'Clicking' sound from my tower

Orr · 06-23-2009, 05:15 AM

Hi all,

You may picked up from the thread title i'm a little bit clueless

Basically, I've had my computer, a Dell Vostro 200, for roughly a year now. And recently it's been growing more and more sluggish and sounding more and more laboured every time I turn it on or start up programs during use. The sound is a grinding, flickering.. clicking almost. Does that sound familiar?

Apologies if this is in completely the wrong section. Thanks for any help.

**raptor_pa** · 06-23-2009, 05:24 AM

Could be hard drive, could be a fan. You'll need to open the case and try to isolate exactly where inside the sound is coming from.

Orr · 06-23-2009, 07:22 AM

Thanks for the reply

The fans appear to be fine and this noise seems directly linked to me opening new programs or even folders, would that suggest it's the hard drive?

**raptor_pa** · 06-23-2009, 09:30 AM

It would suggest, but not confirm as well as putting an ear to the compnents with the case open...

Orr · 07-24-2009, 05:42 AM

Hi raptor,

Sorry I haven't been able to repy for ages, some things came up that I had to deal with. Not sure if I can still get help in this topic but if so:

I've since had the case open and the clicking sound is coming from my hard drive. It is also more pointedly corresponding to the light on my tower that flashes when the hard drive is 'working'. The noise is worse when I first log onto windows and the computer is slowest when browsing through folders and such.

Thank you again for any help

**vladimirb** · 07-24-2009, 05:51 AM

Hello

Is your PC under warranty???
If it is, I would backup important data immediatelly and take PC to the shop to replace HDD.
If it is not, backup data as soon as you can.
I don't think HDD will last long, but you can never tell.
Prepare to buy a new HDD.

Keep us posted.

Orr · 07-24-2009, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladimirb

Hello

Is your PC under warranty???
If it is, I would backup important data immediatelly and take PC to the shop to replace HDD.
If it is not, backup data as soon as you can.
I don't think HDD will last long, but you can never tell.
Prepare to buy a new HDD.

Keep us posted.

Hi,

My PC isn't under warranty, no.

So where should I be backing up the files to, without an external drive or such?
How straightforward is it to replace the HDD?

As alluded to in the OP I'm ashamedly computer illiterate sorry <:

Thanks

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 08:30 AM

You will need another drive, or to cd/dvd. HD replacement is pretty straight forward, a couple of screws, a couple of cables, then install Windows

Orr · 07-24-2009, 08:39 AM

Just a normal blank CD? How much space does it need to have roughly?

Also, how much is a new HD likely to be? Any you could recommend?

Thanks

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 08:45 AM

Depends how much data you need to copy out - a CD holds about 700MB so depending on how much data you have, could take quite a few. DVD would be better since they handle about 4.5GB. Price depends on caacity. WD/SEAGATE/MAXTOR are probably the big players. You will need to determine if your drive is SATA or IDE however to get the right interface. You can open the case and look at the cable going to the HD, IDE will be about 2.5 inches wide and gray usually - SATA About a half inch wide, orange,blue or gray generally

Orr · 07-24-2009, 09:12 AM

In my computer it says 'DVD/CD-RW' does that mean I can only back up to CD and not DVD?

The cable from motherboard to HD is blue and about half an inch wide.

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 09:28 AM

OK then it is SATA, get the make and model of the drive itself off the drive label so we can see if it is SATA1 or SATA2. Yeah, probably can only record to cd. You might want to grab a cheap external HD for backup.

Orr · 07-24-2009, 10:31 AM

Ok, got out the HD and took a picture of the label incase I took down the wrong thing/you wanted any other info off of it:

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 10:45 AM

Should be good with about any SATA drive in that. Back up your data files, install the new drive and Load the OS and your apps, copy your data back and you're good to go.

Orr · 07-24-2009, 10:57 AM

Right, appreciate the help.

Anywhere you could recommend to pick up the new HD and external drive cheaply?

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 12:12 PM

newegg.com is probably about the cheapest

Orr · 07-24-2009, 01:01 PM

I'm from the UK - should have said.

Don't need much space as I'm only using 52/232 GB on this current one. Have had a look on Amazon.. do you think these would do the trick?

Internal HD
External HD

No idea what is good/good value

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 01:27 PM

The internal should be good, I think tho on the external you could get a better deal price wise, here in the states, 500 GB externals are running right around $100 not sure what the current exchange rate is, but that is a branded Seagate drive at retail store prices....

Orr · 07-24-2009, 03:30 PM

External Drive

Something more like that?

So I just ran CHKDSK on the advice of a friend and that seems to have abated (temporarily?) the clicking. What do you reckon?

**raptor_pa** · 07-24-2009, 04:21 PM

Without hearing the drive, hard to say, chkdsk simply checks and fixes minor issues witht he windows filesystem, it does nothing for a drive with physical problems, and can often cause more damage if the drive is failing. The clicking could have been the drive trying to read a corrupt file and the OS kept sending it back, but that is a very rare cause of clicking. I would definitely do the backup tho, any clicking is usually a sign of impending failure, if you want your data best to get it while you can.

