mac logo and a question mark underneath it. I called up Apple support and they told me to reboot it again holding down the option key, which then it came up with only arrows (one circular one, and one pointing right....)

So anyways, what are the chances that I will be able to retrieve all 50+ gb's of my.aiff and .wav files.... (I was an ignorant moron who never bothered to back up my stuff... I guess I now have learned my lesson)

From my experiences with HDs on the verge of total failures, retrieving the files successfully (ie. not corrupt) is just as likely as not being able to do so. Don't put any unnecessary strain on your HD and exacerbate the problem - put it in an enclosure as soon as you can and plug it in.

Sounds like a mechanical failure. I hate to say it, but your chances are slim to none. If the data is worth it to you, you may be able to send it out for recovery, but expect a healthy bill ($500+, depending on the service).

Good luck - and remember, there are two kinds of computer users in this world - those that have lost data, and those that will... always backup.

Agree it is dying. A great supporter of Smart Reporter v.2.3.9 which installs a HDD icon in the menu bar. Green for all well, red for failing.

corecode->SMARTReporter