AnimeSuki Forums

MeoTwister5 · 2012-04-22, 22:28

For the last 4 days or so, around once a day, my laptop would freeze and the dreaded continuous metallic clicking noise can be heard from the forward vents. Usually only happens when I'm either playing or watching a video, but generally random. Experience tells me this is one of the dreaded signs of physical HD failure. I'm on the mark right?

Any way to repair this? I'd rather not have to buy a new HD if I could, so I'll want to begin with actual repair.

Assuming of course it can't be done, well, any advice for bulk file transferring from the old HD to the new one?

synaesthetic · 2012-04-23, 00:46

Click of death is pretty much irreparable. Time to buy a new hard drive. As for transferring them over, I'd suggest an external USB to SATA hard drive adapter to do the transfer. Laptops usually don't have the facility for plugging in multiple hard drives, so connect your new HDD to the adapter and connect the adapter to USB and power and voila, transfer your files!

http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-CB-ISAT...5159935&sr=1-6

Just make sure you don't nuke them again when you reinstall Windows.

Tiberium Wolf · 2012-04-23, 02:03

Are you really sure it's the HDD making those noises? It could be something else. To make sure that is the HDD you need to use it as an external disk and see if it's really the HDD.

MeoTwister5 · 2012-04-23, 02:18

Well right now I'm running Windows 7 Backup and doing a Disk Image conversion. I have a 500Gb Seagate 5400RPM my friend gave me last month so I'm doing a HDD image transfer to this one. Hopefully the damn thing doesn't freeze as I've been writing the disc image for the last 2 hours.

MeoTwister5 · 2012-04-23, 07:24

Okay I doubt it's the HDD now. After doing backups the laptop froze still with the clicking noise. I doubt it's the video card because I don't get graphical errors and artifacts.

Still not sure what the problem is now. The freezing doesn't really bother me and it doesn't cause any real problems since it really only happens once a day, it's really more annoying than anything.

Currently running memtest to check my sticks.

Dist · 2012-04-23, 08:08

You were running a backup and it froze, so you think it's not the HDD? What kind of deduction is this? As long as the HDD is in use and it freezes, it's likely to be that. Also memsticks or anything else for that matter do not make the sound you described.

sneaker · 2012-04-23, 08:30

Yes, has to be something with mechanics. Could also be the optical drive.

Also make sure that it's not just the OS putting the HDD to sleep to save some energy.

MeoTwister5 · 2012-04-23, 08:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dist

You were running a backup and it froze, so you think it's not the HDD? What kind of deduction is this? As long as the HDD is in use and it freezes, it's likely to be that. Also memsticks or anything else for that matter do not make the sound you described.

I was running a different HDD after I transferred my old drive's disk image into the new one when it froze again. The new one is brand new, newly opened, so unless it's one of those baby failures I doubt this new HDD has the same exact issue out of the box.

The only parts I can think of that can do those sounds are either the video card, the mobo or the DVD drive, and I don't think it's the DVD drive since I barely even run anything there anymore.

I'm also starting to think the sound's coming from the speakers and not the vents, so now I have to even consider software issues. Fuck.

sa547 · 2012-04-23, 11:42

You can use HDTune Pro (you know where to find) to change the AAM settings by lowering it to 128. Did just that when the old Hitachi 80gb I had was repeatedly freezing up the PC, and after cutting down the AAM it no longer held up and I was able to copy over the files to the 250gb drive I bought.

Also, there are cases when the PC somehow feels like skipping (the mouse cursor pauses for a fraction everytime it gets moved), so I used a VBscript to reset the DMA settings (after finding out it went down to PIO mode). This script is normally used for Acer Aspire Ones with this known issue, but can also be used on any PC using an IDE drive.

Anyway, another possibility of the system freezing are memory defects. Hence you'll have to download, burn and run Memtest86 just to check if any of the modules are okay, and to find out which one needs to be replaced.

Jinto · 2012-04-25, 02:48

I can give you a few more ideas on the problem (but I don't know if anything of this applies).

