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hard drive ticking, how long left?

  • 28-03-2007 8:04pm
    #1
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    My hard drive started making a whirr-click noise this evening, about once every second. At least I presume it's the hard drive as the light is flashing at about the same frequency. Thing is, I have 3 HDs in there, so how to know which one is in trouble? How long do I have before it goes tits up and what's the best way to salvage the data when I get a new drive?


Comments

  • #2
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Assuming it's the main HD (unplugged it and am logged on via a live CD, no clicks) which came with the PC I bought 8 months ago, what's the normal replacement procedure? Can I just send it back to Seagate and hope for the best? Technically, it's not broken (yet) but I'm not going to sit and wait for it to die with all my data. Also, I can't very well just send it off with my data on it and get an empty drive back, so I'll need to back everything up somehow...


  • #3
    Dankoozy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,115 ✭✭✭Dankoozy


    pickarooney wrote:
    Assuming it's the main HD (unplugged it and am logged on via a live CD, no clicks) which came with the PC I bought 8 months ago, what's the normal replacement procedure? Can I just send it back to Seagate and hope for the best? Technically, it's not broken (yet) but I'm not going to sit and wait for it to die with all my data. Also, I can't very well just send it off with my data on it and get an empty drive back, so I'll need to back everything up somehow...

    copy stuff onto the other drives and send the dieing one back before the warranty runs out. if you need to buy DVD-R's from the pound shop to copy **** on to. you're gonna have to open the case and listen out for the dieing one


  • #4
    Sir Oxman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,492 ✭✭✭Sir Oxman


    If it's the main HD in a newly bought PC, I think the PC retailer is your first port of call for replacement under warranty.
    Seagate may tell you the HD is OEM so they have no responsibiliy for replacing it.
    Get your warranty out.

    I would immediately backup the entire affected HD with an imaging solution - Paragon DB is a good one and a lifesaver

    You can get it here with a 70% discount - use PST70 as coupon code, brings price down from 40€ to about 15€ inc vat

    http://www.drive-backup.com/

    There may be free software solutions around, try google if you don't want to buy the above.

    As I said, it is best to image your data as soon as possible as the HD could fail at anytime

    Have a scout around for a HDD health checker which would pinpoint which disk is failing - HDDlife may work:
    http://www.hddlife.com/files/HDDlife%202.9.109.exe


  • #5
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Seagate is giving me an invalid warantee message when I enter the serial numbers. I'm pretty sure the shop I bought it in will tell me it's not their business either, so will that mean I have to send the whole PC back to Packard Bell and wait six months for them to deal with it? Probably end up investing 80 euro in a new one to save time and hassle if that's the case. I think my PC has only one SATA connection though, so I'll have to start copying stuff piecemeal I reckon.

    Thanks for the advice.


  • #6
    Sir Oxman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,492 ✭✭✭Sir Oxman


    That Seagate msg is because the drive is OEM.
    The retailer who sold the system to you is your port of call - I'm sure your warranty is at least one year.

    I'd buy a HD after imaging your original one (or use one of youir other 2 HDs as the main one), get back to the retailer and get the failed HD replaced under warranty. That way you don't lose out.


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  • #7
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    If this is a pcworld pc your screwed. All they will do is run ubcd on it. Test the driv, tell you its broke. And order you a new hdd. And then install it when it comes. Which will usually take about 2-3 weeks.


  • #8
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    pickarooney wrote:
    Thing is, I have 3 HDs in there, so how to know which one is in trouble?
    To be sure that you have the right one, take out the drive and hold it in your hand while it's powered on. You'll be able to feel the clicks on it.

    After that, do as the others have said, backup and return it to the shop where you bought it. Maybe buy a replacement in the meantime if they tell you it'll be weeks before they can replace it for you.


  • #9
    Fanny Cradock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,245 ✭✭✭✭Fanny Cradock


    Also, it will probably be considerably hotter than the others


  • #10
    SwampThing
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭SwampThing


    pickarooney wrote:
    How long do I have before it goes tits up...

    Think grenade with the pin out...


  • #11
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,583 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    http://www.hdtune.com/ - don't run the test on the drive just look at Health tab

    could be a head crash, don't power it up until you are ready to start copying data,


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