# Uh oh! Hard drive problem. Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792 "2002-05-19T04:29:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/1 "2002-05-19T04:29:40Z")
The hard drive in my Dell is just 4 months past warranty, so of course it’s acting up. About 1 month ago is started making a loud clicking noise and briefly stopping; the computer stops when this happens, although the cursor can still be moved and it doesn’t lose any data or anything. This happened maybe once a day. Now it happens a LOT; a loud CLICK-click, at no particular interval. Sometimes it does it eight times in a row, sometimes just once. Sometimes it goes for 20 minutes without doing it or more. Sometimes it happens a lot. Not good. What’s wrong with the darned thing? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/2 "2002-05-19T04:42:50Z")
Sounds like possible incipient hard drive failure. Back up critical data and call Dell to arrrange for a new drive. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/3 "2002-05-19T10:00:41Z")
It’s also known as the Had Drive Death Clunk. Your HDD is definately going to fail very soon. IIRC, it’s the read/write head that is clunking and will sooner or later start ‘srcatching’ your drive surface introducing more and more bad sectors, resulting in failure when it ‘scratches’ a sector in the boot area or any of the OS area. Backup and replace NOW ! ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/4 "2002-05-19T13:29:14Z")
Thirded. I just went through the same situation about a month ago. Luckily, I’d run regular backups before the drive finally crapped out. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/5 "2002-05-19T14:55:59Z")
Or you can get a HD test program to test it. Might be some shareware ones on [download.com](http://download.com) ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/6 "2002-05-19T18:15:39Z")
Diagnostic programs can be downloaded for free from most of the major drive manufacturers’ websites. If one isn’t available you can use the 30-day trial version of [Ontrack Data Advisor](http://www.ontrack.com/dataadvisor/). However, these utilities will at most be able to diagnose hardware problems, not repair them. Since your drive is out of warranty you should buy a new drive and image the old one to it with the manufacturer’s software. Get a good screwdriver and take the old drive apart. It’s got some powerful magnets and shiny platters which can be used for craft projects. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-oh-hard-drive-problem-help/109792/7 "2002-05-19T18:59:30Z")
Figures. Good thing new drives are cheap. I’m not going to bother backing it up, though… it’s just programs, I don’t keep any important data on it. Life sucks, n’est-ce pas?