Hard Drive On Last Leg?
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From: Rod Speed on 5 May 2008 14:39 code_wrong <tac(a)tac.co.uk> wrote: > "Pokerskatershark" <pokerskatershark(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:e5be84ca-6792-4eef-b9b7-48b781878425(a)y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com... >> Hello All, >> >> I have a feeling my hard drive is on its last leg. When I turn it >> on, it makes a VERY loud grinding noise. I could be wrong, but it >> certainly doesn't sound like it's too happy! It is almost two years >> old and is a Dell XPS 400. (Not sure if that info is needed) >> >> I have backed up everything on an external hard drive. The problem I >> am having is, when and if the HD does crash, is it possible to just >> slap a new internal HD in my computer? >> >> I realize that I will have to have an OS on it. My computer did not >> come with any recovery CD's. I followed Dells' "recovery" >> process.... 1) Go to the Start menu 2) All Programs 3) Dell >> Accessories 4) Recovery. Problem is, there is no #4 option in my >> start menu. I called Dell and I am not joking when the tech said to me "It should >> be there" I purchased the computer via the Dell website and not >> through a retailer. After a long discussion (1.5 hours) the tech's >> final response was "I'm not sure what happened, but it should be >> there. I am not sure where it is" I told him that this was the very >> first time I had tried to do a recovery and where could "it" have >> gone. No answer. >> >> They are refusing to send me any recovery CD's and obviously I don't >> have an XP disc lying around. Is there anything I can do? I am VERY >> frustrated right now. >> >> Thanks so much for any help. > > first thing to do is look inside the case and identify the source of > the noise ... maybe a wire is touching a fan .. maybe a fan is worn > .. you can certainly, by listening and observing carefully, eliminate > these possibilities.. > If your hard drive was about to fail I would think you would experience problems using the computer .. slow system for > example, BSOD Not if its just bearing noise, that can go on for years just being noisy.
From: Pokerskatershark on 5 May 2008 15:39 On May 5, 11:39 am, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote: > code_wrong <t...(a)tac.co.uk> wrote: > > "Pokerskatershark" <pokerskatersh...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message > >news:e5be84ca-6792-4eef-b9b7-48b781878425(a)y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com... > >> Hello All, > > >> I have a feeling my hard drive is on its last leg. When I turn it > >> on, it makes a VERY loud grinding noise. I could be wrong, but it > >> certainly doesn't sound like it's too happy! It is almost two years > >> old and is a Dell XPS 400. (Not sure if that info is needed) > > >> I have backed up everything on an external hard drive. The problem I > >> am having is, when and if the HD does crash, is it possible to just > >> slap a new internal HD in my computer? > > >> I realize that I will have to have an OS on it. My computer did not > >> come with any recovery CD's. I followed Dells' "recovery" > >> process.... 1) Go to the Start menu 2) All Programs 3) Dell > >> Accessories 4) Recovery. Problem is, there is no #4 option in my > >> start menu. I called Dell and I am not joking when the tech said to me "It should > >> be there" I purchased the computer via the Dell website and not > >> through a retailer. After a long discussion (1.5 hours) the tech's > >> final response was "I'm not sure what happened, but it should be > >> there. I am not sure where it is" I told him that this was the very > >> first time I had tried to do a recovery and where could "it" have > >> gone. No answer. > > >> They are refusing to send me any recovery CD's and obviously I don't > >> have an XP disc lying around. Is there anything I can do? I am VERY > >> frustrated right now. > > >> Thanks so much for any help. > > > first thing to do is look inside the case and identify the source of > > the noise ... maybe a wire is touching a fan .. maybe a fan is worn > > .. you can certainly, by listening and observing carefully, eliminate > > these possibilities.. > > If your hard drive was about to fail I would think you would experience problems using the computer .. slow system for > > example, BSOD > > Not if its just bearing noise, that can go on for years just being noisy. The noise has only been going on for a few days. I haven't noticed in slowing of speed or any error messages coming up. It's not noisy after it boots up either. I will open the case and see if I can figure out where the noise is coming from. Is it all right to have the case open when I turn it on? Thanks again for all the help!
