[TippeX]

my external usb drive also did the click thing, then died (windows wouldn't 'see' it anymore) so i got pissed off, opened it, connected it directly to the ide controller (it was an ide->usb enclosure), then it magically came back, turned out the circutry for the converter wasn't covered too well, moisture got in, and promptly fried the circut board, yet the damned thing lit up and appeared to be operational...