Is a noisy hard drive a sign of trouble? Many people get worried when their computer starts making a loud noise or their external drive goes “click, click, click”. Nobody wants their computer to stop working from one moment to the next – it is where we keep our most important documents, and often files that exist nowhere else.
Noises, clicking or overheating usually point to a mechanical fault: switch off your hard drive and stop trying. In those cases, hard drive data recovery is done in a clean room, starting with a free diagnosis.
But is the noise normal? How can you tell what is going on? In this article you will learn what each kind of noise means and what risks it poses to your drive.
Noisy hard drive: is it normal?
First of all, some noise is normal in most hard drives. They are mechanical devices, made up of spinning magnetic platters and an arm that moves the heads that read and write the data. You may hear the drive working from time to time, especially when you turn the computer on or off.
But be careful: not every noise is normal. Below are some tips to help you recognize the situations that may signal a problem, such as a drive that is very loud or makes strange sounds.
Clicking hard drive
One of the noises that worries computer and external drive owners the most is clicking, also known as the “click of death”. It usually points to physical damage, and you should stop using the drive. If the data matters to you, consult a data recovery company.
Hard drive chirping like a cricket
What if the noise is so faint and constant that it sounds like there is a cricket inside your computer or external drive? In this case a more thorough check is needed, but the noise may well be normal.
As we explained, the drive’s arm reads and writes data on the magnetic platters, which spin around a spindle. On some models you can hear this movement, but it is worth keeping an eye on it. Further down we explain how to check whether your hard drive is OK.
Scraping or scratching noise
Another sound that alarms users is a scraping noise, like a needle dragging across a record. It can also be a sign of physical damage to the read/write heads, the parts that read the platter surfaces.
When the heads are broken or faulty, they can make this strange noise, and it should be taken seriously: in the worst case the heads are touching the platters. Stop using the drive and contact a data recovery company if the data is important.
Beeping hard drive
A beeping sound can also signal trouble. Like clicking, it can be caused by physical damage (such as a drop or exposure to water or heat), a failing motor, stuck heads and other problems. As with other strange sounds, it can be serious, and we recommend that you stop using the drive.
External drive making a ticking sound
Another common complaint is an external drive that keeps ticking. The sound is similar to the clicking described above and is most likely related to physical damage to the heads.
Hard drive making a lot of noise and not recognized
And if the drive is very noisy and is not recognized either? In that case it has very probably suffered mechanical damage. With an external drive, it is still worth ruling out the cable or the USB port you are using.
An outdated driver can also cause an external drive not to be recognized. Check these points and, if that does not solve it, read on.
Why does a hard drive make noise?
The situations above give you an idea of the problems that can make a hard drive noisy. To deal with each one, though, it helps to understand them in more detail. Here are the most common faults behind the noise.
Insufficient power supply
If the drive does not get enough power, it may not work properly and can fail in ways that produce noise. A hard drive draws the most current when it spins up, so a weak power supply, a cheap adapter or an unpowered USB hub can be enough to cause trouble.
Faulty or incompatible cable or port
With external drives, a common cause of noise is a faulty cable or USB port. Try a different cable and port before taking the drive to a specialist.
Physical damage
Fire, excessive heat, water or impacts can damage the drive and make it rattle or click.
Bad blocks
Bad blocks are, in short, a damaged block of the disk. Nowadays, disks have a technology that allows the data stored on that damaged part to be transferred to another area of the component, so it’s not even obvious that there’s been a problem.
The trouble starts when the drive develops so many bad blocks that the reserve area begins to fill up and new ones keep appearing. The drive then struggles to read the data, retries over and over and may become noisy and fail.
Stuck heads
As we explained, the heads are the parts that read and write your data. If the drive is dropped or knocked hard, they can get stuck on the platters, causing the noise.
Faulty spindle motor
One of the most common causes of hard drive noise is the spindle motor, which spins the platters. When this motor fails or develops problems, the platters do not spin as they should and the drive becomes noisy.
Failed or shorted PCB
Finally, noise can also be caused by a fault in the printed circuit board (PCB). Power surges, in particular, can damage this board and affect other components of the drive.
How can I check whether the hard drive is OK?
So how do you find out which of these causes is behind the noise? Here are some safe checks to help you understand what is wrong with your drive.
Step 1 – Make sure the noise is not coming from another component
It may sound obvious, but many people do not realize that the noise is coming from another part rather than the drive. Fans, the power supply, speakers and other components can also fail and make noise.
Step 2 – Back up first, then check before repairing
Once you have ruled out other components, and if the drive is still accessible, copy your important files to another drive before anything else. If the drive clicks, beeps or scrapes, turn it off and do not run any repair tools: every extra hour of use can make the damage worse.
If the noise is mild and the drive works normally, you can check the file system read-only from the Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), opened with the Windows + X keys, by typing chkdsk C: (replace C with the drive letter). Avoid chkdsk /r on a drive you suspect is failing: it reads the whole surface and writes changes, which can finish off a damaged drive and make recovery harder.
Step 3 – Use a diagnostic program
You can also use a program to look into what is behind the noise. Tools such as HD Tune offer tests that show the drive’s performance and health, such as Benchmark, Health and Error Scan.
The Health tab reads the drive’s SMART data, which is the safest place to start; all attributes should be OK. Benchmark compares your drive’s speed with others that work properly, and Error Scan should show only green blocks. Bear in mind that Benchmark and Error Scan read the entire surface, so do not run them on a drive that is making abnormal noises.
And if the results look fine but you still suspect something is wrong, make sure all your important files are backed up.
How can I recover data from a noisy hard drive?
If the checks point to a problem, take the drive to a specialized data recovery company. Do not try to open a very noisy hard drive or an external drive that keeps ticking. There is a good chance the problem is physical, and tampering with the parts without the right knowledge and a clean room can make things worse, or even destroy the data for good.
If the drive has suddenly stopped working, contact a company that specializes in data recovery, such as Bot. What matters is not to damage the drive any further and to rely on qualified professionals who will assess whether the problem can be solved or the damage is irreversible.
If the drive is clearly deteriorating but still working, copy your data and replace it before it fails completely. That is far better than being caught off guard by the loss of important files.
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Conclusion
As we have seen, the unexpected happens, and you may be caught off guard by a noisy drive that has stopped working. If that happens, contact our data recovery service and ask for a quote. We can help you get your files back, even if the drive itself can no longer be used.
Get in touch now and find out how we can help.
