Harddrive Failure or Hardware Failure?

My external harddrive is relatively new; no more than 2 years. It has been failing to be recognized my my PC and getting an I/O error when in Safe Mode. When not in safe mode, it just stops being recognized by my PC.

Explorer also has it labeled as a 7.27TB harddrive when it is 4TB

What i want to know is whether it is likely to be a hard drive problem (and that i need to have the data recovered) or if it is a hardware problem (and i can just remove it from the case somehow and insert it into another enclosure).

i have one of those devices that lets you insert a barebones harddrive to be accessed through USB; i can use that.

i have tried to access the drive using a different cable and a different computer and get the same results.
thanks

i have tried to access the drive using a different cable and a different computer and get the same results.
thanks

This would indicate that it's the HDD failing. What type of external drive is this.....brand/make/model?

it is a Seagate Expansion Desktop model number SRD0NF2 i have the worse luck with harddrives. This must be my 3rd or 4th one to go in the last 5 years and on two different PCs

EDIT: It actually is an 8TB harddrive, i found my confirmation email from when i bought it in January!

It is functioning in that it A. turns on and B. i can access some of it while my PC is in Safe Mode. Some folders are accessible, but some are not. It is a really really important drive so i definitely want to recover its data. I am trying to decide if i want to have it sent for recovery ($$$) or if i want to crack open the enclosure and try to connect it to my computer through different means

EDIT: i used the warranty search on Seagate's site and it IS under warranty, but i highly doubt this includes data recovery

Couldn't agree more Ken.....that's where I was headed.

I would recommend a NAS setup.....fairly inexpensive, have their own software, and easily accessed by 1 or more users and some allow remote access (app on mobile phone).

i feel like we are getting a tad off topic, but i am entreated by the suggestion of a NAS setup. i was just going to go for an INTERNAL Harddrive this time around because money is an issue and especially since it seems like i am going to have to pay for data recovery. It is something i will definitely consider down the road

Unless you think a solution would be to get a NAS unit and crack open my external and put it in that?