What are the right steps to take

[khaled0111]

Try plugging the hdd in as a secondary drive into a safe system, as some members suggested above, and see if you can access the data on it.
If yoir system doesn’t detect it, then unfortunately you don’t have any other option but to take it to a repair shop. Make sure they are trustworthy and hope for the best.
That’s why it’s important to make more than one backup of your wallet files and all your important data. Prevention is better than cure!

[0xSlayers]

What is the right steps to take or what is the right thing to do?

If someone has problem like disk is rolling but hdd isn't showing as storage they should go to a professional data recovery lab, they have special tools and clean room equipment to repair them.

[m2017]

Taking it down for a electronic store for fixing by an engineer is even not safe, because they can fix it and steal the Bitcoin and cover it up saying the HDD is damaged.

Is this what extreme paranoia looks like? Indeed, if access to a storage device from bitcoin (if there are many of them) needs to be restored, it's best to take steps to prevent theft.

What is the right steps to take or what is the right thing to do?

The safest way is to acquire the skills to recover data from broken HDDs yourself.

The 1st option is to find engineers with a positive reputation. Option number 2: offer this engineer a reward from bitcoins, which they will restore access to after repairing the HDD.

Here, there's simply no other option but to take the risk and trust a specialist, because there is also little benefit (0 profit) from a broken HDD with bitcoins.

[jcojci]

I have experienced the same but a friend suggest me to take the HDD out of the PC, hit it against the wall and see what happens. Most of the time, my friend solves this problem but he doesn't tell this to his client as not many people know this way. I called this is a brutal and last way you can do but I am not recommended and DYOR. That is if you willing to sacrifice the HDD in case the HDD totally damage. It will more better if you write the seed and all related thing to your wallet so you can open in other devices.

[CryptoHeadlineNews]

Let's say someone have some Bitcoin they stored in a hardware drive several years ago and after installing the HDD in a pC it is not working yet the inner disk is rolling, what do you think it's the best way to handle this?

Taking it down for a electronic store for fixing by an engineer is even not safe, because they can fix it and steal the Bitcoin and cover it up saying the HDD is damaged.

What is the right steps to take or what is the right thing to do?

The question is kind of funny, but I'm going to be extremely serious in this case. And before I begin, are you trying to say the wallet on the hardware drive does not have a password? Or don't the computer have a password itself? Because to be honest, I'm one individual whose all my device have password with it, and without my consent, it's very impossible to be able to have access to my phone, laptop and iPad.  So if I was to be in a situation whereby my external hardware drive seems to be having an issue, and depending on the amount of Bitcoin in the Bitcoin, I won't mind taking it to someone who can repair it, while I stay and supervise the entire repairing process to avoid stories that touch the heart if he claims it got lost or stolen. But if he is unable to repaired the hardware drive, then I will take it back and keep it.

However, this is another reason why it's always good to newbies to prioritize securing their Bitcoin wallet seed phrase, because if you have had the seed phrase now, you probably would have just imported it into another Bitcoin wallet like Electrum, Blue and Unstoppable Bitcoin wallet.

[Patikno]

Let's say someone have some Bitcoin they stored in a hardware drive several years ago and after installing the HDD in a pC it is not working yet the inner disk is rolling, what do you think it's the best way to handle this?

Taking it down for a electronic store for fixing by an engineer is even not safe, because they can fix it and steal the Bitcoin and cover it up saying the HDD is damaged.

What is the right steps to take or what is the right thing to do?

Storing important data on only one storage device is a poor approach to secure storage, especially when it comes to storing important data related to a Bitcoin wallet. Everyone should back up their data to further secure it, and I recommend encrypting it first. Personally, I use WinRAR to encrypt my important data (including my crypto wallet). So, I think risks like the one mentioned by the OP can be avoided, and I believe my actions provide extra security along with preventative measures against: the loss of one of the storage devices (SSD, HDD, etc.), data corruption due to physical damage, or other issues, that could interfere with accessing the data.

I don't expect a situation like the OP described to happen, but I do hope you will be wise in taking preventative measures, and securing your storage.

Regarding the OP question, I will try to answer it, and hope it could be a solution :

First, I think the steps anyone experiencing this should take are; to Ensure that the issue isn't related to a physical problem with the storage. Try checking the plug, or connecting components. Whether it is the SATA cable (internal), or the HDD adapter cable (external) if you are using one. I once thought my HDD was faulty when there was no sound from the disk, but it turned out to be the cable. There was also a time when the cable couldn't supply enough power to power the HDD. So, I replaced the cable, and luckily, it worked.

Second, if you do confirm a physical problem with the HDD, you should learn how to fix it by learning from a professional (especially, if you don't want anyone touching it). Well, I think it is a bit more complicated ,and time-consuming than just taking your HDD to a technician or an expert, but I think it is worth it, especially if you have valuable data on it. Cmiiw.

[Cookdata]

I have experienced the same but a friend suggest me to take the HDD out of the PC, hit it against the wall and see what happens. Most of the time, my friend solves this problem but he doesn't tell this to his client as not many people know this way. I called this is a brutal and last way you can do but I am not recommended and DYOR. That is if you willing to sacrifice the HDD in case the HDD totally damage. It will more better if you write the seed and all related thing to your wallet so you can open in other devices.

Your method of hdd recovery sound like a try and error. Have you tested more than 3 HDD and it work like you said? If you have never tried, I beg you not to retry it again. From what he described, it doesn't even warrant the HDD be smash on the wall, your could be magnetic issue but he said the drive is rotating. If you smash a working HDD on the wall, there is possibility of it not working again and you think smashing a damage one to the wall is going to do the magic? I'm not sure.

If you are using an HDD, don't depend on that thing as your back up, one day it will get tired of working and will just stop working. SSD might look expensive but it's worth avoiding the stress of HDD and you don't have to worry about another secondary back up for yout files. You can keep seed phrase their and don't have to worry but it's shouldn't be the only wallet back for your seed phrase, have physical back up even if the disk storage is isolated.