Hard drive making noise

[Mkayemba]

At imes when im using my computer my hard drive makes this squeaking noise ..im not good at hard ware so i need advice on this thank you

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Squeaking is likely a sign of failure. Back your essential data up as soon as possible and consider returning the drive or buying a new one.

 

[Nodsu]

Maybe describe the noise a bit more.. It may be a part of the drive's normal self check routine.

If in doubt, test the drive with the manufacturer-provided diagnostics utility.

 

[Tedster]

If it is a clicking noise - that's a classic sign of a failing drive. I would still backup to another drive. New drives can fail too.

 

[Mkayemba]

ive backed up just incase it fails ..thanks for the advice..but the sound goes like for some time and goes off...

 

[SNGX1275]

Yep, thats very typical of a failing hd (assuming this is a new sound and not one its always made).

Run one of the drive diagnostic tools to start the RMA process (if warrantied still) that drive is basically 'dead man walking' you just don't know at what point in the hallway its at right now.

 

[tipstir]

How to tell...

At imes when im using my computer my hard drive makes this squeaking noise ..im not good at hard ware so i need advice on this thank you

If you hear clunk, clunk sound which is loud, that means the HDD is going to fail very soon. Backup the HDD (like you did was a smart move)

If you hear squeak, squeak (like a hamster is running on a wheel in the cage), that means the HDD is badly fragmented. Even if you defrag it you might still hear that sound as the heads and disc inside is started to wear out after the drive has been so overlooked with heavy fragmentation.

On step everyone forgets to think about the screws holding down the HDD could get loose also, thus causing the HDD to move and shift.

Sometime these HDD do go bad without warning or if you look at your Event View it will let you know that HDD D had an error in read/write stuff like that.

 

[SNGX1275]

If you hear squeak, squeak (like a hamster is running on a wheel in the cage), that means the HDD is badly fragmented.

I've had 2 hard drives die deaths that the only symptom was a squeek, then some system unresponsiveness around it (well that only happened for sure on one - the other was my work machine and I came in after a long weekend to hear a squeek about ever 7 seconds. I opened that hd up and saw the metal ground off the platters).

 

[tipstir]

Wow you open it up!.. I do that after the drive is failed they make a good desk paper weight plus people look at it and say where did you buy that? Those that clunk badly and don't run or access, I should have mentioned also that if you take the back handle of a screw driver and hit it near the disc a few times, then place it into the freezer for 1 hour you could access the data again to pull it off. Not a miracle though not going to make it last longer just enough time to pull off the data and retired it...

 

[SNGX1275]

No data was coming off this drive, the platters were ground off by the read/write heads.

 

[tipstir]

Do you remember which brand had failed?
WD seem to go faster to failure than Maxtor

 

[SNGX1275]

Maxtor in the squeeking but still usable case, RMA'd the drive and was able to get the new one before sending the old one back, used their tool to clone the drive and all was well.

I'm not sure on the other drive, the one that ground the platters. I think I have some pictures of it that might contain the name. I'll look after work.

 

[tipstir]

You're lucky to get it replaced by them. I just had one die in the case WD2000 (all black shell) 200GB, and removed to see if it would work as USB2.0 drive using Compusa External Case. Sure enough it did. I am transferring the data as I type this to one of my servers here now. Maxtor is rock solid, but drives do go bad. I have a good number of older drives that are DOA. Now that Maxtor Seagate are one, I only have one of those drives its holding up, I hope it won't fail?

 

[SNGX1275]

Wasn't sure that it was a Deathstar, found the pic though and it confirms it. DTLA-307030

The reason it has the Servicable Used Part sticker on it is because my original 30 gig deathstar died too, and I RMA'd it. This one was no longer under warranty though.

 

[tipstir]

Yes those IBM Deskstar HDDs, awful..I had a few DOA ones and in laptops next to FUJITSU are the worst I've work with. Samsung SpinPoint just failed last month. Hitachi HDD seems to be as good as the Maxtor's. Best where Quantum Fireball but Maxtor had taken over them a few years ago! I still have one Quantum HDD still going..

 

[tweakboy]

Ok if its a clicking noise, then the hard drive is busted. You need to save all your stuff from that drive and get a new one. Do NOT get a maxtor ,, they brake down.

Just like IBM back in the day making hard drives, churns out they were all defective stuff that broke down easy like yours. Soo IBM stopped making hard drives if you notice LOL.

I used to be in this business long time ago.

All I can say is, your drive is a gonner soo quickly backup stuff. The next click you hear might be the last one ,, if ya know what I mean. The device can be saved and your data but you send it into a company , and they charge like 800 bucks or soo.

Sorry you went thru this, but quickly get a new HD and copy over all your stuff, cuz that baby is about to blink its eyes to never open them again!!! GL