Hard Drive Clicking, Not Detected - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Spotila · 07-02-2005, 09:23 AM

Hiyo,

So 3 months ago I bought a 160gb Seagate HDD. Assuming it was in good shape being brand new and all, I moved all my important files onto it. My music, important documents, albums upon albums of pictures I've taken, and so on and so forth. They'll be safe there, I thought to myself.

Alas, I was wrong. A few days ago I was transferring data from a smaller HDD (a Maxtor 40gb, my master drive) to the Seagate drive, and suddenly an error pops up saying the files cannot be copied. I click ok, try again, and quickly realise the drive is not being detected. I restart the computer, still not. I inspect the drive quickly while it's running, and low and behold it's making a clicking sound. Assuming this is bad, I remove the drive from the computer. I reboot the computer and do some research on the problem.

So apparently a clicking means there's something wrong with the heads (could someone elaborate on this?). Also, if it's clicking it is unwise to have it running at all, so I have only tried it once more since this happened (while running seagate diagnostics (which revealed nothing)). After much more research I found some pretty interesting ways to supposedly cure this problem, even if only temporarely. These include freezing the harddrive, knocking it on the top with your knuckle, and so forth. I've yet to try any of these being unsure if they'll do more harm than good. So the first question is, what suggestions can you give me to perhaps get it running long enough to copy the stuff of it?

Now, the drive is under a 1 year warrenty. I've only had it for three months, so it is covered. However, I would be heartbroken if I couldn't recover the data off it. Assuming it's possible, I would prefer I got it off before I replaced the drive. My main concern is that the warrenty will cover replacement, but it is probably doubtful it will cover data recovery aswell, right?

Logically it should, as it's evidently a defective product. My argument would be that upon buying the drive I assumed it was safe and moved all the valubles onto it. But when money is involved people don't think logically

. So the second main question is, what's the deal with data recovery? Is it expensive? If so how expensive (in $NZ if possible :P)? Is there any chance it will be covered by warrenty?

For reference, the drive was purchased from Supercheap Computers, in Auckland NZ. http://supercheappc.biz/site/

Many thanks to anyone with helpful information, I'll answer any questions you might have also.

Cheers,
Paul

goddfather40 · 07-02-2005, 01:01 PM

I had a hard drive do the same thing to me a couple years ago. Thankfully it was under warranty as well. But I had everything important backed up to CD, that was my saving grace.

JStrider · 07-02-2005, 01:22 PM

most of seagates drives have 5 year warranty... least their newer ones do...

you can try the freezing and the hitting of the drive if you want...

a buddy of mine had a drive that if it had been off over night you had to give it a good thump to unstick the heads... the drive worked fine in that condition for a few years... then he bought a new one and tossed the sticky one...

if its underwarranty i would just get it replaced... live and learn about backing stuff up...

bendsley · 07-02-2005, 02:17 PM

Never rely on harddrives. Plastic media (read compact discs) are still a good way to back stuff up.

I don't want you to start thinking that Seagate drives are bad, they aren't. Actually, Seagate and Hitachi are about the only harddrives I buy. Remember, all the hdd companies crank out IDE/Sata drives by the truckload, so some are bound to be bad. SCSI drives are hand touched and tested and come with a much better warranty, which is one reason for such a high price on them.

If it's clicking, either the heads are failing/stuck or a bearing is going out. Remember, these things spin between 5400 - 15000 rpms. Think of your car doing this.

Marvelous Marv · 07-03-2005, 07:49 AM

Is that a hard drive you're beating in your avatar?

Pragma · 07-03-2005, 09:17 AM

My advice (and I've done this before) is to put some icepacks around the harddrive and try to boot it up - then copy all important data off it as fast as possible.

The clicking noise is the disk-read heads impacting the surface of the disk or the hard drive casing. Generally known as the "click of death", it's a sign that your harddrive is dying rapidly.

Dilbert1234567 · 07-03-2005, 04:19 PM

gently hitting it can get it working again for a breif period, most likely your screwed.

RMA and get a new one

yotta · 07-05-2005, 10:34 PM

If you have to ask how much it will cost to recover your data, then you can't afford it. It usualy costs hundreds of dollars (it is delicate work, and must be done in a clean room)

Church · 07-06-2005, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvelous Marv

Is that a hard drive you're beating in your avatar?

Its a printer? Did you never see the movie?? Sheesh! haha

samspade123 · 07-07-2005, 07:59 AM

I had this happen once. I thumped it and it unstuck long enough to get most of the files off it. I have had several hard drives go on me in the past, so now I back everything up every night (learned the har way).
Good luck.

