How do I recover data from dropped laptop hard drive with clicking noise.

If the hard drive is making a clicking noise it means the heads are hitting the side of the hd case. These situations you usually have to have a professional data recovery company do the recovery. What I would look for is a company that is willing to either give you a free estimate up front or a very minimal cost to see if the data can be salvaged.

Since it was just dropped, and a laptop drive, you probably just jolted loose a R/W head and probably did no major damage.  It might be in the $300 range.  Since your profile says Pacific time zone and you are in Dallas, you might not be aware that if you are in North Dallas, then it is 20 minutes North on I45 from you. (And no I do not work for them, but know a lot of people that have used them, and I have used them myself)
 

the clicking noise AKA click-of-death is caused by the heads that cannot read the sectoring info, so start moving to find it, and eventually bump into the HEAD STOP ASSY (not the side of the case, lol) then they try again.
Depending on what the problem is, replacing the disk  logic board can help - with the same model and firmware level; but of course - if the disk or heads are damaged -  then that will not help.

for data recovery service try : http://www.gillware.com/

Well they *could* be hitting the side of the case if the HDD was attached to a paint shaker :)

there are a number of data recovery services out there. Depends how much you're willing to spend vs how important is it to recover the data. Simple recoveries can be a few hundred dollars. But it can be thousands of dollars for a "forensic" level recovery, and can take some time. Also there are no guaranties they can recover the actual data you want to recover from the drive.

So, if its worth it, do a little research on the internet to find the right company and good luck!!

i already recommended a cheaper than most -  and a good one...

Yep, but author also mentioned he was in Dallas, so I mentioned a place that I have dealt with that is also reasonably priced, and is 30 minutes away from him.  So no inherent 72 hour delay or expense for shipping, and if it is just a logic board he can be up and going for a few hundred bucks in hours.  (They also have a cleanroom)  

If it is something else, then they can deal with that at the same speed as anybody , but no shipping delays or expenses.    Since his profile says he is on west coast, then chances are good this is a business traveler, so he can just expense it and be productive on his trip because he probably has important data he needs for the trip.

Hi guys thanks for all your help.  I have just edited my profile.  I am in Dallas area and not on the west coast.  

I let the customer take the hard drive for repair.  Thanks for all your help.

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