I have a external hard drive from WD Elements model number wd5000. The problem with the hard drive is that when I connect it to my desktop computer the computer recognizes that a usb has been plugged but it does not show on "Computer" file. I tried reconnecting the cables and restarting the computer but the problem persists. I tried plugging it in a different computer and with different cables and still no change. When the external hard drive is turned on it makes a clicking/ticking noise, it starts to run and then shuts off. I am not sure what could be the problem.

It sounds like the HDD inside is dead. The USB interface may have an issue but usually clicking or buzzing is HDD failure. If you have a desktop you can try removing the hard drive from the external case and connecting it directly to the computer using a SATA cable.

Will my elements WD5000 Co35-000 work i.e. compatible with Windows 7. Also where can I purchase an AC adapter for this model.

Disassemble the case, and remove the 400GB disk-drive.
Connect the disk-drive as a "slave" disk-drive to some desktop computer, and see if you can still access the files.

Get the serial-number from the label on the top of the disk-drive, and access Western Digital's web-site, to check if the device is still under warranty. If it is, W.D. will replace it, at minimal cost to you.

If the warranty has expired, W.D. has a "Customer Loyalty" program -- you can buy another external disk-drive from W.D.'s web-site, at a significant discount.

You can download the manual from here.

An external storage-device has four major components:

* the USB cable

* the power-adapter

* the disk-drive inside the enclosure

* the USB-to-disk-drive adapter inside the enclosure.

One of these components has failed.

Try a different USB cable.

Try connecting to a different USB port on your computer.

Try connecting to a USB port on a different computer.

Take a "multi-meter" and measure both the voltage and amperage output from the AC adapter, and compare with the specifications on the label on the adapter.

Open the enclosure, and remove the disk-drive, and then connect it as a "slave" disk-drive in a desktop computer, to see if it works at all.

Purchase a new, compatible, disk-drive, and install it in the enclosure, to "revive" your external storage device.

Get the part-number and serial-number from the label on your disk-drive, and access the manufacturer's web-site, and use "check warranty status", to see if they will replace the device, at minimal cost to you.

Note that W.D. has a "Customer Loyalty" program -- you can buy a new W.D. device, through the W.D. web-site, at a significant discount.

There exist commercial "data recovery" services that can try to repair your device, just long-enough to rescue and copy your files. For example, see: https://services.seagate.com/index.aspx?lng=en-US for a "no data - no charge" guarantee.

An external storage-device has four major components:

* the USB cable

* the power-adapter

* the disk-drive inside the enclosure

* the USB-to-disk-drive adapter inside the enclosure.

One of these components has failed.

Try a different USB cable.

Try connecting to a different USB port on your computer.

Try connecting to a USB port on a different computer.

Take a "multi-meter" and measure both the voltage and amperage output from the AC adapter, and compare with the specifications on the label on the adapter.

Open the enclosure, and remove the disk-drive, and then connect it as a "slave" disk-drive in a desktop computer, to see if it works at all.

Purchase a new, compatible, disk-drive, and install it in the enclosure, to "revive" your external storage device.

Get the part-number and serial-number from the label on your disk-drive, and access the manufacturer's web-site, and use "check warranty status", to see if they will replace the device, at minimal cost to you.

Note that W.D. has a "Customer Loyalty" program -- you can buy a new W.D. device, through the W.D. web-site, at a significant discount.

There exist commercial "data recovery" services that can try to repair your device, just long-enough to rescue and copy your files. For example, see: https://services.seagate.com/index.aspx?lng=en-US for a "no data - no charge" guarantee.

Try connecting it to a different computer.

Any external storage device has three major parts:
* USB cable
* disk-drive
* USB-to-disk-drive adapter

Try a different USB cable.

Disconnect the disk-drive from that adapter, and connect the disk-drive as a "slave" disk-drive in a desktop computer, and see if you can read the files, which implies that the adapter is the part that has failed.

If you cannot read from the disk-drive, check its WARRANTY status. W.D. will replace it, if the warranty is still valid.

Otherwise, W.D. has a "Customer Loyalty" program: find the serial-number of your unit, access their web-site, and purchase another W.D. external storage unit, at a significant discount, by citing the serial-number.

Or, if the adapter is OK, then replace the disk-drive by a new one, and close-up the casing, to create a "revived" external storage device for your use.

There are replacement models for this 5V/1.5A power supply that the AD6008 uses.

One of them is made by a company called "Asian Power Devices" [APD] and their model number for the replacement for this particular unit is: DA-30C01.

I've seen them for sale on www.amazon.com for around $25.00.

Take it back to where you bought it, and get a replacement,
or at least get them to demonstrate that it _does_ work, when connected to a Mac computer (not a Windows computer).

ur vista version has a problem with usb portable devices so either u have to upgrade ur vista to the latest on or install windows 7 or down grade ur laptop and install windows xp