Click, click, click, click, click, click

[falcon409]

This is one for Harleyman or Texnetcop probably, although someone else might read this and have it ring a bell as well.

For about a month now, when I first start the computer in the morning I get a clicking sound. . .not constant, but in sets of 6, then a pause, then another set and a pause and so on. This goes on while the computer is initializing only. Once it finally goes to the windows startup screen, the clicking stops. Nor is there any more clicking for the entire time it's on, which is usually until midnight.

My first thought was that the HDD was going on me. But I got down by the tower (with the cover off) and listened. It was not coming from the HDD, it was coming from somewhere towards the back of the tower. I even moved my fingers around on the components in an effort to "feel" the clicks, but nothing I touched gave back any sense that it was the one clicking.

If I turn the computer off and let it set for a few minutes, it will reboot perfectly, no clicking. The only time it does this is first thing every morning. After that, I couldn't get it to click if my life depended on it, lol.

Does this sound even vaguely familiar to anyone?:wiggle:

[Tim_Horton]

Well if it was coming from the HDD then I would suggest backing up all your files your HD is going bad. Usually though when the HDD starts clicking or Scratching, noise your whole system will pause and studder. as for the other clicking, check your fans, they may be rubbing, they are really the only the moving parts that could Click. There is a MB audio and you might want to check your manufacture code list, if it is a repeating 6 clicks in a row, it could be the MB telling you there is a issue. Try to keep your finger out of the system, unless your standing on cardboard or using a static wrist band. You may be told that your MB needs a new battery.

[Daveroo]

reminds me of when one side of ONE stick of RAM was loose on my dads machine..it would click on start up only...pushed it back in place and it stopped..but sounds like you checked already

[falcon409]

Here's some additional info about the initial startup. the clicking corresponds to screen changes as well. It will start the clicks when I turn it on. . .6 clicks and the initial screen pops up, that screen goes away and then the HDD initialization screen displays, showing the two HDD's and the external drive. . .6 clicks. . .pause. . .6 clicks. . .pause. . .2 clicks. . .pause. . .2 clicks and it changes to the final initialization screen "checking DMI Pool" which shows all the IRQ's. It will sit at this screen for about 2 minutes with a continual series of 6 clicks and a pause and so on. If it hasn't gone to the Windows screen after 2 minutes an additional line pops up at the bottom asking if I want to boot from the CD. It will hang there indefinitely.

Turn off the puter. . .wait. . .turn it back on and the scenario begins again. It sometimes takes 4 or 5 restarts before it will finally momentarilly pause at the last screen, click 6 times. . .click once and it goes to windows and from there on, as I said no more clicking and no repeat of the problem if I turn it off and then back on, no matter how long I wait.

[Major_Spittle]

You're not tapping your foot while you're waiting for to finish booting are you? :kilroy:

[VCN-1]

I would download a HD utility program from the manufacturer's site and run it.

I had a HD that started to click and I ran the utility which told me it needed to be replaced because failure of the HD was close.

VCN-1

[letsgetrowdy]

My computer will sometimes hum as though it is vibrating against something, but when I check, it is not. sometimes when I put pressure on the surface of it, it stops, then starts again about fifteen minutes later.
:confused:

[roger-wilco-66]

This comes to my mind:

- If the hdd is suspect I would (activate in the bios ) check the S.M.A.R.T status of the harddisk. You would see at once if the drive starts to fail. I regularly check that (once every two years - hehe just a joke).

- I once had a faulty ball bearing in a fan that clicked when the bearing was cold. After a minute or so the clicking faded away (bearing got warm and expanded, I guess).

- I also had a failing power supply once, that made funny noises until it conked out for good. Expecially when I started the PC and the electrolyte capacitators were not charged it acted very unrelieable and noisy. When I started the PC a second or third time it usually was OK.

- I have an external USB hub with a own strong power supply that is apparently strong enough to supply the 5 volt bus in the PC backwards and cause some voodoo effects (noises, too, when I disconnect it without the PC running).

@rowdy: get a cork mat (like one uses for the floor or wall) and a good contact glue und glue the mat from the inside on the sheet metal surfaces of the computer case (watch tolerances of course ...) . That is cheap and works wonders.

Just a few ct...

Cheers,
Mark

[DX-FMJ]

could just be a fan

[Snave]

This comes to my mind:



@rowdy: get a cork mat (like one uses for the floor or wall) and a good contact glue und glue the mat from the inside on the sheet metal surfaces of the computer case (watch tolerances of course ...) . That is cheap and works wonders.

Just a few ct...

