Hard Drive Noise

Hi all,

I've noticed when i'm using my computer for FSX or any other game ( Or sometimes even Chrome ) I hear this click / tap noise come from the system.

The best way i could describe it is if you was to tap 2 spoons together lightly is that type of noise i hear. The computer is only 4 weeks old but i know that can sometimes mean nothing if something is faulty.

Is it normal to have this type of noise? I have some understanding to the "click of death" but i don't think it sounds the same as that.

I have run a few tests on the hard drive with a program to check the sectors and everything lit up green without any problems.

It could very well be normal, But i just can't remember the sound being there within the first few days of using the computer so i thought i would just check to see if it could be normal.

Thank you

If your rig is a desktop or tower it could be down to a loose cable or a spare connector rubbing up against a fan or tapping against the case cover or other parts of case frame. It could even be due to a loose/badly fitting case cover. Other possibilities are a loose/badly fitting drive/drive caddy causing the noise due to excessive vibration caused by the drive as it spins. Although less likely, it could also be down to a failing fan on either the CPU, GPU, PSU or additional case cooling fans if fitted.

Try touching the case cover when the noise is present at various points to see if that's the cause. If that doesn't resolve the issue, shutdown and remove power, then remove the casing - its normally held on by a number of screws either on the base and/or rear (desktop) or just the rear (tower). Look to see if there are any likely causes and if not, re-attach the power and fire up the rig and leave it running until you hear the noise. Carefully look in side to see if you can identify where its coming from. If it is a simply a loose cable either secure yourself or, as the rig is only 4 weeks old and therefore presumably still under warranty, take it back to be remedied. Anything else, take it back to have the part replaced.

If its a laptop then the problem may be harder to find. It could to a loose cover retainer screw on the base cover (NOTE unlike screws used to secure covers on desktops/towers, most laptops have screws that have retainer clips that keep the screw connected to the cover when it is removed). It could also be due to a loose fan or failing fan unit. Unlike desktops/towers these are vey hard to replace yourself. So take it back and let the retailer investigate/solve the issue.

I had this too and it turned out to be a software issue. I had several programs seeking disk access. When doing that all at the same time, the thing just got started and stopped continuously I guess.

Those programs were:

In startup programs:

-Power2Go8 (CD burning software). Came with something called "virtual disk" which started at boot. It scanned the drive for files, so it could copy them to a cd quicker when needed. In CCleaner I disabled it from starting automatically. Disk burning stil works, and just as fast.

--Acronis true image. Imaging software. Also scans the drive while running, so it can make backups on a schedule (every week for example). I don't use that fnction of it.

I just make an Image each week. So I disabled most of its utilities in CCleaner from starting at boot.

--A windows service called "Drive Indexing" (Or maybe it's called "Disk Indexing"). Is supposed to make acces to disk faster, but doesn't really. Just keeps the disk busy all the time.

--Viruses and Spyware. Can often access the disk a lot, and a paid AV suite cleared those issues right up.

--Old no longer used registry entry's. These often keep trying to start programs that have long been removed. Can't start them at boot, and keeps attempting it time and time again. CCleaner cleaned much of that up. The rest were cleaned by my AV suite.

My HDD used to keep "thrashing" as it's called. Constantly you heard drive access. No more! Pc now whisper quiet.:)