Computer help!
By
Call Me Awesome,
Posted on: 2010-07-15 06:13 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs
It could be a head crash where your disk has become warped. This is a bad problem which only gets worse over time. For me it was happening because my room was very hot in the summer and I was able to reduce the problem by cooling down the disk as much as possible. I had my disk sitting outside my tower with a large fan blowing on it.
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Oh no |
Originally Posted by _Klaw_
It could be a head crash where your disk has become warped. This is a bad problem which only gets worse over time. For me it was happening because my room was very hot in the summer and I was able to reduce the problem by cooling down the disk as much as possible. I had my disk sitting outside my tower with a large fan blowing on it.
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how do I fix it, or check to see if this is what the problem is?
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First thing is to do a disk check and defrag and see if windows finds any corrupt files and then do some research on your model and see if there are any design flaws which can be fixed.
Here's some info by the way. It doesn't help you if it is the problem though.
I would make a note of what brand and model of hard disk it is, then find the manufacturer's website and look for any diagnostic or utility programs associated with it. These programs can run detailed tests to determine how close the hard disk is to failure.
TargetOne
"If you two don't work this out RIGHT NOW, I'm turning this invasion around and going home!" - Emperor Cole
It would also help to know how old the computer is. Some Warping maybe due to simple age. For example a computer that thought everything else could be upgraded has the same Hard drive for the last ... say 6 years. That 6 Year old hard drive would be wearing out.
If Warp for what ever the reason is the problem. BACK UP NOW ASAP RIGHT AWAY EVERYTHING! If the Hard drive is going it's just a matter of time before it is lost.
Another Possibility is your Computers FAN could be starting to wobble. Or the Power Supply fan.
when the click happens is it up front where the Drives are? Is it in the back of the computer where the cooling fans are? Or somewhere in the center perhaps the CPU cooling fan.
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This really cannot be stressed enough, if it's the hard drive that's clicking it WILL die soon. If you've already backed up all the data (the programs themselves don't matter as they can be reloaded from the original disks but the DATA is critical) such as your email, documents, pictures and so forth then a hard drive failure is simply a nuisance. If you haven't backed up your data then when the drive dies all your stuff is GONE.|
Originally Posted by RottenLuck
It would also help to know how old the computer is. Some Warping maybe due to simple age. For example a computer that thought everything else could be upgraded has the same Hard drive for the last ... say 6 years. That 6 Year old hard drive would be wearing out.
If Warp for what ever the reason is the problem. BACK UP NOW ASAP RIGHT AWAY EVERYTHING! If the Hard drive is going it's just a matter of time before it is lost. |
Even if it isn't the drive that's clicking I would strongly recommend regularly backing up your data... I've had drives suddenly die with no warning. Any important data on my machines is resident on at least two hard drives... really critical stuff exists on more than one computer. It's a fact of life that hard drives die, and it's not that uncommon for them to die suddenly.
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Another Possibility is your Computers FAN could be starting to wobble. Or the Power Supply fan. when the click happens is it up front where the Drives are? Is it in the back of the computer where the cooling fans are? Or somewhere in the center perhaps the CPU cooling fan. |
Bad bearings on a fan can also cause this, as can a bent fan shroud. If the shroud's bent it's usually an easy fix to bend it slightly so it no longer touches the fan. If the fan bearings are making noise it's time for a new fan. Generally new fans cost around $5 so it's no big deal.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
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Appropriate information given proper emphasis.|
Originally Posted by Call Me Awesome
This really cannot be stressed enough, if it's the hard drive that's clicking it WILL die soon. If you've already backed up all the data (the programs themselves don't matter as they can be reloaded from the original disks but the DATA is critical) such as your email, documents, pictures and so forth then a hard drive failure is simply a nuisance. If you haven't backed up your data then when the drive dies all your stuff is GONE.
