[Amfisted]

Hi All

New guy on the forum, UK-based and a home, non business user. Apologies if there's an "introduce yourself" slot and I've neglected to use it on arrival.

I've had an Inspiron 530 desktop operating on Windows Vista Home Premium for about four years; so far, relatively trouble free. Its still covered by a Dell warranty and I intend to contact Dell about the issue but forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

The problem started this morning, and it goes like this:

I start the PC, the Dell initial screen appears then there's a rapid clicking or ticking from the desktop tower which lasts about two or three seconds.

Advanced Boot Option menu then appears with "Repair Your Computer" highlighted.

If I enter this option (rather than Start Windows Normally) it's followed by the green loading bar then the "System Recovery Options" menu appears asking me to "select keyboard layout".


I select UK as the keyboard option, click Next and Log on as Administrator. I then get "Choose Recovery Tool" options, select "Startup Repair" and get the message "Startup Repair could not detect a problem".

I am then presented with the options shut down or restart, so I restart, Dell initial screen appears, computer tower makes the clicking noise, "Advanced Boot Option" menu appears and instead of going round in circles and clicking Repair your Computer again I select Start Windows Normally. Computer then loads normally.


The Advanced Boot Option menu now appears every time the computer is started.

Last couple of months there's been a long delay-it can be up to two minutes--between log on and appearance of the desktop. Don't know whether this is relevant to the above.

Any advice/ guidance gratefully received.

 

[makinu1der2]

Hello,

Possible that you have a failing hard drive. If not already done I would suggest

that you make a current back-up of all your important data.

Restart the PC and once at the Dell logo press F12 to get to the diagnostics.

Once at the Diagnostics menu test the hard drive to see if any errors present.

 

[Amfisted]

Hello,

Possible that you have a failing hard drive. If not already done I would suggest

that you make a current back-up of all your important data.

Restart the PC and once at the Dell logo press F12 to get to the diagnostics.

Once at the Diagnostics menu test the hard drive to see if any errors present.

Thank you. I'll ensure data is backed up and do what you suggest. Will report back on my findings. :0)

 

[spunk.funk]

rapid clicking or ticking from the desktop tower

Clicking HDD is sign of a failing HDD. Follow Makinu1der's advice and run the Dell Diagnostics.

 

[Amfisted]

Thank you. I ran Dell Diagnostics and it found no problems. I also found a Windows memory diagnostics tool and ran that, and it didn't find any problems either. Really not sure what to do now, except contact Dell.

 

[spunk.funk]

On another computer download the ISO image for Seatools in my signature. Burn the image to CD using IMGBurn also in my signature. Boot the computer and press F12 to Boot Options and using your arrow key make CD drive First Boot Device. Save and Exit put the newly created CD and restart the computer. You should see the message Press Any Key to Boot From CD. Run the Short and Long tests on the HDD. If either test fails, the HDD needs to be replaced.

 

[Amfisted]

Thank you. Will do that and come back with what I've found.

 

[Amfisted]

Well, I downloaded and ran Seatools, and the HDD passed both the short and long tests: no problems found.

Just to clarify, the clicking or ticking sound only occurs on startup and lasts for just a couple of seconds, and if I select Start Windows Normally in the Advanced Boot Option menu, the computer loads and behaves normally.

One other thing that MAY be relevant: for a while now, perhaps as long as a year, the computer has intermittently made a loud "whirring" sound on startup which can last for up to ten minutes. I assumed it was a cooling fan and added a drop of oil to the accessible fan spindles, but that didn't cure the problem. Could that noise in fact be the HDD, and if so, despite diagnostics finding no problems could there still be a chance of it failing?
Thanks again.

 

[spunk.funk]

There is always a chance of the Hard Drive failing, it is just a matter of when. So, always have a current backup of files you can't live without on a external HDD or CD/DVD.
The Whirring sound is the cooling fan, older computers will start the fan in high gear when the computer starts, to maximize cooling and then settle down as the computer loads.
Try to pin point the clicking sound, When you start the computer put your ear near the HDD. Clicking is the sign the HDD is about to fail. The clicking may also be some wires that are crossing the fan. So make sure all the fans are clear of obstruction.
Once you are logged into Windows, go to Start/Search and type CMD Right click the CMD icon in the Search Results and Run As Administrator. In the Elevated Command Prompt type chkdsk /R and press enter. Now type a Y for Yes and restart the computer. Check Disk will run at next bootup.

 

[spike999]

I remember having a similar issue years ago, turns out I had left a boot floppy in the A: drive. I may be way off base, but it's a thought.

 

[spunk.funk]

Try to pin point the clicking sound, When you start the computer put your ear near the HDD.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi Amfisted: Interesting thread here. Hard drives in Inspiron 530 & 530S commonly fail after 3-5 years. Both your computers are at least 7 yrs. old as they came with XP, if not older. There is another possibility here, and that is the Power Supply. The Power Supply could be just slightly out of spec on it's voltages. It's voltage output is close enough to run the built-in Dell diagnostics and even Windows; but if the clicking sound is coming from the power supply, it could be the internal fan relay in the power-supply, or an indication that the "switcher-circuit" in the power supply is failing. Either of those could indicate the power supply is having problems. You can take the Power Supply out and take to a local computer store where they can check it properly. They also have low-cost testers you can use yourself to test it *I have one of these*, they run about $15 U.S.

