Anyone use the 160gb 5400rpm SATA Hitachi? I need help

The story is, I purchased the 160gb from Newegg for my Z84j, at first few weeks, it works great. But after that for 3 weeks, i experience random freezes of the computer. Freeze here means is like a hardware issue rather than software, the freezes ramdomly happen about every 2 or 3 days and it usually freeze for 3 secs. After that freezes, i heard the HDD clicking noise ( usual noise of HDD) and the hdd lights blinks one time and the system back to normal.

Then I decide to buy another 160gb from a local computer shop, with same specs/ brand . I install in the system with fresh windows etc. it in for few days... after that a week, i experience the same freezes with the other HDD.

NOte : my system is clean, no sign of virus or spyware. I tried to reinstalled windows many times on the both HDDs but the same symptoms still shows up.
The question is:
- Have you ever experience anything like this
with your 160gb HDD? ( really need this answer from other 160gb hitachi owner)

- I don't know if it's a "Nature of a large HDD" or not but i'm afraid.

-could this freezes caused by other hardware? I just suspect it's HDD because both of my HDDs aren't so responsive when i open up a program. For example, sometimes it takes like 3 , 4 secs to open a folder in windows explorer. Or recently is nearly 10 secs to load TRillian after i click on the shortcut. Sometimes it takes a while to load the FN fuction key ATK "Software" to control the volume.

- I dont' really mind about the responsiveness of the HDD but the freezes worries me.

- I have no other laptop to test my HDD so I don't know if it's because of the computer or the HDD

- Does this issue can be related to Ram also?

- My system specs
Core 2 T7200
2gb ram Gskill 667
160gb HDD hitachi 5400rpm ( i have 2 of these both causes random freeze)
and other usual stuff.

i''ll contact newegg soon for an RMA though.. i'm now busy with finals at school.

 

Lets try a couple of things here:

Before you RMA either of your Hard Drives, download HDTune and test your hard drive, also check the status of both hard drives.

Lets assume both hard drives operate well in terms of performance and show a sign of good health.

The next thing to look at is the RAM, you can download memtests and run it, and see what it indicates.

After this I would do my own tests on the ram, take out 1 stick of ram, and then run the laptop, and see if this freezing problem occurs, if it continues, remove this ram module. Then install the previously removed ram module and place that into the laptop. Then test if that causes the notebook to freeze.

Then once again, place both sticks of ram back into the laptop and test if the laptop continues to freeze.

Despite the fact you mentioned your laptop being clear of viruses and spyware, keep task manager open and on top, always, so you can see if there's a particular program that is causing this or if not, it may be back to square one, a hardware problem.

Let us know how things turn out.

 

As mentioned, it's a good idea to go through the diagnostics first. However, I can't help comment that this HD behavior is exactly what my friend's laptop was displaying as it was dying. It would make a click sound and everything would freeze for a few seconds, then after the hard drive made a semi-normal accessing grinding sound, and the system would "unfreeze". This became more and more frequent until it finally died on him. I think his was also a Hitachi, but on a year-and-a-half old Acer.

 

I've been using the Hitachi S541616J9S 160GB drive for over a month now. I haven't had any problems.

 

I have not had any problems with mine that was from the factory in my G2.
I would test first before returning it.

 

you're 100% sure it is in udma mode and not pio?

 

thanks milestonepc and others . I'll do the Ram test stuff or i'll just put my spare 1gb of Samsung RAM to it and let it runs for a few days. I'll let u know the result.. i dont' think it's HDDs but it's possible to be it.

I monitor my task manager all the time, nothing suspicious. I run MSconfig to clean up unecessary things. HD tune shows the result is fine no problem at all, performance is right.


This is kinda weird that happens to both HDDs.

 

Just another update: it's my HDD problem. I switch to my Samsung Ram last night. then today i experience the freezes.

It's time to back up all my data and erase the HDD. I'll do RMA soon