# odd HDD sounds



## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

My HDD seems to be making these sounds.  S'a 1tb seagate. Every so often it makes a click or something. I've run seatools, seagates HDD diagnostic tool.  THe program finds nothing wrong after the test I run. However the HDD stops making the noises for some time after the test has run.


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## ToeClaws (Nov 25, 2009)

Random clicking noises over the last 20 years of PC use have never been a good thing from my experience. :/

Diagnostic tools are designed to do various read/write tests and also pull codes from the hardware's own monitoring capabilities, but often don't catch minor physical issues when they start.  Of all the failed drives I've encountered over the years, the diagnostics software only spotted issues (in the early stages of "odd noises" and such) in about 1/3 of the cases.

With as cheap as drives are, I'd say get a replacement sooner than later, and relegate the potential bad drive to a more minor role.


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

Basically what ToeClaws said. Better safe than sorry. I would recommend Newegg.com for computer parts. You can probably get another 1 TB drive for under $70.

Edit:
Ok so they're closer to $80 to $100 but still:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...iption=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm not sure.

It's been going on since I got the computer. It doesn't sound bad, like it's not violent or loud. I think it's the head hitting the spindle or something. Darn 1 tb drives and your sloppy Manufacturing >: (

I don't experience any stops or pauses in games or normal os operations.

currently running a diagnostic test and it's hasn't clicked in a while.


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## ToeClaws (Nov 25, 2009)

xcliber said:


> Basically what ToeClaws said. Better safe than sorry.



*nodsnods* Why risk it - 1 TB of data is a LOT of stuff to lose.  

I have had some drives that have made odd noises continue to work for years.  As long you relegate them to a non-critical use, then there's really no worry.


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

Idea:
Get a second, identical drive and put them in a Raid 1 configuration. For as long as they both work, you'll have increased HDD read speeds. And if the one finally dies, your data is still safe. It's a win/win situation assuming you know how to set up Raid.

Edit:
It still involves buying a new drive though. But you get more out of it.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

I don't  have the money for . Nor Do I know how to put drives in raid 1.

I also don't think my power  supply could handle a second 1 tb drive.


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## ToeClaws (Nov 25, 2009)

Well, if budget's an issue for a while, just be sure to give the drive regular diagnostic checks, and keep all your important data backed up.  Periodic clicking noises often only hint at forthcoming problems - as I said, it could continue to work for months or even years.  As long as you have backups of stuff, you'll be fine.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

Nothing to back up too.


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

Sinjo said:


> I don't have the money for . Nor Do I know how to put drives in raid 1.
> 
> I also don't think my power supply could handle a second 1 tb drive.


The storage capacity has nothing to do with how much electricity it uses. It's more or less the speed that the disc spins at (7200 RPM is the standard). Regardless, they don't use that much energy.



ToeClaws said:


> Well, if budget's an issue for a while, just be sure to give the drive regular diagnostic checks, and keep all your important data backed up. Periodic clicking noises often only hint at forthcoming problems - as I said, it could continue to work for months or even years. As long as you have backups of stuff, you'll be fine.


 seconded.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

as it stands, I believe I have I belive a 475w power supply. My 9800 takes 450 of that.

I'm not sure how much power HDD take.


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## Irreverent (Nov 25, 2009)

Sinjo said:


> My HDD seems to be making these sounds.  S'a 1tb seagate. Every so often it makes a click or something. I've run seatools, seagates HDD diagnostic tool.  THe program finds nothing wrong after the test I run. However the HDD stops making the noises for some time after the test has run.



The fact that the sound signature changes after use suggests that the click sound you are hearing is the arm mechanism parking and unparking the heads.  Seagates are notoriously loud at this.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=156802 might shed some light.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

That's a relief.


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

No. You have plenty of power. An Nvidia 9800GTX (i'm assuming that's what it is. The only other gfx card I can think of with that number is the old ATI radeon 9800 ) uses about 200 watts at max, but recomends haveing at least a 450W PSU so that you have enough power left over to power the rest of the system too. The CPU probably uses somewhere between 65 and 125 watts leaving the remaining 150 watts for Hdds, optical drives, fans, lights, mobo power, etc.
(This is a very basic understanding of PSUs. I know there is more to it than that, but for the purpose of this thread, I don't think we need to worry about it)

What else do you have in that system?


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

Wireless card that I don't use.


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm assuming that your system doesn't have any extras like a second dvd drive, or a 50 fans and led lights everywhere.

If an simple wireless card is the only other thing in there, then you have plenty of power for more HDDs. 

Edit: my old system ran on a 550 Watt PSU that powered:
3.0 GHz Dual core CPU (140 Watt i believe)
4x ram modules
3 HDDs
1 DVD burner
An 8800 GTS (one of the older, more power hungry models)
A sound card
3 or 4 fans, plus case lighting.


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## ArielMT (Nov 25, 2009)

Also, see if you can't read the drive's SMART data.  I have no idea if Seagate's tools let you do this.

I don't know how to get meaningful data through Windows, but the smartmontools package for Linux has the smartctl program which can read a drive's SMART data and run its tests.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

the SMART test doesn't work >: (


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## xcliber (Nov 25, 2009)

You have to enable SMART Monitoring in your system bios first, if your mobo supports it.


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## Sinjo (Nov 25, 2009)

I don't believe it does. I don't remember seeing an option.


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## Hottigress (Nov 26, 2009)

Throw it at a wall, that always helps.


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