06-23-2009, 05:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	'Clicking' sound from my tower Hi all, You may picked up from the thread title i'm a little bit clueless Basically, I've had my computer, a Dell Vostro 200, for roughly a year now. And recently it's been growing more and more sluggish and sounding more and more laboured every time I turn it on or start up programs during use. The sound is a grinding, flickering.. clicking almost. Does that sound familiar? Apologies if this is in completely the wrong section. Thanks for any help.

06-23-2009, 05:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Could be hard drive, could be a fan. You'll need to open the case and try to isolate exactly where inside the sound is coming from. __________________

06-23-2009, 07:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Thanks for the reply The fans appear to be fine and this noise seems directly linked to me opening new programs or even folders, would that suggest it's the hard drive?

06-23-2009, 09:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower It would suggest, but not confirm as well as putting an ear to the compnents with the case open... __________________

07-24-2009, 05:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Hi raptor, Sorry I haven't been able to repy for ages, some things came up that I had to deal with. Not sure if I can still get help in this topic but if so: I've since had the case open and the clicking sound is coming from my hard drive. It is also more pointedly corresponding to the light on my tower that flashes when the hard drive is 'working'. The noise is worse when I first log onto windows and the computer is slowest when browsing through folders and such. Thank you again for any help

07-24-2009, 05:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
vladimirb Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Banja Luka, Serb Republic Posts: 3,694 OS: xp pro sp3, Server 2003, Windows 7 Professional x64bit My System	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Hello Is your PC under warranty??? If it is, I would backup important data immediatelly and take PC to the shop to replace HDD. If it is not, backup data as soon as you can. I don't think HDD will last long, but you can never tell. Prepare to buy a new HDD. Keep us posted. __________________ MCP - MCSA Cisco SMB Account Manager

07-24-2009, 08:30 AM	#8 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower You will need another drive, or to cd/dvd. HD replacement is pretty straight forward, a couple of screws, a couple of cables, then install Windows __________________

07-24-2009, 08:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Just a normal blank CD? How much space does it need to have roughly? Also, how much is a new HD likely to be? Any you could recommend? Thanks

07-24-2009, 08:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Depends how much data you need to copy out - a CD holds about 700MB so depending on how much data you have, could take quite a few. DVD would be better since they handle about 4.5GB. Price depends on caacity. WD/SEAGATE/MAXTOR are probably the big players. You will need to determine if your drive is SATA or IDE however to get the right interface. You can open the case and look at the cable going to the HD, IDE will be about 2.5 inches wide and gray usually - SATA About a half inch wide, orange,blue or gray generally __________________

07-24-2009, 09:12 AM	#11 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower In my computer it says 'DVD/CD-RW' does that mean I can only back up to CD and not DVD? The cable from motherboard to HD is blue and about half an inch wide.

07-24-2009, 09:28 AM	#12 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower OK then it is SATA, get the make and model of the drive itself off the drive label so we can see if it is SATA1 or SATA2. Yeah, probably can only record to cd. You might want to grab a cheap external HD for backup. __________________

07-24-2009, 10:31 AM	#13 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Ok, got out the HD and took a picture of the label incase I took down the wrong thing/you wanted any other info off of it:

07-24-2009, 10:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Should be good with about any SATA drive in that. Back up your data files, install the new drive and Load the OS and your apps, copy your data back and you're good to go. __________________

07-24-2009, 10:57 AM	#15 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Right, appreciate the help. Anywhere you could recommend to pick up the new HD and external drive cheaply?

07-24-2009, 12:12 PM	#16 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower newegg.com is probably about the cheapest __________________

07-24-2009, 01:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower I'm from the UK - should have said. Don't need much space as I'm only using 52/232 GB on this current one. Have had a look on Amazon.. do you think these would do the trick? Internal HD External HD No idea what is good/good value

07-24-2009, 01:27 PM	#18 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower The internal should be good, I think tho on the external you could get a better deal price wise, here in the states, 500 GB externals are running right around $100 not sure what the current exchange rate is, but that is a branded Seagate drive at retail store prices.... __________________

07-24-2009, 03:30 PM	#19 (permalink)
Orr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower External Drive Something more like that? So I just ran CHKDSK on the advice of a friend and that seems to have abated (temporarily?) the clicking. What do you reckon?

07-24-2009, 04:21 PM	#20 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,923 OS: XP	Re: 'Clicking' sound from my tower Without hearing the drive, hard to say, chkdsk simply checks and fixes minor issues witht he windows filesystem, it does nothing for a drive with physical problems, and can often cause more damage if the drive is failing. The clicking could have been the drive trying to read a corrupt file and the OS kept sending it back, but that is a very rare cause of clicking. I would definitely do the backup tho, any clicking is usually a sign of impending failure, if you want your data best to get it while you can. __________________