What should you do if your hard drive clicks and is not detected (hard drive clicks and turns off), or you cannot copy important and necessary information? Or did the hard drive fall, click and turn off? We will answer the questions in this article. The main thing is to remember that the best decision would be to call the Paradise-R specialists and get qualified advice over the phone. Working hours: Monday - Friday, from 10:00 to 19:00, Saturday-Sunday - days off. Or come to our laboratory with your device. We will carry out diagnostics and be able to answer why the hard drive makes clicking noises and does not start, or why the hdd is not detected.
The hard drive clicks and won't start. HDD clicks and is not detected: reasons
If the hard drive clicks and does not start or the hard drive is not recognized by your PC, then this indicates problems of a different nature. There may be a lack of power, or even mechanical damage to the device, so you should pay attention and think if the hdd is knocking and how to fix it. Of course, when the HDD is knocking its heads and is not detected, in order to promptly identify the malfunction and eliminate it without harm to the information stored on it, you will need the help of an experienced specialist.
When a hard drive is functioning optimally, it can produce certain sounds at different stages:
- When the motor shaft begins to spin up to the required speed, a steadily increasing hum will be heard.
- When the magnetic head unit is removed from the parking zone, a characteristic loud click will be heard.
- When information is read from the device’s plates, a chirping sound is heard.
- If the hard drive is connected to your PC and you turn off the computer, this action will be accompanied by a dull click inside the case. At this moment, the entire head block is parked.
Recommendations for eliminating disk noise
Particular attention should be paid to disk noise in cases where:
- if an old disk that previously worked without noise begins to make noise (this is an alarming symptom - first of all, immediately make a backup copy of all important files from the disk);
- noise appeared in the form of: knocking, strong clicks, grinding, etc. (all this also indicates a problem with the mechanics);
- if when a crackling sound appears, the computer starts to freeze, Windows does not respond to your clicks;
- your files periodically cannot be opened or read, and the disk is noisy.
Reasons why an external hard drive clicks and does not start
If your external hard drive clicks and does not start on your laptop or PC, then the following problems could arise:
Problems with USB power (hard drive does not start).
When an external hard drive clicks and is not detected, this may indicate that the large-capacity device does not have enough power. The electric motor does not receive enough power to optimally spin the magnetic plates. The hdd does not start. In this case, the hard drive is not visible (the external hard drive is knocking and is not detected), and the light is on continuously or blinking. This problem can occur if you use a very long USB cable, which weakens the current flow. A low-current laptop connector can also be used, which is especially important for long-acquired models. The problem is resolved by installing a double USB cable. In this case, the second connector will take power from another port, and even a large capacity drive will have enough power.
Damage to magnetic heads.
In the case when the HDD clicks and is not detected (the hard drive does not start, the clicks can be very quiet, the disk beeps), most likely the reason may be that the magnetic heads are stuck or broken. When the hard drive beeps and clicks, this happens when the power is turned off too abruptly, if the magnetic heads did not have time to park. The same problems can arise if the external media is hit during its operation, when the heads are located above the surface of the plates. If mechanical damage occurs, they will stick to the surface, and the disk will stop spinning. If the impact occurs while the HDD is operating, then you may encounter a problem: the hard drive is knocking and is not detected. The hard drive is knocking, what should I do? Craftsmen on the Internet give advice on how to open a hard drive yourself, but if you have valuable files on your device, then you should not open the HDA. Self-intervention when a hard drive is knocking its heads can lead to damage to the magnetic surfaces and damage to the magnetic head unit (MGU). This work is done by data recovery specialists using the necessary extractors and tools in a special laboratory, where there is not even dust. Only in this case can you count on successful recovery of important data.
HDD motor rotor jammed.
If the external hard drive clicks and does not start, then most likely the motor could become wedged when the device was dropped or hit, as well as due to any mechanical damage. The hard drive is knocking, how can I fix it? In order to save data when the hdd is knocking, it needs to be disassembled in a clean room, reinstalling the entire package of magnetic plates into a donor disk with similar characteristics. During operation, there should be no interaxial displacement of the plates so that the information can be read. Such complex, labor-intensive work is performed only by data recovery specialists in a special laboratory.
What to do if the hard drive makes clicking noises
A couple of years after purchasing a computer, the hard drive begins to act up. Its condition must be constantly monitored so that it does not present an unexpected and unpleasant surprise by breaking down at the most inopportune moment. One of the alarming signals in the behavior of a HDD that has passed the two-year period of operation is strange sounds reminiscent of the crackling sound of an old telephone. Why your hard drive is clicking and what to do about it, we will tell you further.
Solving the problem if the HDD clicks and is not detected
The easiest way to identify a hard drive problem is by the sounds it makes when it is running. It is important to distinguish the noise that accompanies the normal operation of the hard drive. It is important to distinguish between unusual sounds (cracking, clicking, knocking, squeaking, etc.) in order to determine the malfunction based on the symptoms that arise:
- If you can hear the disk spinning up and you see that it is initializing, but access to information is accompanied by a characteristic clicking sound and the speed of the device drops, then most likely the hard drive may have damaged unreadable sectors or the magnetic head unit is damaged . In this case, we recommend copying all important information to another medium and submitting this disk for diagnostics of its condition.
- If the drive is detected by the BIOS, but remains invisible to the system, and you hear a sound similar to metal objects rubbing against each other (the hard drive clicks during operation), then one of the parts of the magnetic head assembly (the head) has probably come off and started scratch the mirror surface. This may also indicate constant contact of the BMG with the plates after an impact or fall. You need to disconnect the hard drive so that the damaged parts of the HMG do not scratch the surface of the magnetic plates on which the information is stored - because then its recovery will become impossible. If the information on the disk is important, then you need to take the drive to a data recovery laboratory to a specialist who will clean the platters in a clean room, replace the BMG and restore the information. When it comes to repairing a drive, if there is a hardware malfunction, it certainly cannot be repaired.
- If the hard drive clicks and does not start (the hard drive is not detected), does not rotate, constantly hums or beeps several times, and its lower part heats up, then the magnetic heads are stuck or the motor is wedged due to bearing deformation. Only a data recovery specialist can restore data and unseat the bearing.
- Also, the HDD clicks and does not start (the hdd is not detected) when the electronics board burns out. In the case where, in addition to the board, the elements of the BMG are also damaged, then special high-tech equipment and a “laminar flow cabinet” will be required to eliminate this problem.
If your HDD is clicking and is not detected or the hard drive is not detected, the reasons can be very different. The main thing here is to immediately turn off the power to the HDD. As soon as you hear your hard drive clicking and not booting, contact a specialist to prevent damage to the magnetic platters and have time to recover important data and preserve your equipment.
Why should you contact us?
We are a specialized laboratory and data recovery is our only activity. We have been working in this field since 2007. During this time, more than 200 million files were returned to more than 3,000 clients. Among them were the following organizations: “St. Petersburg Metro State Unitary Enterprise”, “Sberbank of Russia”, “Russian Railways” and many others.
How we are working?
First, we conduct diagnostics, identify the possibility of information recovery, the timing and cost of the work. With your consent, we begin work. After data recovery, you check the result (in the laboratory or remotely), if it suits you, then you pay for the data recovery service using any method presented on the site and collect the recovered information. Thus, payment for work is made after the fact, after checking the result! Find out more >>
How much does data recovery cost?
The cost of restoration depends only on the damage to the drive and the complexity of the work. The exact cost in a particular case can be determined only after diagnosis. View price list >>
How to get to us?
We are located in St. Petersburg, a 10-minute walk from Elektrosila station (directions). Laboratory opening hours are from 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays. In addition, we have many reception points in St. Petersburg and reception points in the regions of Russia.
The appearance of clicks is one of the most common problems with external and internal HDD drives. However, the first time such sounds are detected, the device still works. Then the reasons may be completely different, and some of them can be resolved independently. At the very least, an urgent copying of all files to another storage medium is undertaken. You will find a detailed description of this malfunction in another article on our website, but now we will talk about situations when, after clicking, the hard drive does not boot or is not detected in the BIOS.
What to do in case of breakdown
The hard drive is designed for a limited number of rewrite cycles. With active use, it will start to work slower and make noise. You need to prepare a spare device in advance, and also make backup copies of important files. When purchasing, it is better to choose a small-volume device than to overpay for a more capacious disk that will wear out at the same speed. You can even purchase two hard drives at once and use the second one as a backup device. Moreover, prices for this computer element remain low.
