Clicking sound on CPU

[Iggyscoresgoals]

So I turn on my computer, and after about 20 minutes or so, the computer starts making a clicking sound, and the drive under the DVD drive flashes a green light while it clicks? What is the issue and how can it be fixed? The cpu is dell dimension 5150, and I've had it for almost 4 years.

[Rathji]

The green light is on your floppy disk drive it looks like. It is trying to access the drive for some reason. You could remove the drive (just unplug power and ribbon cable) and see if it fixes it. I highly doubt you use it anymore anyway.

You should probably figure out what is trying to access it. There might be an easy way to do that, but you can find out for sure in your event logs because it will be tossing errors or warnings like mad.

edit: Actually, at second glance it might be a card reader there. It is hard to tell on the pictures on the dell site so I found some bigger ones.

Is this machine the same configuration as yours?



Is the green light on the same panel as your card reader or is it on the panel below that, inbetween the audio jacks and USB ports?

[Iggyscoresgoals]

Thanks for looking up that picture. Yes the configuration is kind of similar to that. It is a floppy drive actually, and after a while it starts making a clicking sound, and the light flashes. I then cannot access anything on the computer because it says it cannot open it up. After a while the computer shuts it self down.

[Rathji]

If you are comfortable opening the case and disconnecting the drive. I would try that to get things functional. However, whatever is causing it to access it is probably minor, but somehow it is turning into a serious problem. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would cause that, short of something trying to backup or save to the drive. Is there any program you use that ever backs data up to the floppy drive? Even if you have not used it in years?

edit: It looks like this is a problem that is documented. The first link has 3 separate solutions.

http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/floppybug.htm

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question560.htm

http://www.topbits.com/why-my-is-flo...-accessed.html

[Iggyscoresgoals]

Thank you very much for the help and links, I will try them out and let you know what happens.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Another reason for clicking sounds is a failing hard drive. If you have an external hard drive, I'd back up key files as soon as you can.

[Iggyscoresgoals]

I've begun backing it up, I hope its not the hard drive.

[Bob]

Yeah, it could be The Click of Death. Backup everything immediately.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Iggyscoresgoals

I then cannot access anything on the computer because it says it cannot open it up. After a while the computer shuts it self down.

Shuts itself down, or crashes? It does sound more like a HD issue than a floppy drive issue.

[bomber317]

Definitely sounds like a Harddrive issue.

back up everything up and get a replacement drive. If you don't get everything off in time, pull the harddrive out, put it in a ziplock bag and throw it in the freezer overnight.

then put it back in and immediately grab the stuff you need off of it.

the clicking sound is usually the reading head hitting the platters in the harddrive. Freezing it will contract everything and may or may not prevent the head from hitting the platter again.

[Iggyscoresgoals]

So if its the floppy making the sound, that can still mean hard drive? Also it works, and then starts clicking, and then nothing will open, saying application failed.

I've had this computer for almost 4 years now. Is it better to replace the problem or just buy a new one?

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by Iggyscoresgoals

So if its the floppy making the sound, that can still mean hard drive? Also it works, and then starts clicking, and then nothing will open, saying application failed.

I've had this computer for almost 4 years now. Is it better to replace the problem or just buy a new one?

I would verify that, if you open up the computer and just unplug the floppy. Let it run like that for a few days and see if it's still making noises.

[Rathji]

If the light is flashing on the same panel as the floppy then it is the floppy drive, If the light is flashing on the panel underneath it, between the USB ports and the audio plugs, then it is the hard drive.

As for replacing the hard drive. it will cost you about $50 bucks, you could go as high as $120 for a 1.5 TB drive. Also, if you don't actually want to do the reinstall of the OS you could find someone to do it for you quite easily. I know of a couple people on these boards who do it.

[McG]

i have had this happen to me a couple of times and i can only reiterate what others have already posted that you need to get a new hard drive and get your stuff backed up. don't spend time waiting to see if it is the floppy or not...go to memory express or similar and get that backup drive.

the fact that applications are failing to open or close properly, and that your computer will automatically shut down tells me that it is only a matter of time before the worst happens.

if it turns out to be the floppy or not the HDD, at least you have backed up your computer and have an external backup. if it is the HDD, you can have a couple of bevvies and kick back because you saved your info. oh yah and have a pop for CP!

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by McG

i have had this happen to me a couple of times and i can only reiterate what others have already posted that you need to get a new hard drive and get your stuff backed up. don't spend time waiting to see if it is the floppy or not...go to memory express or similar and get that backup drive.

the fact that applications are failing to open or close properly, and that your computer will automatically shut down tells me that it is only a matter of time before the worst happens.

if it turns out to be the floppy or not the HDD, at least you have backed up your computer and have an external backup. if it is the HDD, you can have a couple of bevvies and kick back because you saved your info. oh yah and have a pop for CP!

He has said his data is backed up. You are saying that he should go spend 100 bucks rather than take the cover off his case and unplug the floppy drive to see if it stops the noise?

One is free and easy, other takes time and costs $100.

My experience says the free and easy route is the best thing to try first, rather than the expensive route that makes me drive to a store.

[Iggyscoresgoals]

Pretty much all backed, going to remove the floppy drive, hopefully that solves the problem. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Rathji]

If it keeps ticking with it disconnected immediately buy a new hard drive.

You should do the OS install on the new drive and then pull the data you need off at that point. Don't try running the old drive at all until you are ready to pull the data off it because as these guys have said, it could crater at any minute.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Rathji

He has said his data is backed up. You are saying that he should go spend 100 bucks rather than take the cover off his case and unplug the floppy drive to see if it stops the noise?

One is free and easy, other takes time and costs $100.

My experience says the free and easy route is the best thing to try first, rather than the expensive route that makes me drive to a store.

Dude, the floppy drive is NOT going to cause apps to freeze and fail and the OS to crash. A 4 year old machine is not going to stall when accessing an empty floppy drive, that stuff hasn't happened

And the links you provided previously are for Windows 98, for crying out loud. Who has PIF files laying around on their machine anymore.

[Traditional_Ale]

Sorry to be OT, but I have a question in regards to freezing the HD.

Suppose I accidentally left an IDE 2.5" laptop HD in the freezer for say, oh, a year (), do I have a hope in hell of getting the data off? Should I try using a POS computer in case something blows up?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Sorry to be OT, but I have a question in regards to freezing the HD.

Suppose I accidentally left an IDE 2.5" laptop HD in the freezer for say, oh, a year (), do I have a hope in hell of getting the data off? Should I try using a POS computer in case something blows up?

What? (long pause). How?

Let me know how it goes. I'm curious.

Edit: Do you have a little 2.5 external enclosure? That would be a quick, easy, safe bet.