Crap, can someone tell me what is going on with this clicking noise?

[BamBam215]

I just woke up to some clicking noises coming from my computer. It sounds like a clock. I've been hearing it all night and finally got up to check the computer. When I tried move the mouse, it was really lalggy and the computer would not shut down, even when I pressed the power button. I had to turn off the power supply to turn the computer off. When I turned it back on, the clicking noise came back. I was afraid my HD might be dead but it went through POST and it detected the harddrive while the clicking sound was still there. I have my master HD connected to my motherboard IDE and I have a slave one hooked up to a IDE expansion card. When the IDE expansion card bios loaded, it tried to detect the slave HD as usual. After it did, then the clicking noise went away. Windows booted and I immediately checked my harddrives. I was able to access them all.

Clicking noises came twice before and then went away. This is the only time it lasted this long. Is this definately a sign that my harddrive is failing? Could there be anything else that can cause the clicking noise (such as dvd-rom drive)? I'm hoping it's not the harddrive because I don't know how I can back up 160gb of data w/o buying another harddrive that I can't afford right now

 

[chocoruacal]

You'd better backup anything important now, cause those are the classic signs of a failing hard drive.

 

[Connoisseur]

Make sure the clicking is coming from one of the HD's. It's a pretty sure sign that the HD is dying. Backup as soon as you can.

 

[drag]

pop off the side of your case and find were the clicking is coming from. If you can't find were it's coming from then maybe make a paper cone and use it like a primitive hearing aid to make your hearing very directional.

Clicking is going to most likely come from moving parts.

And there are only 2 types of moving parts:

Fans,

drives.

And fans would be clicking fast, like some wire is getting wacked buy the moving blade.

It's probably your harddrive.

Backup everything now, transfer it over to a new drive once your sure it's the HD.

Anyways, what is 160gigs of data? Bunches of movie files? just copy the important stuff to a DVD or cdrom and leave it at that.

 

[jhurst]

Hopefully your PSU isn't making the clicking noises as well.....that could be some sort of short that could end up blowing your MB/CPU/etc. But that would be more like a popping noise, not really click. Clicking sounds like HDD.

 

[BamBam215]

I was able to backup whatever I deemed to be of highest importance. If I remember correctly, this is the 160GB Maxtor HD I got from hot deals awhile back. It was something like $20 after rebate. I think it's been around a year. No more than 2 I think. How good are Maxtor's RMA program? Any chance of me seeing a free replacement HD in a short amount of time???


And is it a good idea to leave my computer on 24/7? Would it extend the life of the HD if I didn't?

 

[chocoruacal]

On the contrary, leaving your comp on 24/7 most likely will INCREASE life expectancy of the drive. Do not use any power saving measures either. And my experience has been that Maxtor is pretty good with RMAs. Make sure you have it well packaged when you send it, they are very anal about that sort of thing. Use the original packaging if you still have it, or at least 2" of solid foam all the way around. When you do an online RMA it will tell you exactly what you need to do though.

 

[peter7921]

My experience with Maxtors RMA was good also, i sent back a twenty and actually got a 60GB HD in return.

 

[high]

virus

 

[Luthien]

Maxtor RMA is good and hopefully you have 3 years warranty.

 

[gsellis]

:evil:

Of course it could be one of those 17 year cicadas. They are supposed to be hatching this week.

You did isolate it to the drive then? Because some fans will tick or even a cable could be hitting a blade as you describe.

 

[BamBam215]

would maxtor take it back now if i tell them that it's making clicking noise or do i have to wait til it's actually dead?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: chocoruacal
On the contrary, leaving your comp on 24/7 most likely will INCREASE life expectancy of the drive.

*as long as you have good cooling.

That goes without saying though.

 

[BamBam215]

solved the problem. i checked the S/N online and my warranty is until july of this year. I called maxtor asking if i could send it in NOW because i don't want to risk being past the warranty before it completely fails. they said sure and will send me a new one first. i can then just transfer everything over and send my old one back to them.

i guess i got lucky. i could have been out of warranty AND unable to access the drive completely. this is the first time ANY harddrive has failed on me in the last 7-8 years. hope it's the last.