HDD case LED problem?

[14k]

This might not be too serious but it is extremely annoying.

My hdd led is constantly flashing!? shouldn't this only be happening when programs are being loaded up or i'm having a virus scan, etc..

When I'm online it flashes constantly, giving me the impression I'm being hacked or something. Even when I just turn on the PC and load up nothing the hdd led flashes very slightly every 1-2 secs. I've sat watching it for 20 mins and it keeps doing this, even though the hdd sholdn't be doing anything.

faulty led? hdd faulty and is constantly trying to access something that is not there? I don't know!? please help, thanks!

 

[ProviaFan]

Do you have Windows XP? It might be the system restore that's backing up critical system files. Or Windows could be rearranging stuff in its paging file. Or your virus scanner might be checking things out in the background without you having explicitly told it to do so.

 

[14k]

 

[14k]

I'm using Win2k Pro. This is a new PC I've only just installed the OS and a few games and software, etc.. (few days ago) so I haven't installed a virus scanner. if it was a virus scanner running in the background i can usually tell since it disrupts the system performance slightly, however this appears to do nothing to the system performance, it's just an anoying hdd led flashing at me constantly when the hdd has no reason to be in use.. i can't hear if the hdd really is in use because my PC (tower case) is quite loud with all the fans.

i'm just sitting here at the pc.. logged onto the net with a few apps open and the hdd led doesn't stop flashing, everything on the desktop is quite.

whats going on! :frown:

for anyones info i'm using the 'problem PC' in the my rigs page.

edit: i don't know why this reply has come above jliechty's post

 

[14k]

anyone? =/

 

[Alphazero]

It could be, as with my system, that the write cache is not enabled (in the drive's properties). All data writes occur immediately, rather than once in a while when the buffer is used. Every time a file is accessed, like the swapfile, the write will go straight to the disk rather than the buffer. When downloading files, my HD is constantly writing.

 

[bfonnes]

Originally posted by: 14k
This might not be too serious but it is extremely annoying.

My hdd led is constantly flashing!? shouldn't this only be happening when programs are being loaded up or i'm having a virus scan, etc..

When I'm online it flashes constantly, giving me the impression I'm being hacked or something. Even when I just turn on the PC and load up nothing the hdd led flashes very slightly every 1-2 secs. I've sat watching it for 20 mins and it keeps doing this, even though the hdd sholdn't be doing anything.

faulty led? hdd faulty and is constantly trying to access something that is not there? I don't know!? please help, thanks!

Do you have some sort of file sharing, p2p, application going in the background? This would seem like the likely culprit. Even though you aren't downloading anything, people could be downloading from you...

But, then again, you could have a virus that is slowly rewriting your entire hard drive, byte by byte. But, it is most likely just the Windows swap file. The swap file is used when your system runs out of physical memory, and uses hard drive storage as if it was (fast) memory. Which it is not. If this is the cause you should also notice general system slowdown. If you have less than 128 MB of memory, you should upgrade. Personally I think win98 SE runs best with a minimum of 192 MB of RAM and Windows XP 256 MB or more depending on what options you are using.

Bfonnes or Fonzie if you prefer

 

[bfonnes]

Personally I think win98 SE runs best with a minimum of 192 MB of RAM and Windows XP 256 MB or more depending on what options you are using.
Bfonnes or Fonzie if you prefer

Windows 2000/XP also requires more memory than win98/SE, so I would go with 256 MB.

 

[14k]

If you have a look at my system specs, I'm using Win2k Pro with 512 PC2700 DDR RAM. At the moment according to Asus PC Probe I'm using 33% of my physical memory.

Yes, when file sharing programs are running the hdd led is constantly flashing. I'm not too worried about this, its just that when the PC is idle, ie. i'm offline, NOT doing anything on the PC the hdd led flashes very slightly every 1-2 secs or so. Yes, alot less than when I'm online, or actually using the PC.. but still its annoying and I didn't think this was normal. I'm sure my other PCs aren't like this, am I just being fussy.

Thanks alot for the feedback so far.

btw, I have just done a NAV full system scan yesterday. Pretty sure no viruses are eating away my system.

update: a friend of mine has told me that it MIGHT be because the hdd led cable has been put on those two tiny pins, the wrong way round. Could this be? If anyone thinks so I'll give it a try, otherwise... I'm not too confident about opening my PC and playing around with the insides.

 

[Mavrick007]

If the cables are put wrong on the pins they shouldn't be lighting up at all, but then again they're just leds so it wouldn't make any problem with just running the machine.

If you have a virus, and you do install a virus scanner after, you might not find the virus or you might just corrupt your virus scanner files. Try checking it out online with one of the online scanners like at Symmantec's site.

It is probably just the page file working in the background making the index or perhaps the swap file working overtime. I would definitely make sure that someone isn't connected to your machine without you knowing it though. Check running processes and then shut down and reboot after you notice it going non-stop for awhile, you might get a message that someone is connected.

If you have problems with hackers, try using a good software firewall like Zone alarm or Black Ice.

 

[Deskstar]

When I am online, but not doing anything on line, my hard drive light also flashes every 2-3 seconds. I have no concern about it.

 

[dszd0g]

Try SysInternal's FileMon. That should show you what is being accessed. Windows does have some files that are accessed regularly C:\$Logfile or something like that. Winlogin.exe reads some stuff every once in a while too.

If you have ZoneAlarm installed, it accesses its Internet Logs files constantly.

 

[crazychicken]

sorry dude, i guess i'll stop HaX0ring your Komputar! thats why the light was blinking . wuahahaha







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