Hard Drive Click Noise

ja5219 · 07-22-2008, 03:18 PM

Hello, I have a 5 year old HP Pavilion 533w with Windows XP Pro SP2 and
Intel Celeron 2.00 @ 1.99 GHz and 759mb of RAM.

Just recently (within the past 2 weeks) my hard drive has been making click noises at times. I noticed for now it only seems to make the noise when its doing work (trying to load up a program, Im opening folders with a bunch of pictures, or files). Usually the click is only one time and then its gone.. but just a few hours ago.. I was trying to open up some folders and the click noise came back but it didnt go away after the first time, it kept doing the click noise until the computer restarted.

I've read around and it could mean my HD is failing.. but i just wanted to see what others thought.. I have enabled the check disk error thing window has but i have to restart my computer.. I'd prefer to first back up the most important things on this computer and then restart.

Im wondering, is this mostly likely what the reason is? My HD failing?
Also.. any idea of how much time i have.. since it seems like the HD only does click noises when i try to load something that stresses the computer.. and not really for any other reason.

Thanks.

Tumbleweed36 · 07-22-2008, 06:42 PM

Most likely your hard drive is failing. Back that computer up immediately if you have data you want to save. It will just up and quit in the near future, so prepare for that eventuality.

ja5219 · 07-22-2008, 07:46 PM

That's what i figured, I just didn't want to do this and then turn out my hard drive is fine.. although no more click noises so far.. I tried to do a error check disk (the one where you restart and the disk is scanned when computer turns on) for some reason it wouldnt run the test.

Tumbleweed36 · 07-22-2008, 08:25 PM

If it would not run the test, that is also bad news. Just for fun, download and run the manufacturer's utility and see what it says. (that is after you get your data off the drive before it dies) I would not run it much until you retreive that data....too much danger of failure before you retreive.

~~wiseleo~~ · 07-23-2008, 04:14 AM

Failed drive. Cause of death? Probably heat.

If you are lucky, a normal backup will complete. If you are not so lucky, you'll need to clone the disk. I posted directions for that here: issue with 2nd harddrive

07-22-2008, 03:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
ja5219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 68 OS: XP	Hard Drive Click Noise Hello, I have a 5 year old HP Pavilion 533w with Windows XP Pro SP2 and Intel Celeron 2.00 @ 1.99 GHz and 759mb of RAM. Just recently (within the past 2 weeks) my hard drive has been making click noises at times. I noticed for now it only seems to make the noise when its doing work (trying to load up a program, Im opening folders with a bunch of pictures, or files). Usually the click is only one time and then its gone.. but just a few hours ago.. I was trying to open up some folders and the click noise came back but it didnt go away after the first time, it kept doing the click noise until the computer restarted. I've read around and it could mean my HD is failing.. but i just wanted to see what others thought.. I have enabled the check disk error thing window has but i have to restart my computer.. I'd prefer to first back up the most important things on this computer and then restart. Im wondering, is this mostly likely what the reason is? My HD failing? Also.. any idea of how much time i have.. since it seems like the HD only does click noises when i try to load something that stresses the computer.. and not really for any other reason. Thanks.

07-22-2008, 06:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,168 OS: XP Professional	Re: Hard Drive Click Noise Most likely your hard drive is failing. Back that computer up immediately if you have data you want to save. It will just up and quit in the near future, so prepare for that eventuality. __________________ ----------

07-22-2008, 07:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
ja5219 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 68 OS: XP	Re: Hard Drive Click Noise That's what i figured, I just didn't want to do this and then turn out my hard drive is fine.. although no more click noises so far.. I tried to do a error check disk (the one where you restart and the disk is scanned when computer turns on) for some reason it wouldnt run the test.

07-22-2008, 08:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 14,168 OS: XP Professional	Re: Hard Drive Click Noise If it would not run the test, that is also bad news. Just for fun, download and run the manufacturer's utility and see what it says. (that is after you get your data off the drive before it dies) I would not run it much until you retreive that data....too much danger of failure before you retreive. __________________ ----------

07-23-2008, 04:14 AM	#5 (permalink)
~~wiseleo~~ Troubled Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 461 OS: Win 2003 SP2 My System	Re: Hard Drive Click Noise Failed drive. Cause of death? Probably heat. If you are lucky, a normal backup will complete. If you are not so lucky, you'll need to clone the disk. I posted directions for that here: issue with 2nd harddrive