Is this the fabled "click of death"?

[InlineFive]

I have a client with a DiamondMax 8+ (40GB 7.2k) that's constantly clicking. I think this is the Click of Death that is signaling pending disaster but SMART doesn't report anything so I'm wondering what to do. Unfortunately it's out of warranty and I think I am going to have to replace it.

-Por

 

[WobbleWobble]

I would run Maxtor's Powermax diagnostic utility and see what that brings up. Too bad those units only have a one year warranty as they're nice quick thin little drives.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
I would run Maxtor's Powermax diagnostic utility and see what that brings up. Too bad those units only have a one year warranty as they're nice quick thin little drives.

I know, when I saw it I was amazed because it's so small compared to my DM9+. But thanks for the idea on PowerMax, I'll see if it brings anything up.

-Por

 

[Bovinicus]

I believe the click of death you are referring to is mostly specific to IBM's Deskstar 75GXP series harddisk drives. However, abnormal noises from the HDD could possibly signal a failure. I would just backup the data pretty consistently and hope for the best.

 

[txxxx]

DM 8+ quick? Just STR is quick, general applications not so good.

 

[Wanderer]

In my personal experience... Any noticably loud clicking or scratching sounds coming from a hdd are a sign of things to come ... sorry

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: Wanderer
In my personal experience... Any noticably loud clicking or scratching sounds coming from a hdd are a sign of things to come ... sorry

Don't be sorry. I was somewhat expecting this.

-Por

 

[CraigRT]

heh.. Maxtor..
that happens to be at least once a month here at work.
those stupid drives fail more than they work. (and I am referring specifically to the +8 line only)
do yourself a favour and STAY AWAY from this brand next time!

 

[Wanderer]

They should change the company name to Suxor. LOL

 

[imported_Phil]

<-- Loves his DM9+ 120Gb & 60Gb drives....

 

[WobbleWobble]

I've almosted used Maxtor exclusively for the longest time and I've had very little problems with them.

I did have a DM+8 that triggered SMART but a low-level format got rid of it and the error no longer comes up. Powermax doesn't find anything either. Months later it's still running strong.

 

[Finnkc]

yaaaa? I have used Maxtor for 6 years ... my 1st PC is still using a 20gb Maxtor Dia. 8 and it still runs great after 6 years of 9hr + per day work.

So I don't know what to say ...

to bad?
sorry to hear that?

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: Wanderer
They should change the company name to Suxor. LOL

Watch it you. I don't have much faith in the 8+ series but all the 9+ drives work like champs. Some computers I have run with them 24/7 for a couple of years.

-Por

 

[Thegonagle]

I've switched to Seagate after two different Maxtors failed (to impress me ).

One Maxtor (5400 RPM, 60GB) seemed to start having trouble after about a year's use, while the other (7200 RPM, 30 GB) still seemed to be working fine after almost 3 years. Unfortunately and annoyingly, both drives started out very quiet, but got MUCH louder over time.

I like the Seagates a lot because they have a three year warranty, and after 7 months, I still can't hear them unless the case is open and I get within a foot or two.

One of the Seagates gave me a scare in my VIA IDE RAID array with a RAID 1 error, so I ran Sea-tools with full surface scan but it found no data errors and no SMART warnings. I put the drive back into the array, successfully resynchronized it, and hasn't given a peep in the few weeks since.

I don't know whether that was Seagate's fault or VIA's.

 

[Sheriff]

COD orginated from the infamaous Zip Drive/Disks and was admited by Omega. Oh the Data I lost back then but that Maxtor sure seems to need replaced.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
I've switched to Seagate after two different Maxtors failed (to impress me ).

One Maxtor (5400 RPM, 60GB) seemed to start having trouble after about a year's use, while the other (7200 RPM, 30 GB) still seemed to be working fine after almost 3 years. Unfortunately and annoyingly, both drives started out very quiet, but got MUCH louder over time.

You know, I have the same problem with my 120Gb. It drives me nuts.
At the start of the drive, it's pretty quiet, no real noise. However, as you move towards the middle/end of the drive, the seek noise increased dramatically. Not in an about-to-fail way, mind, just a noisy actuator sorta thing.
However, the 60Gb drive next to it (same drive, half capacity), is utterly silent throughout the entire drive.

Anyone shed some light on this?

Oh, and apologies for raping this thread.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: DopeFiend

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
I've switched to Seagate after two different Maxtors failed (to impress me ).

One Maxtor (5400 RPM, 60GB) seemed to start having trouble after about a year's use, while the other (7200 RPM, 30 GB) still seemed to be working fine after almost 3 years. Unfortunately and annoyingly, both drives started out very quiet, but got MUCH louder over time.

You know, I have the same problem with my 120Gb. It drives me nuts.
At the start of the drive, it's pretty quiet, no real noise. However, as you move towards the middle/end of the drive, the seek noise increased dramatically. Not in an about-to-fail way, mind, just a noisy actuator sorta thing.
However, the 60Gb drive next to it (same drive, half capacity), is utterly silent throughout the entire drive.

Anyone shed some light on this?

Oh, and apologies for raping this thread.

Actually, I didn't have any problem with the seek noise. I was refering to the idle or spinning noise, AKA, the whine. If there was an increase in seek noise, I wouldn't know it, because the loud whine drowned out any seek noise.

I can hear the Seagates seeking if I listen carefully, but to my ears, they don't whine through a closed case.