Clicking Sound on Laptop

[rhym1n]

I took a risk and bought a refurbished laptop from Best Buy (I have bad luck with any laptop I use or buy). I have heard clicking sounds 2 times so far in the first 2 days. I have had the laptop on for 8 or so hours, and the clicking sounds didn't occur after. Both times, they occurred within 10 minutes after bootup.

I'm really hoping this isn't a hard drive issue, but I don't know what else it would be. Everything is running cool in my laptop according to HWMonitor.

 

[Warukyure]

Try shutting down your computer and starting it back up multiple times. What it could be is possibly the fan hitting something lose when you were moving it from Best Buy to your house.

 

[rhym1n]

Thanks for the quick reply. It was actually shipped to my house, so it's possible it could be a wire that is getting in the way of a fan. However, it sounded louder, much like a hard drive. I'll see how it goes over the next week as I don't have any important data on it yet.

 

[D_Know_WD]

Hi there rhym1n,

Just check what brand the HDD is and test it with a brand specific testing tool(manufacturer's website). The results will most probably provide S.M.A.R.T. report as well as an overall health status grade. If there is something wrong with the drive, then you should back up your data and replace the drive.

Cheers,
D_Know_WD

 

[rhym1n]

I took it to the geek squad and they ran a S.M.A.R.T. test. They said that it came back with no errors, but I know what I heard 2 or 3 times in the same amount of days, and it did not sound good. I just returned it and ordered the same product as I don't want to take any chances.

(Watch them send me back the very laptop I just returned).

 

[JPNpower]

No chances is always the correct solution assuming you have the time.

 

[rhym1n]

I ended up just returning it and getting a new one even though the S.M.A.R.T. test came back with no errors.

 

[JPNpower]

Recently I scrapped a desktop graphics card with noise. Turned out to be a cracked (but mostly functional) fan.

 

[fzabkar]

Laptop HDDs autopark their heads after an idle timeout. The clicking may be the sound of the headstack landing on the ramp.