XPS 17 L702x / Stock Hard Drive + new SSD = clicking noise & slowdowns

I am a happy XPS 17 owner since Thursday. Standard equqiment besides graphics adapter (GT 555M) and hard drive (640 instead of 500 Gbyte).

But now I'm going crazy with a problem:
I've bought a new Corsais SATA3-SSD. It should become the Win7-boot device, while the hard drive is 2nd drive for large files.

As soon as I connect the SSD and start up the laptop, the hard drive starts to make a clicking noise.
Just after the boot screen it starts with a loud click, then you can hear the electric motor of the hard drive whirring, just like when it's being reactivated from standby mode. This behaviour repeats every 0,5 - 2 minutes.
Strange enough, I can access the hard drive without problems in Win7.

First suspicion: Connector for HDD2 (where the hard drive has been re-located to) may be broken. So I switched the SSD from HDD1-connector to HDD2, re-connected the hard drive to HDD1, result: Clicking noise, just as before.
It stops clicking once I disconnect the SSD, so it almost seems like the SSD is causing the abnormal behaviour of the hard drive.
(the hard drive is a Toshiba MK6461GSY btw)

Do you have any explanation for this silly behaviour, or any idea what to do to fix this?
I'm somewhat afraid that sooner or later, the hard drive will die if I keep it running while clicking/whirring...


I'm grateful about any hint you may have! Don't want to call Dell support yet.


EDIT: Video showing problems with stock HDD + fresh SSD
YouTube - Dell XPS 17 problem with standard HDD + added SSD

 

Just a possibility:

The HDD occassionally make those clicking and whirling sound when there are insufficient power supply.

L701X PSU is 150W, what is yours?
What is the power requirement for your SSD?
Are you able to test any other SSDs?

 

You might want to try the Corsair support forum. It might be hogging all the resources.

 

I've got a mediocre solution now:

If I insert my old OCZ Vertex II (60 Gbyte SATA2-SSD) into the laptop, it works flawlessly together with the Dell Toshiba-HDD (also SATA2).

If I use the new Corsair P3-64 (SATA3-SSD) in my desktop PC, it also works flawlessly together with my other SATA2-hard drives.
(it's an AMD chipset there tho, no Intel like in the laptop)

Basically, switching SSDs from Laptop to desktop PC and vice versa could be a possible "solution". But only an improvised and in no way satisfying one, because now all the SATA3-speed potential of the new Corsais SSD goes down the drain.

Since I also don't feel like re-installing Win7 on my desktop PC (been on the OCZ before, would have to be on new Corsair now), and mirroring isn't a solution because of the problematic SSD-alignment, Dell support must step in now.

If in doubt, they shall just send me a new hard drive. As far as I know, Dell also uses Samsung drives and others, not only Toshiba ones.

Workload so far: >10 hours. That's just what one expects when buying a complete system from a brand manufacturer...

 

I was planning a similar setup (with a sata 3 SSD)... I hope the problem is just in your laptop (and they replace it for you) and not for every sata 3 devices

 

Nice video, showing the problem. Do you have another hard drive to test with?

I had a similar issue with a 640GB WD blue hard drive that I assumed was bad. It would boot as the only drive, but as second drive it made clicking noises and slowed down the boot and then once booted even though it showed in explorer it could not be accessed. Even as the only drive after a few hours of use the laptop would hang and so I replaced the drive. Other drives I used worked fine as single or dual on the same laptop (Samsung 640GB, WD 500 Black).

Since it works fine with your Sata-2 SSD. Possibly a compatibility issue with Sata-3 and Sata-2 devices trying to be used at the same time?

 

Warning to everyone planning to use a SATA3 SSD in their XPS 17:


My problem has been experienced by another user in German forum, too.
He used an Intel 510, so a different brand than my Corsair.
His hard drive is going nuts just like mine.

I have tried my OCZ SATA2 SSD yesterday - no problems at all with the Dell/Toshiba hard drive, which also is SATA2.

Conclusion so far:
The XPS 17 might cause problems for people mixing SATA2 (Dell hard drive) and SATA 3 devices (SSD for example), just like jstyles suggested.


Take that in mind when thinking about buying a SSD.
I will get another OCZ SSD with SATA2 just like in my desktop PC, and send the Corsair SSD back.

