PC making a clicking noise followed by a shutdown/restart noise

[DodgerLD]

Hi,

I recently installed Windows 7 on a new WD 320GB SATA II HDD, and every once in a while it makes a clicking sound, and then the system sounds as if it's shutting down or restarting (I think it may be the HDD spinning down). The system also seems to freeze for a second or two during this time.

I've run WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics on both my old and my new HDD, and no errors are reported. I've run check disk on the new drive as well.

In my advanced power settings, the HDD is set to turn off after 20 minutes of inactivity, but this problem occurs while the drive is in use, so this is unlikely to be the cause.

I'm probably going to try changing the power cable, and maybe the data cable. After that, I'll be out of ideas.

Any suggestions?

D.

 

[Elixer]

Hi,

I recently installed Windows 7 on a new WD 320GB SATA II HDD, and every once in a while it makes a clicking sound, and then the system sounds as if it's shutting down or restarting (I think it may be the HDD spinning down). The system also seems to freeze for a second or two during this time.

What do you mean "system sounds as if it's shutting down"? Is it powering down? If the HD spins down, then yes, the OS has to wait for the HD to spin back up before it can do anything...

What kind of system do you got?
Enter BIOS and turn off all power management options there, then do the same with the OS.
If it still happens, then it is either the HD, or perhaps the PSU.

 

[Absolution75]

Hi,

I recently installed Windows 7 on a new WD 320GB SATA II HDD, and every once in a while it makes a clicking sound, and then the system sounds as if it's shutting down or restarting (I think it may be the HDD spinning down). The system also seems to freeze for a second or two during this time.

I've run WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics on both my old and my new HDD, and no errors are reported. I've run check disk on the new drive as well.

In my advanced power settings, the HDD is set to turn off after 20 minutes of inactivity, but this problem occurs while the drive is in use, so this is unlikely to be the cause.

I'm probably going to try changing the power cable, and maybe the data cable. After that, I'll be out of ideas.

Any suggestions?

D.

Sounds like your HD is dieing. . . its most likely the head hitting the platters. I'd start to backup your drive if I were you. If it is new, its likely DOA.

Also, I believe spin up/down is actually the hardest activity on the drive. It tends to be better to just leave your hard drives on the entire time.

 

[DodgerLD]

What do you mean "system sounds as if it's shutting down"? Is it powering down? If the HD spins down, then yes, the OS has to wait for the HD to spin back up before it can do anything...

Ya, it makes the powering down sound.

What kind of system do you got?

Asus P5Q + Intel E8500.

Enter BIOS and turn off all power management options there, then do the same with the OS.
If it still happens, then it is either the HD, or perhaps the PSU.

I didn't see many relevant options in the BIOS. I've set the HDD to never turn off after inactivity (in Windows). I'm going to monitor it now and see if it happens again.

 

[DodgerLD]

Sounds like your HD is dieing. . . its most likely the head hitting the platters. I'd start to backup your drive if I were you. If it is new, its likely DOA.

Also, I believe spin up/down is actually the hardest activity on the drive. It tends to be better to just leave your hard drives on the entire time.

It's not a constant clicking sound, it only happens once in a while, and it's a single click (maybe a PC speaker noise), followed by what might well be a HDD spin down.

 

[Aizen]

Hi, I'm also having the same problem as the OP and I have a similar system

Windows 7
Asus M3A78-CM motherboard
500GB Barracuda Seagate Hard Drive
80GB WD Hard Drive

The same clicking noise came from both my drives but the 500GB restarts
due to some kind of failure. It doesn't sound like it's shutting down it just flat out restarts after the computer freezes for a minute. When it does restart the system doesn't even recognize it anymore. It's a new drive too! the 80GB restarts but goes back to windows.

 

[DodgerLD]

I set the "Turn off HDD after X minutes of inactivity" option to 0 minutes, and I haven't heard the sounds since.

I was initially confused as to why this setting would take effect while I was working on my computer, but I've recently realised that it was probably my other HDD that was spinning down.

Thanks.