What is That Clicking Noise
The clicking noise that occurs in some hard drives is caused by the read/write heads physically moving and “parking.” Hard disk drives contain rapidly spinning disks (platters) that store data magnetically. Data is read from and written to the platters using read/write heads that float nanometers above the disk surfaces. When not in use, the heads are moved to a special landing zone where they are “parked.”
The noise occurs when the head stack assembly moves the heads into or out of the parking area. This makes an audible clicking or tapping noise as the heads lock into position. It is part of the normal operation of a hard drive and is not necessarily a sign of a problem by itself. Most desktop hard drives park the heads after a certain idle time as a way to prevent possible damage if the drive is jostled while not active. On laptop drives, the heads may park more frequently such as when the computer goes into sleep mode 1.
Reasons for Clicking
There are a few common reasons why an external hard drive may make clicking noises:
Normal Drive Operation: Many modern hard disk drives make quiet clicking or ticking sounds as part of their normal operation. The sounds come from the drive’s actuator arm moving across the platters and the drive heads moving to access data (Source). This is usually nothing to worry about.
Loose Connectors: If connectors between the drive and computer are loose, they can cause intermittent physical shocks to the disk. This can lead to audible clicking noises as the drive tries to recover (Source). Reseating connectors firmly often resolves this.
Drive Failure: Clicking noises may indicate a drive failure, like the read/write heads malfunctioning. This leads to the heads being unable to find data, resulting in repetitive movements that produce clicking sounds. It often means the drive needs to be repaired or replaced (Source).
When to Worry
A clicking hard drive doesn’t always indicate a serious problem, but repetitive loud clicking or a clicking noise in combination with other issues is a cause for concern. According to Secure Data Recovery, loud clicking sounds, especially when paired with your computer not being detected or loading, often means the hard drive is failing.
Clicking may start intermittently, but typically increases in frequency and volume as the drive fails further. The noise may be caused by the actuator arm inside the hard drive repeatedly moving across a damaged platter. If the drive is still partially operational, you may also notice corrupted data, crashes, slowdowns, or inability to access files. These symptoms indicate it’s time to replace the drive and recover data if possible before complete failure.
Dealing with a Clicking Drive
If your external hard drive starts making clicking noises, try basic troubleshooting steps first like reconnecting the drive or updating its drivers. Simply re-seating the connection or updating drivers can sometimes resolveminor issues causing the clicking sound.
However, clicking noises often indicate a mechanical failure within the hard drive. As the Handy Recovery article explains, clicking is usually caused by the read/write head getting stuck or tapping the platters. This suggests your drive may be failing.
In this case, act quickly to recover your data before potential total failure. Look into professional data recovery services that can open up the drive in a specialized clean room and attempt extracting your data. Or try DIY data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard suggested in this EaseUS article. Back up any recovered data immediately.
If the clicking persists even after attempting data recovery, it’s time to replace the faulty external hard drive.
Clicking Noise Demonstrations
Here are some audio examples of normal vs abnormal hard drive clicking noises:
This video from DigitalBiz3 demonstrates some typical clicking sounds you may hear from a healthy hard drive during normal operation:
In comparison, this audio from DataBank demonstrates a continuous, rhythmic clicking noise indicating a faulty hard drive:
As you can hear, the rapid clicking in the second example is quite different from the intermittent, irregular clicks of a normally operating hard drive. Recognizing these types of distinguishable sounds can help identify potential hardware issues.
Preventing Failures
Properly caring for your external hard drive can help prevent failures and extend its lifespan. Here are some best practices:
- Avoid exposing the drive to extreme temperatures or direct sunlight. Heat can damage components.
- Don’t stack items on top of the drive or place heavy objects on it to avoid physical damage.
- Be careful not to drop or bang the drive as the internal components are sensitive.
- Use a protective case or sleeve when traveling with the drive.
- Disconnect the drive safely using the “Eject” function instead of just pulling out the cable.
- Don’t move or transport the drive when it’s turned on and spinning.
