possible HD crash, fail?

[edm]

I was doing some web browsing today when my laptop started freezing and got extremely slow. after finally getting the computer rebooted, it was still very slow (took 10 minutes just to get to desktop). I put my ear to the bottom and could hear a rhythmic clicking noise. 2 clicks every few seconds, which I assume was the HD.

So I rebooted again and it automatically recommended I run chkdsk, which found, and I assume, repaired several errors.

Now Im able to use the laptop again, but several icons on my desktop are screwy. and when I backed up my files I got this error message with several of them. 0x8007045d i/o device error.

Does this sound like the HD is about to go? Is there anything I should run/do to confirm, before buying a replacement? Of course my 1 year warranty expired 10 days ago. I never had an issue with the laptop until today.

Also, this drive is a 5400 rpm 500 Gig drive (ASUS laptop). Is it safe to install a 7200 drive as a replacement? Or could that cause heating issues?

I am running win7 btw, 64 bit.

Thanks

 

[Kenmitch]

The way you describe it makes me agree with your diagnosis. Get as much of your data off of it before you go any further.

Most manufactures of HDD will have diagnostic software available for download on their website.

Changing from a 5400rpm to 7200rpm shouldn't cause much more heat. Possibly a little more snappy and a tad less battery life.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Save everything you can because you will be losing all your data *very* shortly. Ideally you turn off the laptop and pull the HD out to access it with another computer VIA external enclosure.

 

[Spikesoldier]

telltale signs of a bad hard disk.

time to upgrade to ssd!

1. better performance
2. less heat/power consumption
3. shock insensitive rather than shock sensitive

 

[edm]

Thanks. I managed to get most of the files I wanted to save backed up, although a few were corrupt. I downloaded and ran seatools dos and it found nearly 500 errors. I actually had to run the long scan several times just to reach the end. It said it repaired all the errors found and I managed to do a full erase without any more.

Im now up and running with a clean install of win7.

Is it safe to use this drive until I get a new one? with all those errors reported, I know the it could go at anytime, but could it damage anything else in the laptop if the drive crashed hard again?

-

 

[noblemo]

I would get a new drive as quickly as possible. If you must use the computer in the mean time, store working files on a different drive (preferably under a new file name each time). In my experience other hardware components are not damaged when a drive fails.

 

[edm]

i went ahead and ordered a vertex 3. but it probably wont be here until mid next week. hopefully this will hold up until then. The good news is I am not hearing any strange noises, for now

 

[exdeath]

Yes drive is dying. Access light is probably solid even when nothing is happening and the system is hung.

If you need a smoking gun, check the system event log for "disk" paging errors, and run a SMART diagnostic tool and look at sector reallocations, etc.

HDDs suck. Time for a 3rd gen SSD and you'll never want to touch those nasty cassette tapes again.