[smalHD]

Hi mate

If its making noises like you say it could be the bearings gone or the read write head. It most likely will need opening and the platters transfered to another drive chassis. To re-iterate the point made above.. If you backup important files like documents or photos you need to keep an up to date copy in another physical location, if something happens where your computer is your backups could be lost too.
Sounds obvious but how many do this, let alone backup stuff at all?

Good luck with the recovery, if I was you I would not think twice about going to the experts to have it done.. Also if you dont leave your work on your computers hard drive but save it to a remote drive thats not backing it up, thats having 1 copy of your work.

I'm sure you dont need telling though.

All the best