# Weird Noise



## Creatre (Mar 27, 2008)

Every once in a while my hard drive makes this weird noise. Its the Seagate Barracudda, check system specs. It's a click (btw, I'm assuming its the hard drive). I used to have this same noise on my laptop everytime it crashed, so I cringe everytime I hear this noise. Is this normal? This hard drive runs extremely quiet all the time except for this one sound. Searched and didn't find anything similar, but let me know if there is another thread on this.


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## Snake05 (Mar 28, 2008)

When hdd's make clicking noises, it is normally not a good noise.  How old is the drive?


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## Sasqui (Mar 28, 2008)

^ agree!  Unusual HDD sounds usually mean impending failure, so make sure you have any critical data backed up!


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## Creatre (Mar 28, 2008)

Sasqui said:


> ^ agree!  Unusual HDD sounds usually mean impending failure, so make sure you have any critical data backed up!



Exactly what I thought. It hasn't made it in about 24 hours, but its been making the noise regularly every 5 or 6 hours though. The hard drive is less than 2 weeks old, bought it brand new from Newegg with all the other parts of my build. You guys think I should RMA it or wait til it fails?


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## Duxx (Mar 28, 2008)

RMA that, might as well back up and get rid of it before you think its fixed itself, crashes, and you lose important data.  Not worth taking the chance


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## Creatre (Mar 29, 2008)

Looking for one or two more people to give some advice before I go through the hassle of RMA'ing the Hard drive. It's only made the noise once since I first posted this thread.


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## Darknova (Mar 29, 2008)

Creatre said:


> Looking for one or two more people to give some advice before I go through the hassle of RMA'ing the Hard drive. It's only made the noise once since I first posted this thread.



I remember reading an article about google doing investigations into heat failure with hard drives and they came to the conclusion that heat wasn't a factor in hard drive failure. However, they did go on to say that hard drives either fail within the first 3 months, or they go on to last for years. Of course, assuming you aren't hammering it constantly.

It just makes me think maybe you got one that will fail soon.

I'd RMA it, don't take the chance and lose all your data


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## AsRock (Mar 29, 2008)

RMA it is the best option...  Other wise you may loose your data.  A friends did and he ended up keeping the drive but stopped making the clicking sound.  Issue was coursed by heat.


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## Creatre (Mar 29, 2008)

It's running at 30 degrees celsius so I'm pretty sure that heat isn't an issue. However I think I may just RMA it to be safe. /sigh :shadedshu


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## thoughtdisorder (Mar 30, 2008)

Sorry,but, RMA that sucker! If it's making clicking noises already, it's just a matter of time before oh sh*t! Newegg is awesome, send that baby back and get yourself another drive. Seagate is just like the other drives, sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you don't. Odds are if ya RMA it ya'll be fine with the next one........


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## philbrown23 (Mar 30, 2008)

I had a seagate barracudah 500gb hdd fail on me 2 weeks after I got it! started making that same clicking sound and then it let up and then I booted up windows and wham headcrash! regardless to say I only use western digital


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## ex_reven (Mar 30, 2008)

Why are you all saying that RMAing it is the only option?

Either way you do it, he has to backup the data.

Why not simply back up the data to prepare for the possibility that it DOES burnout.
And then when it actually does die (if it is dieing), RMA it.

My harddrives give me the occasional bit of noise. Doesnt worry me a bit since performance hasnt decreased...

Why put yourself out by RMAing a drive and having to wait for it to come back to you if you dont even know that its necessary. The drive is covered either way...


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## Snake05 (Mar 30, 2008)

If you backup now, if you continue to use it, you have to continuously back it up whenever you save important data.  I'd say RMA now with newegg, and not worry about having to RMA through Seagate in the future (big PITA, plus costs $15-$20).


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## ex_reven (Mar 30, 2008)

Snake05 said:


> If you backup now, if you continue to use it, you have to continuously back it up whenever you save important data.  I'd say RMA now with newegg, and not worry about having to RMA through Seagate in the future (big PITA, plus costs $15-$20).



If its a work rig, fair enough. But if its an everyday gaming machine you dont have to worry about continuously backing up.

Good point on the seagate rma tho.


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## Creatre (Mar 30, 2008)

ex_reven said:


> If its a work rig, fair enough. But if its an everyday gaming machine you dont have to worry about continuously backing up.
> 
> Good point on the seagate rma tho.



I appreciate the advice man. I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet, but definitely backing it up here in a few minutes either way. Oh and Dodge FTW, I have a built SRT4.


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## lemonadesoda (Mar 30, 2008)

HDDs are easily damaged in transport.  Can YOU guarantee that along the way, someone didnt drop it?

I remember buyin a 9GB SCSI (long time ago). It cost s fortune. But occasionally it made funny sounds and then failed.  Only when I looked closely did I see the HDD was actually damaged and a small sorner knocked off!!!! I couldnt believe I' missed that... but when yomething arrives you just expect it to work. Given that it was packed well, I actually think the damage was done BEFORE packing... ie on the production line but AFTER testing and QA.

RMA that thing.  HDDs are the most critical devices in your system. A failed RAM or CPU is easily replaced. Data is not.


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## Sasqui (Mar 30, 2008)

You can also run diagnostics - actually, you probably should!  I used this on two seagate 160 drives that were indeed failing (BOTH in a raid 1 array), and it quickly confirmed drive errors:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools

There's a Windows and DOS based utility.  Can take a few hours to run depending on the drive size.

WD also makes some good diagnostics - I just ran them on two shiny new WD 500GB SE16 dirves I now have... both passed with colors. IMO - the WD utility has much better reporting and interface.  They will usually work on different brand drives.


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## Creatre (Mar 30, 2008)

Sasqui said:


> You can also run diagnostics - actually, you probably should!  I used this on two seagate 160 drives that were indeed failing (BOTH in a raid 1 array), and it quickly confirmed drive errors:
> 
> http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools
> 
> ...



You are awesome. Going to run some diagnostics now.


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