The hdd can be perfectly fine but still getting power down/sleep mode commands from the notebook's SATA-controller. If such a command is followed by a power up/wake up command and those are send repreatedly in succession, the hdd doesn't know what to do (park heads, unpark heads, park heads again...).

If you can, try to disable any power saving features that target the hdd in your notebook and see if that heals the problem (remember the fault can be in a driver and or the motherboard SATA-controller as well).

Another reason for a hdd to do this, is an unstable power supply.

MeoTwister5 · 2012-04-30, 05:39

So I recently did the following:

1. Rolled back HDD drivers and reset DMA.
2. Reinstalled the software on my touchpad, then turned it off since I use a mouse all the time.
3. Solved a resource conflict between the keyboard and the Mobo.
4. Ran CCleaner and fixed 800 registry issues.
5. Removed my older RAM stick, decreasing my RAM but just in case there's a problem with the old stick.
6. Ran Verifier.exe, found a 1e problem but don't know what to do with it since the BSOD didn't list a driver.

So far no random lockups for 2 days, so I guess one or more of those I did worked. Last thing I wanted to do was update the BIOS, but that's something I'm not confident at doing lest I brick this thing.

sa547 · 2012-04-30, 05:47

^
You will have to forget about updating the BIOS, unless one's a technician or someone who knows which update works best for the motherboard, as not all of them could improve the laptop's performance or functionality.

synaesthetic · 2012-05-01, 22:18

Flashing a new BIOS or vBIOS is a joke with modern motherboards and video cards. You download a utility from the manufacturer, it pops up a window, you hit "do it" and it does it. No fuss, no muss, no booting off a floppy and typing in a bunch of manual commands.

Tiberium Wolf · 2012-05-04, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Flashing a new BIOS or vBIOS is a joke with modern motherboards and video cards. You download a utility from the manufacturer, it pops up a window, you hit "do it" and it does it. No fuss, no muss, no booting off a floppy and typing in a bunch of manual commands.

Except if the OS freezes for good and if you are in a PC and the power goes out. This is why MB with 2 bios is preferred.

Random32 · 2012-05-04, 17:33

Flashing BIOS from Windows isn't very safe. I wouldn't recommend it if you can help it.

2012-04-22, 22:28	Link #1
MeoTwister5 Komrades of Kitamura Kou Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 39	Hmmm... I think my HD's about to die. For the last 4 days or so, around once a day, my laptop would freeze and the dreaded continuous metallic clicking noise can be heard from the forward vents. Usually only happens when I'm either playing or watching a video, but generally random. Experience tells me this is one of the dreaded signs of physical HD failure. I'm on the mark right? Any way to repair this? I'd rather not have to buy a new HD if I could, so I'll want to begin with actual repair. Assuming of course it can't be done, well, any advice for bulk file transferring from the old HD to the new one? __________________ Medical Student vs. Anime Last Exile - Fam the Silver Wing -

2012-04-23, 00:46	Link #2
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 39	Click of death is pretty much irreparable. Time to buy a new hard drive. As for transferring them over, I'd suggest an external USB to SATA hard drive adapter to do the transfer. Laptops usually don't have the facility for plugging in multiple hard drives, so connect your new HDD to the adapter and connect the adapter to USB and power and voila, transfer your files! http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-CB-ISAT...5159935&sr=1-6 Just make sure you don't nuke them again when you reinstall Windows. __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!

2012-04-23, 02:03	Link #3
Tiberium Wolf Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Age: 44	Are you really sure it's the HDD making those noises? It could be something else. To make sure that is the HDD you need to use it as an external disk and see if it's really the HDD. __________________

2012-04-23, 02:18	Link #4
MeoTwister5 Komrades of Kitamura Kou Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 39	Well right now I'm running Windows 7 Backup and doing a Disk Image conversion. I have a 500Gb Seagate 5400RPM my friend gave me last month so I'm doing a HDD image transfer to this one. Hopefully the damn thing doesn't freeze as I've been writing the disc image for the last 2 hours. __________________ Medical Student vs. Anime Last Exile - Fam the Silver Wing -

