My hard drive is making a clicking noise?

Recently my hdd has made a clicking noise.

Every so once in a while it would be a click like when it would seek for something. What could this mean?

 

What HD are we talking about and how long have you had it and how long has it been displaying it's new behavior?

This may simply be normal, or indicate it's time to backup your data immediately and start looking for a new HD.

 

Mine use to do this, is it a "breaking" clicking sound or just a normal one? I would think it is completely normal as tiller suggested.

 

Okay thanks since I have the same laptop. I got a Seagate 320GB drive to make my main drive then I have the 320 stock WD as the 2nd drive. I think it's the WD that is making the sound I'm not sure.

I've had the laptop since June of 2008.


I never head this sound until 2 or 3 days ago.

 

Well, if the clicking happens during access I think its normal and just the head being swung back...

If it happens during idling then I'd start to worry.

You might want to try CrystalDiskInfo to read the Smart Data.

 

If it is the WD, it may be simply because of the new placement.

However, with Seagate being mentioned - I would remove the WD and see if you still hear this sound.

Seagate = suspect.

People have had some luck with using software to stop the constant head parking of the Seagate's, but can't recall the name(s) right now.

How does your computer seem with the Seagate as the system drive? I had to return 4 of them (and settle with a Scorpio Blue about 9 months ago) because of insurmountable issues with them. Hope you're doing better than that.

BTW, I'm now running a Hitachi 7K500 that is simply the fastest notebook HD I've ever had.

Cheers!

 

It shows everything is fine. You consider idling not using the computer right?

 

Idling = no HDD access.

So yes, basically not using the computer, or only using RAM

 

It's not chirping, right?.

 

It does that every so once in a while.

It only makes the sound every so often. It's not a continuous thing.

 

Is that the clicking you're talking about, though?

 

Well sometimes it clicks or other times it beeps, but not very often.

 

That's pretty weird. have you had any of the Windows disk consistency checks like Forge did?

If you have important data on the drive, back it up now.

And Forge, why did you change your avatar? It matched your signature.

 

Because it's a meme, and it's Deadpool. That trumps pie in a curbstomp battle. I'll change it back soon enough though.

 

ooooooopppsssss

 

My 250gb Seagate made random beeps and loud clicking. It seemed to occur at random. Had Dell replace it with a Toshiba, no more beeps/clicking. At the very least it didn't sound good.

 

Smart data works about 1in10 in my experience. Pretty much useless.



As for the O.P.
If this is new behavior, it's likely on the way out. Doesn't matter if you moved it, touched it, whatever. Back it up, your next click could be the last, being a WD, I would do it VERY soon.