Hard Drive Clicking

One of my hard drives (I think it's the system drive) clicks every several seconds, and just a second before that happens, the computer just stops. I can move the mouse, but websites don't load, videos don't load, games freeze, and then several seconds later, everything returns to normal as if nothing ever happened. Then, the hard drive clicks again. I did some searching online, and I found several websites that say that the drive is probably fucked up, and I need to consider a new one. Is this the case? I have the SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD501LJ 500GB hard drive.

 

it may also mean that your power supply could be dying. i have a 2.5" external hard drive that can run on a usb cable only power but from time to time and i'll hear this noise coming from the drive. the noise sounds like something just turned off instantly.

also, are you getting enough power for all the components?!

 

i'd get a new one and back up all your shit before it dies completely. i've had clicking drives before and it hasn't ended good. best to be safe then sorry i say

 

Some laptops (I'm assuming you are using one) come with the shock detection software. It automatically stops your disk for a few seconds to ensure that there is none to minimal damage done to it. But it should only stop if you suddenly move your laptop, not just randomly. If the latter, then do as the previous comments indicated.
Edit: Re-reading your initial post, I realized that its a desktop, so I'll go with the crowd and suggest replacing it.

 

Hard drives are fragile creatures. Sometimes the clicking means they arn't getting enough power, but I'd be willing to bet that it's about to go

 

I've had a crappy drive before... a 12GB that i was stuck with for half a year after my 30GB one broke down (pathetic isn't it?) anyways before it did i believe it was doing this clicky thing. not sure if it was hardware damage, compatibility, or junk on my computer, but i would still get it replaced ASAP

 

Backup or image your drive before it craps out. Seriously, I had the same thing happen on my Western Digital 120GB HDD when it started making humming noises for some reason (persistent and loud humming).

 

More often then not when a drive is clicking it's been the power supply in my experience, it definitely could also just be the drive going, but the power supply was more often the problem the numerous times I've had customers with this problem, set them up with a new decent/good brand power supply and the clicking stopped right away, it's easy enough to test it first before you replace anything if you can get your hands on a spare power supply.

 

Yeah, you should try a better power supply from a other computer before replacing anything (If you have one, otherwise you could lend it from someone)

 

i'd still back everything up just in case ether way

 

he's right. even if it's not the hard drive but the power supply, you're still better of backing up because if the power goes then everything may go with it to.

 

Ultra X3 1000W.

http://www.directron.com/ult40064.html

It's SO much cheaper on Directron.

After some "contemplating", I figured out Clonezilla, and now I have an image of my system drive on my external drive. So, I'm safe. Unless a bolt of lightning suddenly fries every last circuit on my computer. Unlikely.

 

How old is your Hard drive? If it's a few years i'd consider replacing it. It may well be the power supply, but i'd go with backing everything up. My laptop hard drive died without any signs apart from the blue screen of death minutes before it's fatal attack. If it's clicking every few seconds it could be the laser touching the disk but if it was it would probably last a few seconds. That's why i have as many computers as possible to keep all important data in seperate places conected via one huge network for ease of access just in case something like this happens.

Don't take a risk though, in the end it may not start up :'(

 

Hard disk drives use magnetic heads, not lasers. Those are only for optical media. I built my computer early this year. I'm confident it's the hard drive's fault, because the other one doesn't display such symptoms. I have a backup, and I plan on replacing the hard drive once it breaks down.

 

i never really understood about hard drive brands. people say one thing about one company and another but they are all the same. people say maxtor drives are bad, but i have own maxtor drives for more then 2-3+ years and it still works. it also goes with western digital. i'm not sure if it was a seagate or a hitachi hard drive, but the plastic part for the sata broke off. now it must use that particular sata cable forever.

btw, do people have their computers on most of the time or do they turn them off?! i noticed that many people leave them on.