Hard drive failing - hitachi T7K500 320GB - new issues!

[menz83]

Hey, my first post in the forum so hello to all!

Just built a new system a mere 2 weeks ago. For storage, I bought a new Hitatchi Deskstar T7k500 320GB and I threw in an old Maxtor 120GB SATA. Anyways, roughly 2 weeks after building my system and newly copying all my files from my old system to new, I start to hear a loud clicking noise coming from my new Hitachi drive. A quick google search lead me to believe that my hdd is on its way out so I empty my 120GB, back up as many files a possibvle and hope it holds out. During the whole process, the loud clicking noise was apparent. I did things like defrag and virus scan and the noise levels were simply unbelieveable! So I filled an rma at the place I bought it, switched my computer off then went to bed.

Over 24hrs later, I came home from work and thought about hooking up a spare 80GB IDE to an enclosure and back up the rest of my not so important files. I boot up into windows expecting to hear the clicking noise but there was none! I thought that it was bound to start after a few minutes, but once again I was wrong. I then tried things like defragging and virus scans but the drive is operating totally silently! My computer has been running for the last 3 hours now and I havent heard a peep from it!

This has left me confused as I dont know what could have been causing the problems in the first place. I now fear sending the drive back to the retailer for them to find there is no fault then re-charge me postage to send it back.

What do you guys think could have been the problem? Should I send it back to be sure or is it possible that there is nothing wrong with the drive?

 

[Mobius]

Where there is smoke, you will find a fire.

Your HDD is the fire.

Send it back.

DO NOT accept a "Deathstar" as a replacement - they have an absolutely shocking failure rate. Not as bad as the Quantum Bigfoot (I used to use those as door stops way back when I had a pile of over 20 of them. They were so bad that Quantum actually sent out a new drive if you just rang them up and told them you had a bad one!)

 

[menz83]

Hey, thanks for the response!

Do you think I may have problems with the retailer accepting my reasons for (near) failure? In the RMA form, there was an option for 'clicking noise when powered up' which I selected. I also gave them a brief description of the problem. Would they do specific test on the drive or just listen for the clicking noise to make their decision?

Regardless, Im gonna use the drive 24/7 for my OS only. Hopefully it will completely crash on me or at least start clicking again!

 

[Sirfiroth]

Hey, thanks for the response!

Do you think I may have problems with the retailer accepting my reasons for (near) failure? In the RMA form, there was an option for 'clicking noise when powered up' which I selected. I also gave them a brief description of the problem. Would they do specific test on the drive or just listen for the clicking noise to make their decision?

Regardless, Im gonna use the drive 24/7 for my OS only. Hopefully it will completely crash on me or at least start clicking again!

Depends on the Retailers like CC or BB can but don't usually check.
GL

_____________________
"No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head”. ~Terry Josephson

 

[SuperFly03]

Nobody tests the drive before they give you RMA, that I know of. They ask for an explanation, but I've never seen an RMA declined. What I think they do is test it after you have been given credit to see if they can resell it as new (i.e. you were just being paranoid or just didn't like the drive and sent it back) or if they have to place a claim with the original manufacturer (in which case you were right and the drive was actually bad).

BEFORE you actually send it back, I would format it the long way, don't just delete the Master file table. I don't know what you do on your computer but I sure as hell don't want the next person to recover my files and see what I have been doing (banking, finance crap, etc.)

I have heard that clicking before and it is definitely not a good sign. Last time I heard that my Maxtor about bit the dust.... luckily I saved everything and yanked the drive before it could. Then 3 months later.... my other Maxtor just died for no reason w/o warning lol. Damn! Good thing I had just graduated and didn't need any of my files 8O

 

[Yrusoad]

all my hd's have made a zipping or clicking sound within 3 months of purchase and theve all been fine but i think you should send yours back

 

[menz83]

So here we go again!

RMA'd the drive, retailer emailed to say it ws faulty, all was hunky dory! Yesterday I got my replacement drive delivered (same model) so I install, format the long way and install windows. All was going great, not a peep from the drive during the whole installation.

So once windows was up and running and i've installed most of the drivers etc, I thought i'd better copy all my files over that I backed up. Within 10-20 seconds on my copying from 1 drive to another, I start to hear a clicking noise. I was seriously confused looking around my room wondering what it could be. So I put my ear up against the case and would you believe it, its the friggin new hitachi drive sitting there clicking away. I found this very strange considering not a single nose came from it during the whole windows installation.

Now I cant help but think that thats the noise its meant to make, but my old maxtor 120GB SATA that I still use is nowhere near that loud even though it is a loud drive. Could this be the case? Is there anyone else out there with the same drive that could provide some feedback?

I have also tried the hitachi drive fitness and feature tools burned to cd-r but it wont detect my drive!! I think it maybe something to do with intel chipsets but im not sure? I cant even turn on SATAII mode! My mobo is here by the way if someone would like to confirm this:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe945G-DVI

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks