New WD 800 JB clicking noise problem

[WSW]

I bought a new Western Digital 80GB 8M cache (WD 800 JB) hard disk and formatted it for my C-drive running Windows XP.

The drive runs fine. However, every time I power up my computer it will make a fast clicking noise for 5 to 10 second.

This clicking noise only happens at power up. It actually runs very quiet after power up.

Is it normal to have this clicking noise? Since the drive has warranty, should I return it?

[glc]

I would call Western Digital and ask them.

[sleepypost]

Or visit their website, which has a very nice database. I MAY be of some help because I am on my FOURTH 800 JB in the last two months with similar problems.

1. Check to see that your power cable is in the drive VERY FIRMLY.
2. Try a different IDE cable. If you are using Cable Select (see manual) then make sure you are using a Cable Select cable and that the blue end is in the primary/secondary IDE controller.
3. Don't move the cable around while the drive is spinning and make sure that it isn't bent to abnormally. (kinked like a hose or twisted too badly).
4. Run the diagnostics (LifeGaurd) and see if your drive is FUNCTIONING properly. (that doesn't necessarily mean it is WORKING properly.)
5. To see if the drive is WORKING properly, disconnect the IDE cable from the drive and power up with just the power cable hooked to it. If the drive still clicks then it is busted.
6. Have you tampered with the BIOS? You can try clearing the CMOS. It will reset things like prefetch and other goodies that may be causing problems....

HTH

[WSW]

The drive passed Lifegaurd extended test with no error.

It continues to run quiet after the initial few seconds of clicking noise at power up.

I did not change the bios.

The IDE cable seems to be firmly inserted into the connectors.

Do you still get the noise after four drives?

[mike breck]

As Sleepypost said, WD say the definitive way to find out whether it's a cable or drive problem, is to remove the IDE cable and start the PC.

If the clicking stops, it's the cable. If the clicking continues, then it's the HD.

But as glc has said, try contacting WD and see what they say.

[Panama Red]

I have the same HDD and also experience a loud clicking on startup. However, in my case, it isn't the HDD, but rather the floppy being checked by Norton Anti Virus. Are you sure of the origin of your noise? Does your AV look at the floppy during boot? Just another thought.

[sleepypost]

Lol, if you don't want the stupid floppy click then go into the BIOS and disable "boot up floppy seek". Also disable "floppy first boot device" and set that to the cd-rom...

As for the HDD, another thing to try is remove ALL of the jumpers from the HDD. I dont know if your drive has the black jumper or not but remove that and remove the white one. It will throw the drive out of Dual Master/Slave and into Master/Slave. Try booting with no jumpers. This could solve any mobo/WD conflicts that do exist.

HTH

[WSW]

I removed the IDE cable from the motherboard. The hard disk still made the clicking noise, now for about 20 seconds, and then stopped.

It looks like I have a defective disk. I'll take it back to the retailer for an exchange.

It is too bad. It took me a lot of time to set up the hard disk the way I want it. Now I have to set it up again on the new drive.

[glc]

See if you can get the new drive first - and return the old drive later - you can clone the drive. Some places may allow this if you give them your credit card.

[WSW]

I took the defective drive back to the retailer. They allowed me to exchange for a new one. Thanks to glc's suggestion, they allowed me to use my credit card as deposite to take the defective drive home for cloning.

The old one is made in Malaysia. The new one is made in Thailand. I don't know whether the manufacturing location makes any difference.

I used Lifegaurd to close the software from the old drive to the new one. So far the new one runs very quiet. There is no clicking noise at all.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

[glc]

This is an advantage to buying from a local retailer - you can often get extra "service" like this - most online vendors want the old drive before they will send you a new one. Something to think about besides shopping for the absolute lowest price.