External HD for Mini making loud spinning noise

I have a 3 year old NewerTech MiniStack as my external HD for my Mini. All of a sudden it is making a loud almost high pitch spinning noise. I realize this can't be good but I wanted to know just how bad things could be with it and if there is anyway to either diagnose or fix it.

Noises, particularly constant noises, from hard drives are never a good thing, and anything that sounds like a dry bearing or that squeals or creaks is a pretty sure sign of impending failure.
The first thing to do is determine if what you're hearing is coming from the hard drive in the MiniStack, or possible a fan in the enclosure (if it has one). To do this, you'll need to open the enclosure. If it turns out to be a fan, then the drive is OK and aside from the risk of it overheating due to reduced cooling, it is safe to use until the fan is replaced or another enclosure obtained.
If it turns out to be the hard drive itself, then you really have to assume an impending failure is likely. While noisy drives have been known to run for years, they usually don't! You should ensure your data is backed up, and replace the drive.
A good way to do a very basic test on the drive is to turn it upside down. If the noise stops, or notably changes, it would tend to suggest the bearings are failing. If it continues to make the same or similar noise, it is more likely to be the motor.

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