# Computer freezes, makes clicking sound



## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

I am experiencing a problem again with my computer, a problem I have experienced before. I am hoping for an easier fix this time. Let me explain the symptoms:

1. I turn on the computer in regular mode.
2. After about 1 minute of usage, the computer starts making a repeating clicking noise (I believe it to be the hard-drive? I do not think it is the fan) and then the computer becomes unresponsive.
3. I restart the computer, and we are back at bullet point number one above.

The fix I had that worked was to reinstall the operating system, deleting all old files. So of course I had to back everything up first. I did this by booting in linux. This took me about 24 hours, mostly because my drivers are hell to find and reinstall because I am running windows 7 on a machine that is only supposed to run vista.

I couldn't simply reinstall the operating system while keeping the old files (they call this "upgrading" the OS) because they require you to run the update script while running your current version of windows in normal mode. It does not accept "safe mode". I could not do this of course because the computer freezes if I run the computer in normal mode.

Now about one year later, my computer is experiencing the exact same problem.

If I could just get the computer to NOT freeze for long enough to "upgrade" the operating system (to the same version, so it's not really upgrading), I think the problem would be solved.

I do not recall doing anything that could have caused this problem.

Any ideas? I do not want to spend another 24 hours backing up files, reinstalling Win7, and then reinstalling all the oddball drivers, etc.

Since safemode runs fine, I do not believe the problem to be the "click of death"


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## zyper95 (Mar 9, 2007)

Try to remove the hard drive then turn on your computer, check if you can still hear the clicking sound. That's what I do to isolate the noise coming to my computer to check which one is causing it.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

It's a laptop, so I can't take the hard drive out easily.

Besides, I think it is a software problem, for the following reasons:

1. Safemode works just fine
2. Last year I reinstalled windows, and that fixed it

Also: This is a dell inspiron 1525

This seems to be the same problem: http://www.techsupportforum.com/mic...indows-7-support/480407-hardware-problem.html


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## theghostofme (Jun 3, 2010)

That clicking noise is the hard drive's read/write head assembly hitting the discs inside the drive, which is causing the performance problems. This cannot be fixed by reinstalling the operating system because the hard drive is failing at a hardware level.

You should immediately began backing up any files you want to keep because the hard drive could stop working at any time (could be tomorrow, could be next week, could be six months). It WILL fail eventually and anything you haven't already backed up will be pretty difficult to recover.

After you have backed everything up, you're going to need to get a new hard drive. Fortunately, both desktop and laptop hard drives are ridiculously cheap nowadays, so you shouldn't have to spend much to get a new one. Despite what you may think, replacing a laptop hard drive is even easier than replacing a desktop hard drive. There is usually only one screw that needs to be removed and the drive will usually slide out from the bay when you pull on it.

After you have replaced the hard drive, you'll have to reinstall the operating system and then copy over your backed up files.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

The ghost is dead on. Booting up into Windows is way more stressful for a hard drive than safe mode so that is indication # 1. When you reinstalled Windows you took up less space so my guess is this is bad sectors causing this and it took a while to get to the same spot again...you could run repairs by tapping F8 continuously after pressing power button and then find hard drive repair or from a cmd prompt in safe mode type in "chkdsk /r" hit enter and then agree to reboot to run it but sooner or later the drive will be "toast" anyway so I would replace it.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

About 27% through the chkdsk process, it started making the clicking noise again, so I turned off the computer in fear. Does this confirm it is a hardware problem?

I there a way I could switch to a new hard drive without reinstalling everything? For instance, make an ISO disk image of the broken hard-drive, then transfer it to the new hard-drive? Or do you think it would just freeze up?


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

How do I know what hard drive would work on my laptop? Is it likely I could just walk into a Fry's store or BestBuy and find one that would work?


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Can't be positive because you have told us nothing about the laptop but assuming it is a newer laptop any Sata hard drive will work. Most backup software will not make an image file of a bad hard drive but it is worth a try. Using Acronis True Image, you can make an image file to an external hard drive if it will do it and then restore it to the new hard drive.


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## theghostofme (Jun 3, 2010)

I can guarantee you that it is a the hard drive failing. That clicking noise is almost always synonymous with a hard drive failing.