If your hard drive is making strange sounds, it is best to take it to a service center for diagnostics. Don't delay and hope that the damage will go away. Sometimes the reason why a hard drive is noisy is the way it operates with a certain file format. A technical feature of some devices allows them to function normally, but still buzz. In this case, a good solution to the question of how to reduce the noise of a hard drive would be to purchase special soundproofing pads.
Reasons for the appearance of clicks with further disconnection of the HDD
If, when you try to start the hard drive, characteristic clicks appear, and the device itself cannot start normally, then the problem is related to hardware failures. The user can only diagnose most of them, but to solve it, it will be necessary to involve specialists who understand not only the structure of the component, but also the principle of its restoration.
Reason 1: Non-compliance with temperature conditions
HDD is the same computer component whose temperature must be lower than all other parts, otherwise it will have a negative impact on the board and diodes. When the temperature of the hard drive rises, the PC turns off, and in the future the device simply cannot be started until the degrees drop. Various factors cause overheating:
- Life time. Friction inside the case increases over time, and moving parts begin to produce more heat. In addition, such heat generation is also caused by older, smaller components located on the board. If the hard drive has been in use for more than three years, the possibility of such a problem cannot be ruled out. Unfortunately, this can only be solved by purchasing a new drive.
- Temperature inside the PC case. As you know, almost all components generate heat, and some of them do this in huge quantities, for example, a video card and processor. Therefore, it is important to ensure not only reliable spot cooling, but also to organize proper circulation so that hot air does not stagnate inside the case. If this happens, the overall temperature inside rises to a sufficient level, and here everything depends on the material from which the system unit itself is made. Some alloys heat up very quickly, so such changes are also felt by a hard drive removed from the general system. This is most noticeable in compact cases, where all the parts are located very close to each other. If you notice overheating, think about organizing cable management, install an additional cooler, increase their speed, or clean the case from dust.
Damaged servo markings
During HDD production, so-called servo markings are recorded. They are needed in order to synchronize the rotation of the disks, as well as to correctly position the heads.
These are rays coming from the center of the disk. They are located at the same distance relative to each other. Each tag stores its own number, place in the synchronization chain and a number of other important information. This is what helps to accurately identify areas of the disc and ensure stable rotation.
A servo marking is a collection of many servo marks. If it is damaged, certain areas of the hard drive may not be readable. In this case, the HDD will try to read the data. The process occurs with symptoms such as delays in work and loud knocking. The knock comes from the head, which at this moment is trying to communicate with the damaged servo tag.
It is worth noting that damage to the servo markings is a serious and complex problem. Depending on their number, the HDD may continue to work, but performance will drop noticeably. Or a complete failure occurs.
You can fix the problem using a servowriter. Yes, now you can find a number of programs and utilities that are supposedly capable of performing low-level formatting. In fact, this is a fiction. Only a servowriter, that is, a special device, can correct problems.
Damage to connectors and cables
In such a situation, you may encounter not only overheating and clicking, but also a loss of connection with the hard drive, which is not detected. Therefore, it is worth starting diagnostics by checking the physical condition of the elements that are used to connect the drive.
The cable may be broken, not inserted tightly enough, etc. If possible, try taking another cable and check if the disk does not click after that.
Debris and dust can accumulate in the connectors. The reason is trivial, but sometimes it is precisely this that leads to hard drive clicks.
Physical damage
Despite its weight and massiveness, the hard drive is actually quite fragile. The following influences are unacceptable for him:
More often this happens with HDDs on laptops. Although users of regular desktop computers should not rejoice. It is not necessary to hit or drop the device. Sometimes debris penetrates the system, ends up under the writing head, and an almost irreversible process of deformation and destruction begins.
There are several possible reasons why the hard drive may click and not be detected:
Cleaning the contact tracks on the hard drive board
Oxides of copper contacts are the worst enemy of all electronics. The hard drive is no exception. The fact is that copper, interacting with the surrounding air, gradually oxidizes. This has a detrimental effect on the hard drive, causing it to run slowly or become completely inoperable.
Therefore, armed with a hex screwdriver and a regular eraser, you can try to bring such a hard drive back to life yourself at home.
First, remove all the bolts on the bottom of the hard drive that hold the board in place.
After this, carefully turn the board over and find this place on it with a contact track.
