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HDD clicking, advice for Corsair cloning kit OS problems

4K views 35 replies 6 participants last post by  spunk.funk 
#1 ·
The HDD on my laptop is clicking now & then, i have ordered a SSHD & the "CORSAIR CSSD-UPGRADEKIT SSD and Hard Disk Drive (HDD) cloning kit with USB3.0 cable" i do have the recovery discs that came with the laptop, where you make them when you first turn on the laptop, but i have seen people saying that because the hardware is different because of the new drive the recovery disc's won't work?

I have also seen people saying that the Windows validation code is burnt into the motherboard.

Just wanted to check a few things first;

Will it erase all the data on my old drive?

Is there likely issues i will encounter?

I also have a desktop where i installed a SSD & when i put the Win7 Pro disc in i had it said the validation code was invalid, when i contacted Microsoft they said that the version i had bought was a Volume License one & i should send it back as i had used it for three years without issue where it said it was valid, i have not heard anything back from Microsoft yet, would i be able to use this cloning kit to clone my old desktop HDD as i still have it & would it show the Windows as a valid version?

These may be simple questions, but i have had a right game with my invalid Win7 OS & i want to make sure i am doing it right as i don't want to have to buy more copies of Windows.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.
 
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#3 ·
ok thank you.

the drive clicks a few times one day & then not again for a few days, i have not noticed any issues other than the clicking every other day or so a few times, i am replacing it as soon as i can before it gets any worse so i can have the new SSHD installed before i upgrade to Win10, which brings me onto another possible issue, will this cause any issues with Win10 as i have reserved a copy on the notification icon (thing) i suppose MS know the spec & will notice the change?
 
#4 ·
Microsoft will Email you when your reserved copy of Windows 10 is ready for download. It shouldn't be a factor that the OS was cloned.
When a drive clicks, it is starting to fail. If the drive starts clicking during the clone operation, the data may be corrupted and the clone will not complete.
 
#5 ·
Re: HDD clicking, advice for Corsair kit OS problems



Ok thank you, i won't use it until i clone the drive then.

Is there any tips/advice to prepare for a clone, i will run ccleaner & also defrag the drive before i clone it?

I have watched a video guide of how to clone using the Crucial program but there is nothing about the Corsair one, i have looked on their forums, as on the Crucial guide it tells you to tick the [4K] box
 
#8 ·
Ok i will take a look at those, i just don't want to mess anything up that's all.

Remember not to use the registry cleaner of CCleaner.

Corsair will use different software, but it will be pretty straight forward.
I used to use the registry cleaner on CCleaner years ago, but stopped a long time ago, i just use it normally now.

I hope it's straight forward, i'm probably worrying about nothing, i don't want to be stuck half way though not knowing what to do, it seems that lots of people are using the cloning option now-a-days but there doesn't seem to be much info, even on the Corsair site there isn't much info.

The SSHD & Kit should be here this coming week, i will update on how i get one, saying that, the Linux laptop i am now using has just clicked, i'm sure of it :confused:
 
#11 ·
Drive click is the result of drive firmware corruption, media or head damage that are resulting in the drive head failing to read the servo information and locate the desired address on the drive platter. In other words if you try to clone this device it will inevitably fail. Copy your user folder, pictures, movies to an external drive. Discard this device, install a new HD of your choice solid state or one of the new hybrids and reinstall your OS, run all the updates and then install your software, lastly copy your user files back into their directories good luck
 
#12 ·
It is not doing it all the time though, every other day or so, i have backed up my data, but i only have the disc's i made when i first got the laptop i have read that if you put a new HDD in the system & drivers won't match & the OS won't install correctly, this i why i want to try cloning first.

Wouldn't the clone just clone the files? if it is just the HDD physically failed it should clone ok, shouldn't it?
 
#13 ·
Yes but it would also clone the corruption. And please remember that Rome wasn't built in 1 day and your hard drive is being kind to you degrading slowly. Neverthe less it is degrading and if you want to take that risk, it's your files and data and I even have plenty of different backups but would never take the chance anyway.
 
#15 ·
As i am planing to install Win10 as soon as i can, wouldn't that solve any Windows errors/corruption though?

I have backed up all my photos, videos & music, but nothing on the OS/User/program side, all the programs i use are either free ones i can re-download or i have the discs for.

Would it be better to have a go at doing a fresh install on the new drive with the back-up discs i made first?

I was hoping cloning was going to be the easiest & best option :(
 
#20 ·
Ok thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm going to do my laptop at the weekend, take out the HDD & put in the SSHD & then restore Win7 with the discs i made.

Then i will have a look at cloning my desktop HDD which is NOT clicking as i want to put the SSD back in.

Currently downloading Linix so i can put a SSD in this laptop as this drive is now clicking.