As for which kind of hard drive to get, the Inspiron 1525 uses a 2.5 inch SATA hard drive (pretty standard for modern laptops). Basically, any one of the hard drives on this page will work for you. I'm guessing that you don't have a lot of epxerience with fixing laptops or desktops? If so, don't be discouraged. Replacing a laptop hard drive is one of the easiest things an inexperienced person can do. On the 1525, there are two screws on the bottom of the laptop that need to be removed to allow the hard drive to come out. When it is taken out, there is a "caddie" attached to the hard drive that needs to be removed and put on the new hard drive so that it can be placed back into the laptop. If you'd like some more detailed instructions, I'd be happy to help.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow, thanks! I could not have figured this all out without your guy's help. I should be able to fix it from here


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Glad to help please come back as you progress and keep us posted.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

More problems:

I got a 320GB external hard drive. I used clonezilla to attempt to copy my old broken hard drive to the external. About 98% through the process, the old hard drive started clicking again and it froze up. I attempted to boot the computer from the external (even though it never finish copying to it) butit gives an error and fails to boot (as you might expect).

Now I am booting in safe mode again from the broken hard drive, and the external shows up as only 120GB, not the full 360GB that it is. I reformat it and it still says 120GB. How do I reset the external to how it was when I bought it?

I think I may just have to manually back up my important files, and then reinstall windows on my NEW internal hard-drive (my dad had a new unused one laying around) and start from scratch.

EDIT: I fixed the external so it's like new. (it was split into two partitions)

Before I go about reinstalling windows on the new HD, can any body think of a way to get clonezilla to work?


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## theghostofme (Jun 3, 2010)

To be honest, you're probably going to have to manually back up your files. I know it's a pain to have to do this, but because the hard drive is failing, most backup programs won't finish completely because once they reach the section of the hard drive that is causing this problem, they'll fail.

About four years ago, I had this exact same problem on my old laptop. I tried everything I could to use a backup program to get everything off of their, but it wouldn't work. I just wound up using a flash drive and manually copying over any files I still wanted.

Like Rich-M said, there is a certain sector on the hard drive where the problem starts, and once the read/write head reaches that sector, it can't get past. So I would just cut your losses, manually backup whatever files you need, install the new hard drive and Windows on that, then copy over your backed up files.


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## Snagglegaster (Sep 12, 2006)

The problem with a dying hard drive is that even if you could clone it, much of the data would be garbage. Even if you are able to copy some files and folders manually, you should expect to find some corruption. Back up early, and back up often.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

Alright, I'd better get to work than. I am going to look for software to back up my drivers so I don't have to reinstall them one by one. Also, now that I have an external HD, I plan to use it for future backups.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

poppitypop said:


> Alright, I'd better get to work than. I am going to look for software to back up my drivers so I don't have to reinstall them one by one. Also, now that I have an external HD, I plan to use it for future backups.


Better off reinstalling them one by one.
If you had a device that would allow you to plug in a second hard drive, say a usb to sata converter or adapter you could use Acronis to clone one drive to the other. The other thing I never tried but you could do it is plug both sata hard drives into a desktop and use Acronis to clone from one to the other. It sounds complicated but actually it would be real easy. The Acronis cd is a rescue disk so all you would have to do is boot to it and then under utilities choose clone drive. It would take 2 electrical plugs and 2 sata cables and Acronis is all.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

Why? Why not this:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-backup-restore-drivers-in-windows-7-vista


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## theghostofme (Jun 3, 2010)

I really would recommend backing up important documents and files only; you never know when the hard drive will stop working altogether. Drivers can be downloaded again, but any documents that you don't already have backed up could be potentially lost for good.

And for a quick way to get your drivers again, here's Dell's drivers page for the 1525. Just select the OS you're using and you're good to go.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

The reason I want to back up the drivers is simply so I can transfer them to the new HD once I install windows on it.

You may notice that on the link you supplied, there is no option for windows 7 64bit (it originally had vista 32bit). This is because the 1525 was never meant to support windows 7. I was able to get it to work however by downloading drivers from other sources. Many other people have done this as well. It just takes a couple hours.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

So I hope you saved the installs? Always create a "Drivers" folder and always choose "Save" and not "Run" when downloading drivers and programs and then burn them to a cd or store on external hard drive so you have them for future use.


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## poppitypop (Oct 9, 2010)

Sadly I did not do that


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

poppitypop said:


> Sadly I did not do that


It's a common mistake...just trying to save others reading this the mistake.


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