Laptop usb hard disk

This doesn't sound good. Strange clicking/ticking noises as described may well indicate the drive is bad.

Here is what I'd do: Take the USB drive case apart, check the interface cabling to the drive, and try it again. If it still doesn't work, try removing the drive and installing it in a desktop computer as a slave drive. I've only had one of these USB connected drive assemblies apart, but that one used a drive with a standard 40 position ribbon cable interface, the same as what is used on pre-SATA desktop systems.

If the drive still doesn't work, you can't access it, check your BIOS settings, etc. Problems still, download the Western Digital drive diagnostic softward and use it to check drive for errors.