I would also remove the hard drive from the desktop and connect to another computer (laptop if you have one) using a usb adapter such as the one spunk.funk recommended on this sub-forum: Amazon.com: SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable for 2.5 / 3.5 Inch Hard Drive / Optical Drive with External AC Power Adapter: Computers & Accessories.
They are low-cost, around $10 U.S., and it get's the hard drive out of the dell desktop enclosure. When you plug in the hard drive, you'll be able to hear if it's the source of the clicking noise or not. If you don't hear the clicking noise, you should see it show up in the My Computers screen on your laptop or desktop computer you plug in to on the usb port. You can run additional tests, but you'll need linux tools such as UBCD or other downloaded tools to check. Mainly, you are just trying to identify if the hard drive works correctly in a different computer.

If the clicking noise is not heard when testing the hard drive with the above usb adapter..it could very well be in the power-supply as I mentioned above. Chances are if the hard drive is recognized on another computer with the usb adapter and seems to work, you need to test that power supply. Power supply replacements cost about the same or less than hard drive replacements. $35-$60 U.S.

Dell uses really good power supplies in their Inspiron's and Optiplex's; I have Dell's running on original power supplies 12 years old and up. However, they do go out just like any other older computers.

By the way, when you remove the power supply in the 530, make sure you blow out any dust, animal hair, or other obstructions on all the vent and fan ports on the power supply. These can cause heat build-up in the power supply, and the heat usually causes the capacitors and other components to overheat, stress, and eventually fail. So, if you test the power supply you have, don't hear the clicking noise, and it tests within voltage spec. and you put back into the 530, make sure it's cleaned out.

There are no moving parts on the 530 motherboard except for the fans *already mentioned*, the hard drive, the power supply internal fan, and the optical drives (or a floppy drive if you have one). Removing both the hard drive and the power supply from the tower will help you narrow down where the noise is coming from. If you don't hear the noise from either the hard drive or power supply, you have narrowed down the options. If you put the power supply and hard drive back into the tower and hear the noise again; disconnect the power and data cables from 1 or more optical drives (CD-DVD-DVD /RW), and the floppy drive if you have one. At this point the only possible source are the tower case fans, usually only 1 or 2 in the 530, and the CPU fan. You can disconnect those if you suspect the noise is coming from either of those. Be careful disconnecting the CPU fan *if you haven't done that before, take to a computer expert* as sometimes you can't get the CPU fan off without removing the heat sink from the CPU chip and that can be a problem.

At this point you would be running the 530 in open-case mode, pay attention to proper grounding ESD procedures here, and you will be able to narrow down the exact component the noise is coming from as spunk.funk mentioned.

The strategy here is to eliminate, one at a time, all the devices with moving parts in your computer to find the noise. If you have already solved this problem, let us know what component caused the noise. If not, try my suggestions to narrow it down.

Just a last item for you, if you download IMGBurn to burn your Seatools diagnostic, make sure you remove that program from your Windows after completing that test. There are serios problems with the IMGBurn driver: spsfd.sys with Windows7 you should know about. So, if you leave the IMGBurn driver on your Vista system and then upgrade in a year, you'll be getting some very nast BSODs on your upgraded Windows7 system. The IMGBurn program is great, but just be aware that you need to remove it from your computer after you use. Took me over a year to find that problem and resolve it.

Best of luck.

BIGBEARJEDI

 

[Amfisted]

Thank you all very much: your advice is much appreciated. Just to clarify again, the PC is running on Vista and is still under warranty to Dell. I've advised them of the problem but almost 48 hours later they're yet to respond to my request for service. I'm far more impressed by the reception my query has received on this forum than I am by Dell's response thus far.

I'll run Check Disk and then run through the other suggestions you've provided me with, then report back.

BIGBEARJEDI, I note your advice re removing IMGBurn but once I downloaded Seatools, Nero (which is already installed on this PC) popped up and I was able to use it to burn the disc for me, so there was no need to download IMGBurn. But thanks anyhow for the advice.

Back soon, no doubt. :0)

 

[Amfisted]

Well, I ran Check Disc; don't know whether it found any issues because I wasn't in the room when the scan finished, but when I went back to the PC it had restarted so I assume nothing was found.

I took the side off the tower and listened for the clicking, and as far as I can tell it definitely wasn't coming from the HDD, but in fact somewhere in the region of the graphics card, possibly in the area below it. I tried several times to pinpoint the area where the noise came from, but that's about as specific as I can get.

I've had an email response from Dell; not sure whether I'd be allowed to post the text of their message on here (obviously without the Dell representative's name) but if so, I will. Meantime I'll try the diagnostics/solutions that Dell suggest.

 

[joeten]

Try removing the graphics card and give the slot a clean with some compressed air and clean the contacts with a eraser then reseat

 

[Amfisted]

Thanks, I will. Does it seem likely that the graphics card might be the source of the clicking and the appearance of the Advanced Boot Options screen?

 

[joeten]

Hi it is just worth checking since you think it may be the source of the clicking

 

[Amfisted]

Just an update. The response from Dell including requesting that I updated the BIOS--which I did--then inserting the Drivers and Utilities disc and running several tests on the hard drive (read test, seek test, verify test etc) which took a total of about five hours. Nothing was found, all tests passed. I was also asked to complete a Pre Boot Assessment test, but I don't know where to find this so I've asked them to clarify. Meantime I'll take out the graphics card and clean as suggested.

 

[joeten]

Hi this is as much as I have had time to find on the pre boot assessment How to Find the Recovery Partition on the Inspiron 1525 | eHow.com

 

[Amfisted]

Thank you, Joeten. Will give the PBA a shot and see what happens.

After my telling him that the noise on startup was coming from the area of the graphics card, the Dell representative suggested it might be the graphics card fan, so I should remove the card and boot up the PC to see whether the noise still occurs. Sounds like reasonable advice.