Question Clicking sound on external HDD. Opinions needed

[articunobreeze]

I bought an "Amazon edition" Seagate 2TB external hard drive back in December to back up everything across my desktop. laptop and phone.

Recently, I've noticed that my HDD has been making clicking/chattering noises while in use. In comparison to my other 2 external Seagate HDDs (which I've had for about 3-5 years now), the difference is quite noticeable, as the other 2 are usually dead silent, rarely making any noise. It makes the noise when plugged into both my laptop and desktop, so I don't think power is an issue, especially when my other HDDs are near silent.

I am unsure if it made this noise before, I only really noticed it as I was sitting close to it while I had it plugged into my laptop and noticed the noise. You can't really hear it from more than about 3 feet away in a silent room. It mostly seems to make the noises when files are being accessed or copied over. But even when idle with the light solid, I often still hear it making a slight ticking noise, though this can only really be heard with my head right up to it.

I have checked it using several programs such as HDTune and CrystalDisk, and the SMART attributes are all "good". I've also used Seatools' Smart, short generic and long generic tests and it passed all of them fine. I'm also not really getting any issues with it, it still seems to work fine, isn't being sluggish at all and the copy speed doesn't seem to have decreased. I haven't dropped it or anything, it mostly just sits in my drawer and gets taken out once a month or so to periodically back up files. I've never actually had an HDD fail on me before despite having some that are 10+ years old now, so I'm not too sure what to expect of a failing drive, if anything.

I recorded a sound clip (https://clyp.it/14zpsijp), though the audio is extremely low, probably due to the fact I just recorded it using my phone placed next to the HDD.

Could anyone advise if the HDD sounds like it's dying?
Thanks

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

I don't hear anything to be concerned about at all, even with my volume on max.

With that and the diagnostic tests showing no issues and the drive working fine, I really don't see that you should be concerned. All I would add is that it's good practice to keep more than one backup (ie a copy of the back up if you get my meaning)

 

[articunobreeze]

I don't hear anything to be concerned about at all, even with my volume on max.

With that and the diagnostic tests showing no issues and the drive working fine, I really don't see that you should be concerned. All I would add is that it's good practice to keep more than one backup (ie a copy of the back up if you get my meaning)

Thanks for the reply. I've been getting mixed opinions about the noise, I've had some people tell me it sounds like it's going to die within the next few days/weeks/months. Comparing it to hard drive noises that are apparently "normal" on youtube however, it doesn't sound very different. The main reason I'm worried is because this HDD is quite noisy, whereas my other Seagate HDDs aren't.

I do already have everything important on this HDD backed up, but there are some files I don't care so much about that are only on this drive, so I've decided to buy another HDD that should be arriving Monday in order to clone the drive, just to be on the safe side.

 

[MJS WARLORD]

HI , As you only got this in December you have a 1yr guarantee so contact amazon and then print a returns label, PLEASE ignore what others have said because a clicking or noisy hdd in a sign that the bearings are faulty. Just because you not had it long does not mean to say that is NOT faulty. Before returning it don't forget to format it.

Do you really need another huge hdd , take a look at this amazon link for ssd some of them are around the price you already paid.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=portab...ortable+ssd,computers,168&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12


I can vouch for the my passport 512gb ssd for £89 or go for the WD 1TB £41. Unless you have never used an ssd you can appreciate just how fast they are.