2012-04-23, 07:24	Link #5
MeoTwister5 Komrades of Kitamura Kou Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 39	Okay I doubt it's the HDD now. After doing backups the laptop froze still with the clicking noise. I doubt it's the video card because I don't get graphical errors and artifacts. Still not sure what the problem is now. The freezing doesn't really bother me and it doesn't cause any real problems since it really only happens once a day, it's really more annoying than anything. Currently running memtest to check my sticks. __________________ Medical Student vs. Anime Last Exile - Fam the Silver Wing -

2012-04-23, 08:08	Link #6
Dist Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Finland Age: 33	You were running a backup and it froze, so you think it's not the HDD? What kind of deduction is this? As long as the HDD is in use and it freezes, it's likely to be that. Also memsticks or anything else for that matter do not make the sound you described. __________________

2012-04-23, 08:30	Link #7
sneaker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008	Yes, has to be something with mechanics. Could also be the optical drive. Also make sure that it's not just the OS putting the HDD to sleep to save some energy.

2012-04-23, 11:42	Link #9
sa547 Senior Member Author Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Philippines Age: 47	You can use HDTune Pro (you know where to find) to change the AAM settings by lowering it to 128. Did just that when the old Hitachi 80gb I had was repeatedly freezing up the PC, and after cutting down the AAM it no longer held up and I was able to copy over the files to the 250gb drive I bought. Also, there are cases when the PC somehow feels like skipping (the mouse cursor pauses for a fraction everytime it gets moved), so I used a VBscript to reset the DMA settings (after finding out it went down to PIO mode). This script is normally used for Acer Aspire Ones with this known issue, but can also be used on any PC using an IDE drive. Anyway, another possibility of the system freezing are memory defects. Hence you'll have to download, burn and run Memtest86 just to check if any of the modules are okay, and to find out which one needs to be replaced. __________________

2012-04-25, 02:48	Link #10
Jinto Asuki-tan Kairin ↓ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Fürth (GER) Age: 43	I can give you a few more ideas on the problem (but I don't know if anything of this applies). The hdd can be perfectly fine but still getting power down/sleep mode commands from the notebook's SATA-controller. If such a command is followed by a power up/wake up command and those are send repreatedly in succession, the hdd doesn't know what to do (park heads, unpark heads, park heads again...). If you can, try to disable any power saving features that target the hdd in your notebook and see if that heals the problem (remember the fault can be in a driver and or the motherboard SATA-controller as well). Another reason for a hdd to do this, is an unstable power supply. __________________ Folding@Home, Team Animesuki

2012-04-30, 05:39	Link #11
MeoTwister5 Komrades of Kitamura Kou Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 39	So I recently did the following: 1. Rolled back HDD drivers and reset DMA. 2. Reinstalled the software on my touchpad, then turned it off since I use a mouse all the time. 3. Solved a resource conflict between the keyboard and the Mobo. 4. Ran CCleaner and fixed 800 registry issues. 5. Removed my older RAM stick, decreasing my RAM but just in case there's a problem with the old stick. 6. Ran Verifier.exe, found a 1e problem but don't know what to do with it since the BSOD didn't list a driver. So far no random lockups for 2 days, so I guess one or more of those I did worked. Last thing I wanted to do was update the BIOS, but that's something I'm not confident at doing lest I brick this thing. __________________ Medical Student vs. Anime Last Exile - Fam the Silver Wing -

2012-04-30, 05:47	Link #12
sa547 Senior Member Author Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Philippines Age: 47	^ You will have to forget about updating the BIOS, unless one's a technician or someone who knows which update works best for the motherboard, as not all of them could improve the laptop's performance or functionality. __________________

2012-05-01, 22:18	Link #13
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 39	Flashing a new BIOS or vBIOS is a joke with modern motherboards and video cards. You download a utility from the manufacturer, it pops up a window, you hit "do it" and it does it. No fuss, no muss, no booting off a floppy and typing in a bunch of manual commands. __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!

2012-05-04, 17:33	Link #15
Random32 Also a Lolicon Join Date: Apr 2010	Flashing BIOS from Windows isn't very safe. I wouldn't recommend it if you can help it.