Following proper shutdown procedures can prevent file corruption or damage. Here are some tips:
- Close any open files or applications accessing the external drive before disconnecting.
- Safely eject the external drive and wait for the OS notification that it’s safe to disconnect.
- Avoid force powering down your computer while the drive is connected.
- Don’t disconnect the drive during file transfers or while the drive is being accessed.
Taking steps to handle your external drive with care will help it last longer and prevent potential data loss from failures.
When to Replace a Drive
There comes a time when an external hard drive is beyond repair and needs to be replaced. Some signs that it’s time to replace rather than attempt data recovery or repairs include:
The drive is making loud clicking or beeping noises. This usually indicates a mechanical failure that is not cost effective to repair (source 1).
The drive is no longer recognized by your computer or takes a long time to be detected. This could mean the drive’s interface is damaged or failing.
You experience frequent crashes, freezes, or file corruption. The drive components may be deteriorating.
The drive is very old, generally older than 3-5 years (source 2). Hard drives have a limited lifespan, especially with heavy usage.
Data recovery services can cost $300 or more. At that point, you’re better off putting funds towards a new, higher-capacity drive with better reliability.
Overall, if your drive is consistently problematic or no longer reliable, replacement is the smartest option vs. sinking funds into repairs or recovery. Advancements in drive technology also mean bigger and better options are available for similar costs as data recovery.
Newer Technologies
Solid state drives (SSDs) are a newer type of storage technology that have become popular in recent years. Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs have no moving parts and instead store data on flash memory chips. This makes SSDs more resistant to physical shocks and vibrations.
SSDs have a number of advantages over HDDs:
- Faster read/write speeds, especially for random access
- Lower latency and access times
- Lighter weight and smaller size
- Lower power consumption
- Silent operation due to no moving parts
However, SSDs also have some disadvantages compared to HDDs:
- Higher cost per gigabyte of storage
- Limited number of write cycles per memory cell
- Potential data loss if power is lost abruptly
- Slower write speeds in some models
Overall, SSD reliability is comparable or slightly better than HDDs, with failure rates around 1-2% per year based on studies by Backblaze and others (https://www.backblaze.com/blog/how-reliable-are-ssds/). For most home and business uses, SSDs provide better performance and acceptable longevity.
Data Backup Best Practices
It’s crucial to regularly back up your data to avoid potentially catastrophic data loss. According to GW Blogs, you should keep one local copy on your computer and a second copy on an external device like an external hard drive. It’s also recommended to follow the 3-2-1 backup rule – have 3 total copies of your data, stored on 2 different media types, with 1 copy offsite.
Cloud backup services provide an excellent offsite option for protecting your data. Solutions like Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and Backblaze offer affordable plans with unlimited or large amounts of storage. The files are automatically synced and stored in the cloud, providing an extra layer of protection if your local backups fail or are otherwise compromised. Some key benefits of cloud backup are offsite access, automated syncing, file versioning and easy data recovery if needed.
No matter which backup methods you choose, the most important thing is to do it regularly and consistently. Setting automatic backups on external drives and with a cloud service ensures your data is continuously protected in multiple locations. Following modern backup best practices greatly reduces the risk of ever permanently losing important files and memories.
Summary
In summary, clicking noises from external hard drives are usually indicative of a mechanical failure. The most common causes are a faulty actuator arm, damaged or stuck read/write heads, and physical damage to the platters. However, some clicking noises during spin up or accessing data are normal.
Clicking noises during operation are a worrying sign and the drive should be replaced. However, first try plugging the drive into a different port or computer to isolate the issue. Make sure any important data is backed up immediately.
While clicking hard drives can sometimes be repaired, this is temporary in most cases. It’s recommended to replace the drive. Newer solid state external drives don’t have moving parts and are less prone to failure.
To avoid clicking drives, handle them gently, allow proper ventilation, use surge protectors, and don’t disconnect them during operation. Maintaining backups is crucial to prevent data loss when a drive does fail.