 

-.-
Dell should fix this sh*t

 

Dell don't know how to fix themselves a sandwich for lunch

 

Do you have a link to that german site?
I have a ocz vertex 3 on order so would be interested to know if this is a common fault?
thanks

 

Yes, here's the link to the German forum:
[XPS17] WARNUNG: XPS 17 L702x & SATA3-SSD mit Standard-Festplatte = Klackern und Hänger - Seite 2 - Hardware Probleme - DELL XPS FORUM www.xps-forum.de - DELL FORUM

 

I used Google translate on that German site. Who else on that forum is experiencing the problem? The original poster was simply quoting your post. Another guy seems to have a clicking sound...?? I can't tell, not all the words are translating properly. And this is the most recent post in the thread, where a person is using SATA 3 w/ SATA 2 and having no problems:

I'll post my results in a few weeks, soon as I can get my hands on a Crucial m4.

 

Looks like someone else on the german site has added a sata III ssd without any problems.
Heres the translation

--------------------

I inserted my Crucial C300 256GB now. That is also a SATAIII SSD. They-run problem-free together with the Toshiba. To hear no clacking or the like of the Toshi. The Toshi exchanged then for my Seagate Momentus XT. Also no problems.

 

The guy with the Intel 510 SSD named bocki wrote:

and

...which means as much as: "I also have a clicking sound if I insert my Intel 510 SSD on slot 2." +
"edit: I installed Windows updates and while booting and configuring, the hard disk kept clicking, but after booting up it stopped"

But you're right, a couple of hours ago another guy named fuzzytest reported to have no problems with his Crucial C300 SSD.

The problem is that there are so many possible sources for this problem: Different mainboard/bios revisions, different hard drives (not all XPS 17 laptops have Toshiba hard drives), different SATA3 SSDs etc.
Thus, some people might experience problems, while others don't.

 

On a Italian forum, someone had NO problems with the Crucial C300 sata3 too.
I hope the problem isn't about the new Sata3 ssd models (I'm planning to buy the Vertex3 or the Crucial C400)

 

Arent the intel 510 SSD and the Corsais P3 series (i take you have that one) sort of the same? They have the same marvel controller and so on.

 

Just received my Crucial C300 128gb drive and can confirm there are no problems using it with the 640gb toshiba drive that came with the laptop.

Takes 14 secs to load to the windows password screen, mightly impressed.

 

I also have an xps 17 l702x standard 500gb harddrive. After installing an intel 510 ssd (sata 600), i'm experiencing similar problems as OP (hdd is making a creaking noise). The german xps forum has multiple posts about this problem as well. most affected systems seem to have the intel ssd though.

 

If you hdd is Seagate, then you can fix the problem by installing modified firmware from DELL:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...7122-seagate-st9500420as-firmware-update.html

Please remember to read the final step about the command to force the firmware to be updated.

 

Unfortunately, that firmware is not compatible with ST9500423AS which is the new Momentus 7200.5 family (instead of 7200.4 family).

At least, it seems not to be compatible and i'd rather not brick the drive .

I've contacted Dell Technical Support about this issue, perhaps they can swap my drive for the ST9500420AS.

 

@ ppvanderent:
Due to the fact, that I could not contact you via pm or email I would like to ask you to contact me, if the Dell Technical Support helped you.

 

They told me that two hdd's is not supported. So they would not help me. Their only advice was to uninstall the freefall sensor driver, which obviously does not solve this problem.

I gave up on this issue. In fact, i've now removed the Dell HDD altogether and I'm currently only using the SSD (maybe I'll buy a cheap WD hdd, because i think the problem is seagate related).

 

I am running an Intel x-25m 80GB SATA II plus a 640GB drive that came with a laptop. It runs great.

 

Hahahahahahaha, two HDD is not supported? And they put 2 bays in why? Find a different person on the phone, you obviously got one of the clueless ones.

I have no issues with my SSD+500GB Seagate (from Dell) combo. This is a bizarre issue to be sure.

 

Don't get a WD, I'm having the same problem with my Intel 510 SSD and my 750GB WD Scorpio Black. Clicking and slow boot times when both drives are in my M18X. Quite annoying as it boots in 10-12s with only SSD present and 30-35s with both drives in. Really not sure how to fix this. Anyone here have an Intel SSD and another HDD that don't conflict? If so, what brand is your HDD?

 

What brand is your HDD?

 

i'm having an identical issue with my m17x r3. i have a 120gb intel 510 ssd and a 640gb wd hdd. i had no problem pairing my 80gb x-25 with a wd hdd in my L702X.

 

fixed it by abandoning the 510 altogether and putting in a 320 (160gb X-25) instead. no more issues. sad, though; i wanted that 7.8 hd windows eval score (yes, i know it's algorithmically bs ;-))