I will keep you updated on how i get on, i'm just getting frustrated as the laptop drives have failed at the same time :banghead:

So nice how everyone wants to help here :smile:
 
#22 · (Edited)
Thank you.

I have an update,

I have done my laptop with the cloner, last night i took off all my files & just left the program files on & that took off 300GB so there was only about 68GB left, i then updated all the programs to the latest versions & then defraged, this morning i started the clone & took 21mins to do, i sat with the laptop all the time & it showed no read or write or verification errors & it didn't make any clicking or any-other sounds at all.

I have run the windows update & it installed some that i didn't allow it to last night that were optional ones & they installed ok so the Win7 is still activated.

I know that i went against the advice of some who offered to help, i went with the clone option as i had nothing to lose, if the drive failed i would have to do a clean install anyway, i have had real problems in the past (before i found this site for advice/help) re-installing Windows.

I would like to thank everyone who offered help & advice on this issue/problem & i really appreciated the advice given.

I now have another issue, while not using my Windows laptop i was using my Linux one & the HDD has started clicking on that now :banghead: , so i am going to visit the Linux area of this site now, also my dads MacBooks HDD has started clicking as well :ermm:

Once again thank you all :smile:
 
#25 ·
I would start to think about poor grounding or low voltage possibilities in your home as the odds oif all of that happening at the same time are so slim. Either that or maybe UPS or Surge protectors need replacing.
It does seem strange, my dads macBook is nearly ten years old & that started having issues about two months back, he took it to the Apple shop & they said the HDD is on its way out, but he keeps going on about buying a new one anyway as the case is breaking as it's so old, my PC i use for games had nothing wrong with the HDD i just wanted to upgrade to a SSD, my laptop is on all the time & is about four years old & my Linux laptop is about eight years old, it was only a cheap laptop & it has taken a lot of abuse, it fell down the stairs once, saying that we don't have the laptops or macbook powered through surge protectors, this maybe an idea.

I think my dads MacBook is just because of the use it has had & the age, my laptop is just bad luck & my Linux laptop abuse & age, i have thought it strange them all going within two months though hmmm i think i will look into surge protectors & also have a scan/check of the HDD from my laptop as Apple checked my dads MacBook & they said the HDD was on it's way out, the cloning software i have got will work on OSX so i am going to have a go at cloning it, we have all the discs anyway so i will just take off all the files other than the OS & program files & see how it goes.
 
#26 ·
If they are really old as you say it could be coincidence but if you are going to leave one on all the time it definitely needs to be behind a UPS. I would never leave a laptop on all the time as they suffer too much from heat issues and a rest is good for people and pcs.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Just like to add it is the same noise coming from my Linux laptop & both are Toshiba laptops.

The best way i can describe the clicking is like that of a geiger counter but a single short click.

If i turn the volume down to zero i don't here the clicking but it is still showing on the icon spiking.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I thought you had the answer with the mobile, i have had my mobile on a shelf about 600mm from both laptops more recently, however i have just turned my Win7 laptop on to check this & it's still making the clicking, there are no phones anywhere near me & i'm in a different part of the house typing this now.

last night i did have a look & on the volume mixer with it clicks

the ones that spike are the [speakers] & [chrome] the system level doesn't do anything.

the only issue i could find was the Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface in the hardware where it had a yellow ! next to it.

i have just changed the CMOS battery i thought it may be a warning or something, also it is nothing to do with power supply as it happens when it is running just of the battery & also if i take the battery out & have it plugged in at the mains.

the clicking is more pronounced than it was before now, it's about every 15-20 seconds & if i turn the volume down i cannot hear the clicking but it is showing as a volume spike.

Can a mod/admin please move this thread to a more suitable area please as it's not a HDD issue & also change the thread title please?
 
#32 ·
i have installed the sound drivers & re-installed them, it seems to be ok now, i have done the same on my Linux laptop & that seems ok now as well.

i wonder if it was an issue or error with an update?

i know there has been a lot of Windows updates the last few weeks & i did update my Linux Mint to Mint 17.2 “Rafaela” Cinnamon & i know there has been issues with Mint & Toshiba laptops in the past, i wonder if this is just coincidence ?
 
#33 ·
A clicking HDD is an indication that it is beginning to fail or has failed. You can confirm this with the afore mentioned HDD diagnostic tools.
We also recommend you download CrystalDiskInfo and to monitor any changes in the HDD and alert you if it is about to fail. Just because the sound stopped, it may return and the drive can fail at anytime.
 
#35 ·
Spunk is right though we don't really know it is the hard drive clicking it is the most likely and with prices like they are today it really does not pay to tempt fate there.
Thank you, i will install that, i didn't notice before thus i feel stupid :uhoh: that the clicking was showing on the volume indicator, since deleting & then reinstalling the sound drivers there hasn't been any clicking.
 
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