07-02-2005, 09:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
Spotila Tilted Location: NA	Hard Drive Clicking, Not Detected Hiyo, So 3 months ago I bought a 160gb Seagate HDD. Assuming it was in good shape being brand new and all, I moved all my important files onto it. My music, important documents, albums upon albums of pictures I've taken, and so on and so forth. They'll be safe there, I thought to myself. Alas, I was wrong. A few days ago I was transferring data from a smaller HDD (a Maxtor 40gb, my master drive) to the Seagate drive, and suddenly an error pops up saying the files cannot be copied. I click ok, try again, and quickly realise the drive is not being detected. I restart the computer, still not. I inspect the drive quickly while it's running, and low and behold it's making a clicking sound. Assuming this is bad, I remove the drive from the computer. I reboot the computer and do some research on the problem. So apparently a clicking means there's something wrong with the heads (could someone elaborate on this?). Also, if it's clicking it is unwise to have it running at all, so I have only tried it once more since this happened (while running seagate diagnostics (which revealed nothing)). After much more research I found some pretty interesting ways to supposedly cure this problem, even if only temporarely. These include freezing the harddrive, knocking it on the top with your knuckle, and so forth. I've yet to try any of these being unsure if they'll do more harm than good. So the first question is, what suggestions can you give me to perhaps get it running long enough to copy the stuff of it? Now, the drive is under a 1 year warrenty. I've only had it for three months, so it is covered. However, I would be heartbroken if I couldn't recover the data off it. Assuming it's possible, I would prefer I got it off before I replaced the drive. My main concern is that the warrenty will cover replacement, but it is probably doubtful it will cover data recovery aswell, right? Logically it should, as it's evidently a defective product. My argument would be that upon buying the drive I assumed it was safe and moved all the valubles onto it. But when money is involved people don't think logically . So the second main question is, what's the deal with data recovery? Is it expensive? If so how expensive (in $NZ if possible :P)? Is there any chance it will be covered by warrenty? For reference, the drive was purchased from Supercheap Computers, in Auckland NZ. http://supercheappc.biz/site/ Many thanks to anyone with helpful information, I'll answer any questions you might have also. Cheers, Paul

07-02-2005, 01:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
goddfather40 Llama Location: Cali-for-nye-a	I had a hard drive do the same thing to me a couple years ago. Thankfully it was under warranty as well. But I had everything important backed up to CD, that was my saving grace. __________________ My name is goddfather40 and I approved this message. I got ho's and I got bitches, In C++ I branch with switches -MC Plus+

07-02-2005, 01:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
JStrider Poo-tee-weet? Location: The Woodlands, TX	most of seagates drives have 5 year warranty... least their newer ones do... you can try the freezing and the hitting of the drive if you want... a buddy of mine had a drive that if it had been off over night you had to give it a good thump to unstick the heads... the drive worked fine in that condition for a few years... then he bought a new one and tossed the sticky one... if its underwarranty i would just get it replaced... live and learn about backing stuff up... __________________ -=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto

07-02-2005, 02:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	Never rely on harddrives. Plastic media (read compact discs) are still a good way to back stuff up. I don't want you to start thinking that Seagate drives are bad, they aren't. Actually, Seagate and Hitachi are about the only harddrives I buy. Remember, all the hdd companies crank out IDE/Sata drives by the truckload, so some are bound to be bad. SCSI drives are hand touched and tested and come with a much better warranty, which is one reason for such a high price on them. If it's clicking, either the heads are failing/stuck or a bearing is going out. Remember, these things spin between 5400 - 15000 rpms. Think of your car doing this. __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

07-03-2005, 04:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	gently hitting it can get it working again for a breif period, most likely your screwed. RMA and get a new one __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

07-03-2005, 07:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
Marvelous Marv Cunning Runt Location: Taking a mulligan	Is that a hard drive you're beating in your avatar?

07-03-2005, 09:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	My advice (and I've done this before) is to put some icepacks around the harddrive and try to boot it up - then copy all important data off it as fast as possible. The clicking noise is the disk-read heads impacting the surface of the disk or the hard drive casing. Generally known as the "click of death", it's a sign that your harddrive is dying rapidly.

07-05-2005, 10:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
yotta Irresponsible	If you have to ask how much it will cost to recover your data, then you can't afford it. It usualy costs hundreds of dollars (it is delicate work, and must be done in a clean room) __________________ I am Jack's signature.

07-07-2005, 07:59 AM	#10 (permalink)
samspade123 Insane	I had this happen once. I thumped it and it unstuck long enough to get most of the files off it. I have had several hard drives go on me in the past, so now I back everything up every night (learned the har way). Good luck. __________________ People in cars cause accidents, Accidents in cars cause people.