Is this the click of death?

[Viper381]

I just got my Seagate 7200.10 320GB HD today in the mail from newegg. Plugged it in, started up the comp...no problems. I run computer management and format my drive with no problem (although it took over 2 hours ) No matter. I start to transfer important files from my 80GB main, and i start to hear a clicking. I stop all transfers and listen too see if its just read/write noise, but the sound keeps on clicking. Its not a continuous click, its a random click, sometimes double click, every 3-5 seconds, even when idle.

Is this the dreadful click of death?

 

[evongugg]

Run hard disk diagnostics from the manufacturer on the drive. Use Speedfan to run a SMART test.
There could be a loose wire hitting a fan or something like that.

 

[frank43]

Run the test to check the drive.
By chance is this an Oem Drive ?
I read somewhere that the packaging used in oem drives when shipped, was causing the problems.

Drives were getting to much of beating during shipping.

 

[nprevatt]

either way no click is a good click 8)

 

[MrMr]

That is one soon to be dead drive.

 

[cheetsy]

It could be an insufficiant amount of power coming from the PSU. I had a clicking problem, be it not as often as yours when i added a fx5700 graphics card to a pc i had about 2 years ago. The one of the hard drives would click every so often, and the system would freeze for a second and then get back to whatever it was doing.

What PSU do you have?


Cheetsy

 

[cdonato]

I'd run the manufacturers diags but a click is usually the sign of fast approaching death

 

[FeareX]

My HDD gives a click once in a month or so. But it is running for 1,5 year now. Everytime the click is there, nothing happens with what im doing on the pc, no system freezes etc.

What exactly is that clicking sound?

 

[JimSpaza]

I just got my Seagate 7200.10 320GB HD today in the mail from newegg. Plugged it in, started up the comp...no problems. I run computer management and format my drive with no problem (although it took over 2 hours ) No matter. I start to transfer important files from my 80GB main, and i start to hear a clicking. I stop all transfers and listen too see if its just read/write noise, but the sound keeps on clicking. Its not a continuous click, its a random click, sometimes double click, every 3-5 seconds, even when idle.

Is this the dreadful click of death?

I got a new Seagate 7200.10 320GB drive too for Christmas. Very nice. When operating correctly, your Seagate 7200.10 should barely make a sound ever.

If the drive isn't failing, then I agree with the others here when they say to look to the power supply not having enough juice for this drive. Then again...

Did you replace your old hard drive with this new Seagate or is this Seagate an addition? Maybe this new extra drive finally taxed your existing power supply a little too much.

Did you connect this new hard drive on the same power cable from the power supply with other components? My Antec power supply has like 4 power cables to plug components into. I placed the video card (ATI 850XT PE) and my 3 hard drives all on separate power cables...just in case.

Hey experts - when people talk about not overloading one of the "rails" of the power supply, can you avoid that by not placing too many power-hungry components on any one power cable from the power supply?

 

[SuperK86]

certain components draw from different voltage "rails" in your power supply.

CPU, HDD, CD/DVD Drives, Video Cards all draw from your 12v rail, whereas others will draw from the 3.3 or 5v rail.

each component takes a certain amperage to run. If your components are draining more amperage than your PSU can supply, no power-cord-switching is going to save you.

 

[Viper381]

OK heres answers to all the questions.

First of all, i did a quick restart on my system (dont know why I didnt do that first), and the clicking has stopped. Now I dont even hear a whisper, even when writing, reading, or seeking.

I dont think my PSU is a problem, I have a Fortron Source 550W PSU.

I dont have anything else connected to the line that is plugged into my HD because the Fortron has a line that ONLY has SATA power connectors on it.

It is an OEM drive from Newegg

**Note** When I ran the SpeedFan SMART test I got these results.

"Error: Spin Retry Count has reached its threshold. Current value is 91 and threshold is 97.
According to S.M.A.R.T. specifications, your hard disk is failing and needs to be immediately replaced. Backup your data as soon as possible.

