HDD shouldn't sound like a siren.

[jiffy]

My sisters said her computer was making a loud noise, like a police siren. It made this noise twice last week, where a reboot cleared it up.

She thinks it was the HDD. I never had a problem with a HDD, so I need some help.

1. Is there a way for her to test the HDD?
2. How long does her HDD have, once it starts to make this noise?
3. What is the simplest way to copy one HDD to the other? Could she put the drive in, and just copy C: to D:? The less she has to do the better.

The HDD is a Maxtor Dia Plus 20GB and it's about 6 months, and she leaves it on during the day. Any info. on this HDD, or two my question would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


This should work, it jump out of my favorites that I hardly use, and only have a couple of. <A HREF="http://www.maxtor.com/softwaredownload/default.htm" target="_new">http://www.maxtor.com/softwaredownload/default.htm</A>





Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by jiffy on 08/14/02 07:36 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Scotty35]

First thing for her to do is to copy or backup the important data of that disk to another, if she is not confident then she should get another HD and have someone remove the important drive immediately until such time someone can do it for her. Reason being the longer that drive spins the more likely the failure.

But I have heard noises simular to that only constant like, it was a case fan bearing on its way out. Still I would get her to do a backup asap or better than that a copy of the important stuff on to some other medium.

If she is adventurous and is prepared to install another HD, then it is a matter of copy or cut and paste in most circumstances for personnal data. But if she wants to replictate the setings, upgrades, programs, and everything on that disk she could use a image program and use a backup program.


The program to use from the link you provided is <A HREF="http://www.maxtor.com/products/DiamondMax/techsupport/TechnicalProcedures/20014.htm" target="_new">http://www.maxtor.com/products/DiamondMax/techsupport/TechnicalProcedures/20014.htm</A>

 

[jiffy]

Thanks for your help. She really has no way of backing anything up at the time. I'll have her run the test, hopefully that will help out and find something wrong, and go from there. It's a tough call not hearing the noise myself, but I'm thinking I'll get her a new drive and take hers and send it back if it goes bad. hopefully the test will find something wrong, if that's the case.




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[lhgpoobaa]

well firstly, make sure its the HDD and not something like a fan thats making the noise.

if it is the drive then a backup is reccomended asap. there are programs around like ghost or drive image that make copying of drives simpler.

corse you can do it the old fashioned way if u like... make the old drive the backup, install a new os onto the new one then copy accross all her data files and stuff.

<b>Before visiting THG i was a clueless noob. Now im still clueless, but look at my nice title!<b>

 

[jiffy]

Like Scotty said if it was the fan you would think it would be constant. I heard my computer flip out a few times, and it usually was the speaker. She described the noise like a siren, loud enough she had to leave the room while she was on the phone. I wish I new more about, when HDD go bad.

If it is her HDD I want to spare her loading any drivers. Drive image should be simple enough for her. It's just a matter of getting the image on another drive before it to late. If it ends up it isn't her drive, then I'll use it.




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[lhgpoobaa]

yeah... but not allways.
had a fan on my old p2-300 psu that was wierd
on and off.
sounded like it was possesed.

but anyway, safest thing is to a drive image... just to be sure

<b>Before visiting THG i was a clueless noob. Now im still clueless, but look at my nice title!<b>

 

[Scotty35]

Well actually that fan noise would stop sometimes when I thumped the top of the case.lol



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[AndrewT]

90% of the time the CPU fan bearing going dead when you hear siren like whine, reboot does fix that till next cold boot after letting it cool for a while. Weird but my chipset's fan made weird sounds once and then died, but it was far from a loud siren.

100% if you got no other fans in the case

Powersupply fans so far didn't make any sound for me, they just quit spinning after going slower and slower (good old 486 setups).

<font color=red>Got a silent setup, now I can hear myself thinking.... great silence</font color=red>

 

[jiffy]

Her system is only about 5 months old, and I put one to two Enermax case fans inside, on half speed, also used an Enermax P/S and I don't think it spins to fast. God forbid it's the CPU fan. I will mention to her to check the fans though, you never know. She put her own Network card in, so taking off the cover off shouldn't be a problem the next time the noise starts. And chance's are pretty good she'll put the drive in, and do the Image herself, with my instruction. I think were in good shape, unless of coarse something dies first. She won't be home for about a week, since she home visiting. Thanks for everybody help.




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[Tiberius13]

If it sounds like a siren and makes her leave the room when she's on the phone...... doesn't that sound kinda like a temperature alarm ?????

When she shuts down and reboots... the temps drop so all is fine. There might not be any real problem here at all, except simple overheating (and perhaps raising the alarm level is all that is necessary).

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[jiffy]

That's the first thing I thought, but I have my doubts. Unless her settings got screwed up. She's running a big bad 1200 Duran, and about the only stress she does to the system is listen to the radio on AOL, plus her place doesn't get very hot. But there is no harm in double checking. Thanks




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[Scotty35]

heh, thunda struck! oh sorry I was listening to you know who at peak amplitude!!!!

Anyway, if they are enermax fans then I would almost conclusively say its not the fans.

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[jiffy]

I didn't think of that, I'll have to ask her if thunder struck. hehe
I may ask simple question at times, and it may hit me in the head later. I could search the Internet, and never have to ask a question, but if everybody did that, then only other would stay alive. Being my sister's computer I want to be aware of every possibility and two heads are better then one, in this case many heads. Hmm that sounds a little weird. I am more prepared now then I was, so I do appreciate everybody's effort.




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[Scotty35]

No probs bro, take it easy and no hair will be lost! huh yeah its friday night so whoopeee.

Answer was given so just have a beer and whatever man.


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[cakecake]

It's not the PC speaker? Does it sound artificial or like a scraping noise? Indulge our senses here so we can get a visual picture of the sound you're describing.

1° of separation between my monopoly and yours. That's business with .NET

 

[jiffy]

What are you talking about I was just replying to what you said. You make it sound like I was getting on your case, I wasn't.




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[jiffy]

Just a loud siren noise, that's all I know, and I won't know anymore till next week sometime. I'm going to tell my sister to take the side off, so when it does it again, she'll know for sure.



Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[Scotty35]

Sorry man. Come out wrong.

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[jiffy]

It's not the first time I was misunderstood, probable won't be the last.



Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?

 

[Scotty35]

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[jiffy]

[Thanks]




Hey Baby, want to play with my computer?