Computer making noises...

[NJITGS]

Greeting all!~

And happy new year!

Could anyone tell my why my hard drive is making a buzzing sound? It sounds
like one of those birds you hear in the trees on hot summer days. What's up
with this....? Please help!

Elaine Beauxrauxgard-Weiderhoff

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Could anyone tell my why my hard drive is making a buzzing sound? It
sounds like one of those birds you hear in the trees on hot
summer days. What's up with this....? Please help!

Could be anything.

If it has always made this noise - could just be a noisy drive.
(Is it really the hard disk drive - or just coming from the computer case?)

If the noise is new (and you are sure it is the hard disk drive - not
another component inside the computer case) - could be dying.

Find the name brand, go to the manufacturer's web page - support and
downloads - and grab their diagnostics utilities. Backup everything
important to you from the hard disk drive and then - test it using the
manufacturer's diagnostics utilities.

 

[Randem]

Open computer and listen. Most of the times it is the fan from the power
supply. Your ears will be able to distinguish where it is NOT from.

 

[NJITGS]

I am absolutely sure that it's coming from one of the hard drives. I opened
the side of the tower and listened. Wasn't sure wich drive it was as I hae
and additional for mass storage that's 250Gb and the other a 160Gb.

I thought that maybe it's because the computer wasn't configured properly
but I want into the BIOS and check the boot sequence the sure enough the
drive with XP is the one it's defaulted to boot first from.

Thank you for your reply, I will try your suggestions.

EB-W

 

[NJITGS]

Thank you for your reply.

That's what I was hoping, but unfortunately as you suggested I did open the
side and listen and it is definately coming from on of the two hard drives.

 

[Lil' Dave]

Sometimes the exact location of such noises can be misleading. An old trick
is to use large ID hose, like a short length of garden hose, as a
stethoscope to more accurately determine location.

--
Dave

2008 Focus , 5 spd no frills coupe- to date per fillup - 33 mpg low - 39 mpg
high.

How much CO footprint to remove and transport basic materials for batteries
and to manufacture the batteries for the Ford Fusion and any other hybrid?

I am absolutely sure that it's coming from one of the hard drives. I
opened the side of the tower and listened. Wasn't sure wich drive it was
as I hae and additional for mass storage that's 250Gb and the other a
160Gb.

I thought that maybe it's because the computer wasn't configured properly
but I want into the BIOS and check the boot sequence the sure enough the
drive with XP is the one it's defaulted to boot first from.

Thank you for your reply, I will try your suggestions.

EB-W

 

[alanglloyd]

Sometimes the exact location of such noises can be misleading. �An old trick
is to use large ID hose, like a short length of garden hose, as a
stethoscope to more accurately determine location.

Or a long thin insulated screwdriver, placing one end on your ear (but
not in the ear hole) and the other on the hard drives in turn. There
would be a real grinding noise from the one producing the noise.

Alternatively, if the noise starts immediately you switch on, switch
the PC off, disconnect each drive in turn and switch on.

I'd tend to go with the suggestion that it's a fan. I had one which
required a drop of oil every six weeks. Even that could be checked
with a 2 second switch on & off, after disconnecting the fan.

Alan Lloyd

 

[HeyBub]

Greeting all!~

And happy new year!

Could anyone tell my why my hard drive is making a buzzing sound? It
sounds like one of those birds you hear in the trees on hot summer
days. What's up with this....? Please help!

Elaine Beauxrauxgard-Weiderhoff

I see your problem.

The "buzzing sound" does not come from birds - it comes from katydids, a
type of locust. (What's hilarious is to watch a cat pick one up in its beak
for the first time!)

Oh well, I hope that sorts things out for you.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am absolutely sure that it's coming from one of the hard drives. I opened
the side of the tower and listened. Wasn't sure wich drive it was as I hae
and additional for mass storage that's 250Gb and the other a 160Gb.

I thought that maybe it's because the computer wasn't configured properly

No, you can be sure that that is not the reason. It's a hardware
issue, not a Windows one.

Follow Shenan's recommendations below.

but I want into the BIOS and check the boot sequence the sure enough the
drive with XP is the one it's defaulted to boot first from.

Thank you for your reply, I will try your suggestions.

EB-W

 

[smlunatick]

Thank you for your reply.

That's what I was hoping, but unfortunately as you suggested I did open the
side and listen and it is definately coming from on of the two hard drives.

Two possible cause:

1) The drive is now moving in its location and causing a "harmonic"
hum. With the empty space in the case, the noise reverbs (like a
guitar.)

2) Depending on the hard drive, this can indicate the drive will fail.

 

[Paul]

Thank you for your reply.

That's what I was hoping, but unfortunately as you suggested I did open the
side and listen and it is definately coming from on of the two hard drives.

Are all drives visible in Windows ? Has any drive disappeared ?

Paul

 

[Mark Adams]

I see your problem.

The "buzzing sound" does not come from birds - it comes from katydids, a
type of locust. (What's hilarious is to watch a cat pick one up in its beak
for the first time!)

No, the sound comes from cicadas, katydids belong to a different order of
insects and are more closely related to grasshoppers. Interestingly, the "17
year locust" is actually a periodical cicada and not a locust at all. Locusts
are grasshoppers, not cicadas. As for the hard drive; sounds like a bearing
to me. Copy the data off NOW, and replace the drive.