From: RBM on 5 May 2008 16:07 "Pokerskatershark" <pokerskatershark(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:44a55d1b-828e-4502-9296-f7ac191b4206(a)n1g2000prb.googlegroups.com... > On May 5, 11:39 am, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> code_wrong <t...(a)tac.co.uk> wrote: >> > "Pokerskatershark" <pokerskatersh...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >> >news:e5be84ca-6792-4eef-b9b7-48b781878425(a)y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com... >> >> Hello All, >> >> >> I have a feeling my hard drive is on its last leg. When I turn it >> >> on, it makes a VERY loud grinding noise. I could be wrong, but it >> >> certainly doesn't sound like it's too happy! It is almost two years >> >> old and is a Dell XPS 400. (Not sure if that info is needed) >> >> >> I have backed up everything on an external hard drive. The problem I >> >> am having is, when and if the HD does crash, is it possible to just >> >> slap a new internal HD in my computer? >> >> >> I realize that I will have to have an OS on it. My computer did not >> >> come with any recovery CD's. I followed Dells' "recovery" >> >> process.... 1) Go to the Start menu 2) All Programs 3) Dell >> >> Accessories 4) Recovery. Problem is, there is no #4 option in my >> >> start menu. I called Dell and I am not joking when the tech said to me >> >> "It should >> >> be there" I purchased the computer via the Dell website and not >> >> through a retailer. After a long discussion (1.5 hours) the tech's >> >> final response was "I'm not sure what happened, but it should be >> >> there. I am not sure where it is" I told him that this was the very >> >> first time I had tried to do a recovery and where could "it" have >> >> gone. No answer. >> >> >> They are refusing to send me any recovery CD's and obviously I don't >> >> have an XP disc lying around. Is there anything I can do? I am VERY >> >> frustrated right now. >> >> >> Thanks so much for any help. >> >> > first thing to do is look inside the case and identify the source of >> > the noise ... maybe a wire is touching a fan .. maybe a fan is worn >> > .. you can certainly, by listening and observing carefully, eliminate >> > these possibilities.. >> > If your hard drive was about to fail I would think you would experience >> > problems using the computer .. slow system for >> > example, BSOD >> >> Not if its just bearing noise, that can go on for years just being noisy. > > The noise has only been going on for a few days. I haven't noticed in > slowing of speed or any error messages coming up. It's not noisy > after it boots up either. > > I will open the case and see if I can figure out where the noise is > coming from. Is it all right to have the case open when I turn it > on? > > Thanks again for all the help! It's fine, just make sure you're grounded before you touch anything, and if it it the hard drive making the noise, don't keep running it until you get a replacement drive
From: Rod Speed on 5 May 2008 17:45
Pokerskatershark <pokerskatershark(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > On May 5, 11:39 am, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> code_wrong <t...(a)tac.co.uk> wrote: >>> "Pokerskatershark" <pokerskatersh...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >>> news:e5be84ca-6792-4eef-b9b7-48b781878425(a)y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com... >>>> Hello All, >> >>>> I have a feeling my hard drive is on its last leg. When I turn it >>>> on, it makes a VERY loud grinding noise. I could be wrong, but it >>>> certainly doesn't sound like it's too happy! It is almost two >>>> years >>>> old and is a Dell XPS 400. (Not sure if that info is needed) >> >>>> I have backed up everything on an external hard drive. The >>>> problem I >>>> am having is, when and if the HD does crash, is it possible to just >>>> slap a new internal HD in my computer? >> >>>> I realize that I will have to have an OS on it. My computer did >>>> not >>>> come with any recovery CD's. I followed Dells' "recovery" >>>> process.... 1) Go to the Start menu 2) All Programs 3) Dell >>>> Accessories 4) Recovery. Problem is, there is no #4 option in my >>>> start menu. I called Dell and I am not joking when the tech said >>>> to me "It should be there" I purchased the computer via the Dell >>>> website and not >>>> through a retailer. After a long discussion (1.5 hours) the tech's >>>> final response was "I'm not sure what happened, but it should be >>>> there. I am not sure where it is" I told him that this was the >>>> very >>>> first time I had tried to do a recovery and where could "it" have >>>> gone. No answer. >> >>>> They are refusing to send me any recovery CD's and obviously I >>>> don't >>>> have an XP disc lying around. Is there anything I can do? I am >>>> VERY >>>> frustrated right now. >> >>>> Thanks so much for any help. >> >>> first thing to do is look inside the case and identify the source of >>> the noise ... maybe a wire is touching a fan .. maybe a fan is worn >>> .. you can certainly, by listening and observing carefully, >>> eliminate >>> these possibilities.. >>> If your hard drive was about to fail I would think you would >>> experience problems using the computer .. slow system for example, >>> BSOD >> Not if its just bearing noise, that can go on for years just being noisy. > The noise has only been going on for a few days. > I haven't noticed in slowing of speed or any error > messages coming up. It's not noisy after it boots up either. Thats much more likely to be a fan than the hard drive. > I will open the case and see if I can figure out where the noise is coming from. The simplest way to do that is to put something insulating thru the fan on the power supply, before turning it on. That stops that fan rotating, so you can see if the noise is coming from that fan. Dont leave that stopping the fan rotating for long, just long enough to check if the noise still happens as the system is turned on. > Is it all right to have the case open when I turn it on? Yes, but you dont need to open the case to check the case fans, just do what I listed above. Dont to that with the cpu fan, even a short time stopped can kill the cpu on turnon. The best check for whether its the hard drive is to unplug the power to the hard drive and see if the noise still happens at startup. You should get no noise and an error message saying that no bootable drive is available if the noise is due to the hard drive. > Thanks again for all the help! No problem, thats what these technical newsgroups are for. |