Cheers,
Mark

Cheaper still: get some Blu-Tak, roll out a few sausage lengths about a pencil width in diameter, lay in X-pattern on the case walls and floor. Should alleviate most vibration, Also stand the computer feet on some if the computer sits on a solid surface. Incidentally it can also be a good place to secure an SSD... yes, really!

[falcon409]

I appreciate everyone's input, but the one thing no one is paying any attention to is as I posted earlier. . .the clicks are synchronized to the way the screens change during the intialization. It isn't vibrations, it isn't a bad fan. . .it isn't me tapping my foot waiting for it to boot, and I don't believe it's the HDD as the noise is not in that area.

I'm looking for a S.M.A.R.T. Utility right now to run a diagnostic. I thought I found it until I realized it was for (god forbid) a MAC. Still searching.

[Akatsuki]

Have you checked your MB manual?

The "an additional line pops up at the bottom asking if I want to boot from the CD" makes me think of an HDD issue because if it asks you to boot from the CD it means it could not boot from the HDD and it tries to boot from the CD/DVD player. May it be HDD failure or the cable that run from the power supply to the HDD that is broken or even the SATA cable that is broken... Just guessing....

Have you changed the boot device priority in the BIOS? It should be the HDD with your OS first then the CD/DVD player or the 2nd disk...

[falcon409]

Yea, boot priority is correct. I've never gotten that prompt before unless I was doing a fresh install of the OS. Man I hate the thought of starting over with another Harddrive, but the more I look at this I'm thinking that's the only real explanation, even if it isn't the Harddrive that's clicking. Nothing else seems right.

[Akatsuki]

Might not be the HDD in itself but a cable that have a bad contact...

[falcon409]

Well, unfortunately, I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to test that theory as this only happens on the initial boot up. I could turn it off and on 20 times after that even with pauses in between and it would never show again.

[Wozza]

Hi
Is it a seagate drive? Ive had 3 go on me this way lately,there is an issue with a certain batch of them on certain setups check the seagate site for info and test software.
If not a seagate it could be that the heads are out of alignment or bad clusters are forming causing the heads to rattle back and forth trying to read the data.You can do a basic diags on the drive by going to my computer or windows explorer~ right click on the drive~ properties~ tools~ disk check, then check all the boxs then reboot.Depending on the size of your drive it can take up to a few hrs to surface scan the whole drive.

You can use a program called speedfan http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php to show you a full rundown of your drive if the SMART function is turned on...there are other programs but i find this one pretty accurate

Also have you check if its the system speaker(attached to the mother board) making the clicks?
Wozza

[falcon409]

. . . . .Also have you check if its the system speaker(attached to the mother board) making the clicks?
Wozza
Would that keep it from booting? Also, how would I know what to look for?

[olaf1924]

Falcon409 my computer did the same thing you described yesterday. The norton I use said that it needed to restart to remove a virus, after the computer restarted it made a series of beeps like yours and then just a black screen for fifteen minutes. I then had to un-plugg the computer and restart it from the last know properly operating point. The computer now works fine and it made beeps and not clicks.

[Wozza]

Would that keep it from booting? Also, how would I know what to look for?
That was just a shot in the dark :) some speakers are mounted to the chassis,some are small pezo (spelling?) mounted to the mother board.I have heard them click due to the speaker being stuffed :) ...anyway there are beep codes that denote M/board errors some are critical some are not,could be a simple keyboard or usb device. Check your mother board manual for descriptions on beep/post codes and see if one of them fits.

What your describing sounds like the HDrive though,so as I said the speaker thing was just something else to check if the drive came out ok

I suppose you should find out where the clicking is coming from, use a screwdriver hold it lightly against a component with the handle end in your ear :) sounds silly but its an old mechanic's trick for locating the area the noise is coming from and works quite well for tracking down the location of annoying noise in a noisy environment.defrag the drive using the screwdriver on the outside of the harddrive case and see if it sounds the same
Wozza
PS when I had the probs with the seagate drive it would have issue starting up after it cooled to room temp.If I tapped it lightly on the bench it would spin up and run fine but I got the occasional BSOD and it would pause and rattle now and again,I RMA the drive and seagate replaced it so it must have been faulty

[Marlin]

I get those "clickclick clickclick" (it sounds like somebody racking a round but not as loud of course) noises about 5-6 after I turn it on.

I thought for sure that they would go away after a new mother board and processor and a new HD, but nooooo. About 5 years and counting :icon_lol:

Good luck at figuring it out and I hope that nothing is wrong.

At least it doesn't break out a couple of verses of www.leekspin.com