Even if it isn't the drive that's clicking I would strongly recommend regularly backing up your data... I've had drives suddenly die with no warning. Any important data on my machines is resident on at least two hard drives... really critical stuff exists on more than one computer. It's a fact of life that hard drives die, and it's not that uncommon for them to die suddenly. I've had this happen a lot also, one possible culprit is a wire that's dangling down into the fan, that gives a ticking sound and can freeze the fan entirely. Most commonly this happens when I haven't tightly secured a wire and it works it's way loose. More often than not I'd just been into the case and replaced a drive or card and forgotten to make sure the wires are all out of the way. Bad bearings on a fan can also cause this, as can a bent fan shroud. If the shroud's bent it's usually an easy fix to bend it slightly so it no longer touches the fan. If the fan bearings are making noise it's time for a new fan. Generally new fans cost around $5 so it's no big deal. |
Windenergy21, back up your stuff ASAP!
Then get yourself a new hard drive and reload your system.
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Obviously, back-up any important to you files/data asap, just in case it is the hard drive that's about to fail.
Of course, you should be keeping regular backups anyway, but most folks don't.
However, don't freak out and just run out and buy a new hard drive unless you're just looking for an excuse to upgrade 
Try and determine where the clicking is coming from first. Although it could be a failing hard drive, it could easily be a failing fan as well.
1) Try and determine where the sound is coming from exactly. From around the hard drive area, or localized to a particular fan, or the power supply, etc
2) If it's a fan, make sure that there's no dust bunnies or grime that's gunking up the fan and preventing it from spinning freely. If there is clean it up and see if the clicking continues.
3) If it's a fan and it's being caused by the fan bearing wearing out, you'll have to replace it. Fans are pretty cheap (even the best of the best 120mm fans only runs about $15 and good fans can be had for under $7)
4) If it's the power supply, take a look at the power supply fan and see #2/#3 above. Replacing a power supply fan is a bit more involved work-wise but no more expensive than any other fan replacement.
5) If it is the hard drive, then you'll have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. It's pretty much impossible for an end-user to fix a failing hard drive and the cost to have a professional shop do it is probably going to run you more than a new hard drive would.
6000+ levels gained and 8 level 50's
Hello, my name is Soulwind and I have Alt-Itis.
So what I think you guys are telling the OP is to BACK UP HIS STUFF? Just want to make sure I understand...
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This is not a head crash. A head crash makes a distinctive screeching sound, and your hard drive immediately and permanently stops working.
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Originally Posted by _Klaw_
It could be a head crash where your disk has become warped. This is a bad problem which only gets worse over time.
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Yeah, I've heard what causes the sound, it's something to do with the heads though... a plastic bit I think that tends to wear. Seagate drives are infamous for this, I've had about a dozen over the last couple of years that had the "click of doom".|
Originally Posted by Katie V
This is not a head crash. A head crash makes a distinctive screeching sound, and your hard drive immediately and permanently stops working.
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Lately I've been sticking with Western Digital and haven't had any of those fail in 5 years and roughly 40 drives.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
I've been running the hardware diagnostics tests and so far everything is passing. Its Vista 32 home basic, one of the IT techs said its just a problem with vista clicking too much and you can actually just turn off the sound. (I turned off clicking sounds, and it stopped until I restared my computer, unless the instance where it clicks just never arose between then)
Sounds like its right behind the motherboard fan to the right a little bit. (seems to do it mainly when I've gone down too far in "older posts" from facebook.......) Will continue running the rest of the hardware diagnostics and see what comes up.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
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Back up your data anyway.
(Side note - if you use Mozilla and/or Thunderbird, Mozbackup is nice for backing up emails, profiles, favourites, etc. from there.)
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Not true in all cases. It can be caused by a scratch from a bit of grit or dust which causes a ring of damage but not a complete crash. I believe I had this and I was able to keep my pc going by cooling which shortened the heads enough to avoid the damage (my ultimate fix was to buy a new pc).
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Originally Posted by Katie V
This is not a head crash. A head crash makes a distinctive screeching sound, and your hard drive immediately and permanently stops working.
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Vista just clicks sometimes! Lame.
My computer keeps every once in a while making this clicking noise in intervals:
...click...click.......................click...cli ck...........................click...click........ .
First it only did it 3 times in a row, then 4, now its doing it for like 10 or more times in a row then stops for a certain amount of minutes, then starts clicking again. Anyone have any idea how to fix this or what it is?
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server