Contact nickel inside the hard drive board
Note that in some models this contact patch is located on the outside and therefore there is no need to disassemble anything.
The contact pin is on the outside - no need to unscrew the board
Rub it gently with an eraser until the contacts look shiny. The main thing is to do this carefully, without breaking off other elements from the board.
After that, we put everything back together in reverse order and try to connect the hard drive.
Causes of clicks and creaks in the hard drive
Now let's talk about the causes of abnormal sounds:
- Overheating - prolonged gaming, streaming information rewriting, etc. - leads to strong heating of the hard drive. The same result can be caused by a faulty cooling system (check if dust has settled there and if the fan is spinning), an unstable connection to the board and power supply, and the formation of oxide on the contacts. Overheating is accompanied by strange sounds: buzzing and clicking.
- Damage to Servo Marking. Each hard drive is “lined” with rays, which ensure uniform rotation. Distortion of such a beam reduces the performance of the device. As a result, you may hear a tapping noise while your PC boots up when you launch programs.
- Damage to the cables or ports that connect the hard drive to other devices can cause the HDD to click during operation. You need to see if the wire is intact and if it is securely attached to the port.
- The disk is not installed correctly and makes a knocking noise when turned on. Check that it is not lying at an angle and is well secured.
- The hard drive is damaged: it was damaged as a result of a fall, impact, or dust particles or debris.
Reading head of hard drive comes off
If cleaning the contacts did not help you and the hard drive still clicks and is not detected, then it is possible that its read head has slipped. You can try to install it in place.
The procedure for installing the head in its place at home is quite dangerous. Wrong actions can permanently kill the disk and make the recovery procedure impossible!
You do everything described below at your own peril and risk.
A few important points:
- Opening the disk should be done as quickly as possible and in the least dusty room. The more dust gets inside during disassembly/assembly, the less chance of success and the less the disk will work if it turns on.
- The procedure for installing a head that has slipped out of place is more suitable for starting a disk in order to copy information from it due to the facts described in the first paragraph.
So, let's begin. First, remove all the bolts from the top of the hard drive. The sticker needs to be removed as there are also bolts underneath it. There may also be plugs that are torn off to gain access to the bolts.
Carefully remove the top protective cover of the hard drive.
Sequence of actions for installing the head in place
Here you need to turn the bolt located in the center of the spindle (rotating disks) counterclockwise. At the same time, we pull the head itself towards its seat, pressing on the recess in it. We do this until the head reaches its place.
What does it look like
Next, we try to scroll the pancakes without touching the head. They should rotate freely.
Now we screw everything back in and try to connect the hard drive.
If after this everything worked out and started working, then in this case we advise you to start copying the data to the backup media as soon as possible, since it is not known how long this disk will work. One has only to say that the less dust that got into it during disassembly. the more it will work.
Damage to the magnetic layer
The next reason why a hard drive is knocking is damage to the magnetic layer. This is a very unpleasant problem, because in most cases, after this, the hard drive very quickly becomes unusable. The magnetic layer can be damaged by the read head, which begins to scratch it upon contact. This, of course, should not happen in a fully operational railway.
It is possible to check whether the knocking is really caused by damage to the magnetic layer only by opening and carefully inspecting the surfaces of the disks. At home, this procedure must be performed very carefully, since dust particles and debris can get inside, which can also cause problems. In such a situation, it is best to give the hard drive for diagnostics to a high-quality computer service, where professionals with extensive experience work.
If the diagnosis of the problem is confirmed, and the magnetic layer is indeed damaged, then the disk will need to be replaced, since it will not work for a long time in any case.
What to do if clicks cannot be eliminated on your own
In some cases, the user cannot not only get rid of clicks, but also diagnose their cause. There are only two options for how to proceed:
However, if there is very important information on the disk, then a specialist will help you “get” it and copy it to a new HDD. If there is a pronounced problem of clicking and other sounds, it is recommended to contact professionals who can recover data using hardware and software systems. Independent actions can only aggravate the situation and lead to complete loss of files and documents.
We've looked at the main problems that can cause your hard drive to click. In practice, everything is very individual, and in your case a non-standard problem may arise, for example, a jammed engine.
Finding out on your own what caused the clicking sounds can be very difficult. If you do not have sufficient knowledge and experience, we recommend turning to specialists or purchasing and installing a new hard drive yourself.
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