Warning: Spin Retry Count reached, in the past, its threshold. Worst value is 58 and threshold is 97.
Your hard disk is now being compared to real data used to define normal values for your specific hard disk model. This way, the analysis can automatically use proper operating ranges. The images give you an idea of how each attribute is within such range. Current and raw values are shown for easier reference for experienced users. There are 1286 hard disk models in the current archive.
Attribute Current Raw Overall

Raw Read Error Rate 93 9695115 Watch
Warning: Raw Read Error Rate is below the average limits (100-119).

Spin Up Time 95 0 Very good

Start/Stop Count 100 18 Very good

Reallocated Sector Count 100 0 Very good

Seek Error Rate 32 784 21 20429 Watch
Warning: Seek Error Rate is below the average limits (60-100).

Power On Hours Count 100 18 Very good

Spin Retry Count 91 0 Watch
Warning: Spin Retry Count is below the average limits (100-100).

Power Cycle Count 100 5 Very good

Unknown attribute 187 100 0 Very good

Unknown attribute 189 100 0 Very good

Unknown attribute 190 75 421003289 Very good

Hardware ECC Recovered 66 76632754 Normal

Current Pending Sector 100 0 Very good

Offline Uncorrectable Sector Count 100 0 Very good

Ultra DMA CRC Error Rate 200 0 Very good

Write Error Rate 100 0 Very good

TA Increase Count 100 0 Very good

NOTE: not all warnings are reflected on fitness and performance overall values as relevancy is based upon the settings from the hard disk manufacturer who is the best entity deputed to define such relationships.

NOTE : your hard disk Spin Retry Count attribute current value (91) is below the normal range (100 - 100) reported for your specific hard disk model. This means that your hard disk was unable to start the motor at the first attempt and that additional retries were needed. This is not a good sign and you should keep an eye on your hard disk. "

 

[farmkid]

Like others, I was thinking you may have a power problem. I had a drive clicking at random times and the computer would completely freeze for a few seconds. The clicking was followed by the sound of the drive spinning up. It turned out it was a loose wire in the molex connector.

However, based on your last post, it seems to be that your drive is destined to have a short life. Time to get an RMA number. Be aware, though, you will probably need results from Seagate's SeaTools software to get the RMA number.

 

[croc]

Download a copy of SeaTools from seagates' support page. Run it just to be safe. The smart stats look pretty good, but I'd just doublecheck with the seatool....

 

[Viper381]

Oy just ran the SeaTools and I'm getting a read of a failed S.M.A.R.T. threshold.

The error reads:

Status: A S.M.A.R.T. threshold was exceeded.

Any drive reporting a S.M.A.R.T. error should be considered likely to fail at any time. You should back up your data from any such drive as soon as possible. Contact your computer or hard drive vendor to obtain return information.


I bought this from newegg a few days ago and am wondering if I can get an RMA right from them. Ive heard terrible things about Seagate's RMA and would way rather deal with Newegg.

 

[qwertycopter]

Your RMA will come from Newegg

 

[croc]

Better safe than sorry... I generally run seatools when I power up the drive for the first time, then burn it in for a week, re-run... THEN I start trusting it with data / os.

The issue 'might' still be power related. But I'd bet that your RMA replacement is just fine.

 

[1Tanker]

Better safe than sorry... I generally run seatools when I power up the drive for the first time, then burn it in for a week, re-run... THEN I start trusting it with data / os.

The issue 'might' still be power related. But I'd bet that your RMA replacement is just fine.

Yeah, don't sweat about getting a replacement. All drive mfgr's occasionally have faulty/DOA drives. GL

 

[bga]

Oy just ran the SeaTools and I'm getting a read of a failed S.M.A.R.T. threshold.
The error reads: "Status: A S.M.A.R.T. threshold was exceeded."

RMA this drive immediately. It is not power - you have got a very good PSU, and the drive is new and therefore liable to fail from manufacturing defects. As it didn't fail completely, it obviously passed their quality control, but your drive has several unacceptable S.M.A.R.T. indicators.

If Seatools reports a defective drive, Seagate officially considers the drive dead, so you should have no problem with RMA. It should furthermore be considered DOA (Dead on Arrival), so the shop (not the manufacturer) should do the exchange.

 

[I]

No, the click of death is when the HDD can't find track 0 and the arm keeps making full sweeps over and over constantly at less than a second per click. Typically happens when a system is first powered on, you have no drive access at all.