Never heard this noise on this 12 TB WD easystore before. Noise just started tonight it seems and I have no idea how to diagnose it. Scanned drive with WD Drive Utilities, GSmartControl and Hard Disk Sentinel and all came back with no errors or failures. Any idea what this noise is? Is it normal?
Any input is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
if its continues clicking noise then better take data backup and give drive for warranty replacement, usually if read/Write Heads starts failing it happens,
If you have an older hard drive, then it’s most likely a hardware issue. But, if you have a newer one it could be either hardware or software.
Regardless, you’ll want to determine the root cause of the issue before it leads to data loss.
Most often, the clicking sound comes from an actuator arm that’s not functioning properly.
These are the major causes of a clicking drive:
This is one of the most common culprits. Have you recently dropped your external drive? Or has it been exposed to extreme heat or cold in any way?
If your hard drive has been dropped, exposed to fire, or had water spilled on it, this can cause the clicking to occur.
Hard drives don’t last forever. If you’ve had a hard drive for years and it recently started clicking, then it could just be failing. Just like a car engine that finally gives out, so can a hard drive.
Usually, this happens when the actuator arm wears out and malfunctions.
Sometimes your hard drive won’t be receiving enough power due to a defective power supply unit. If you have an alternative power supply source, then you can test this to see if it’s causing the clicking. These issues can also be caused by power surges and electrical storms. Your hard drive circuit board could also be a related issue.
If the read/write heads are out of alignment, due to dropping, or not carefully handling your hard drive, then you’ll hear the clicking hard drive noise to occur.
There is a portion of your hard drive where manufacturer data is stored, this is known as the service area. If this becomes damaged your hard drive won’t operate correctly. The actuator arm will swing back and forth, trying to find the information, leading to the clicking you’re hearing.
If the disc platter has sustained damage, then the actuator arm won’t work properly. It’ll attempt to locate the platter and swing back and forth, resulting in a clicking sound.
A lot of hard drives will fail due to manufacturing errors, faulty parts, or issues with the firmware. If you have a relatively new hard-drive that hasn’t sustained any damage, then this could be the problem. Usually, this will be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, however, they only cover the drive, not the data that’s on it.
Hope this helps you out!!
I thought i was the only one having this problem I have the exact same sound as you and am in the process of exchanging it with Newegg. I have a feeling we just got a bad batch. Ill post an update once i get the new drive
I have an 8TB Easystore that sounds perfectly normal
did a little more digging and i found this post from Reddit Datahoarder from a man who also had an external 12TB. Im confused now if this is a fault or it is functioning properly.
It would be nice if a WD support representative could answer this question without just refering us to the page of what sounds are normal from a hard drive. This is not Preventive Wear Leveling becuase it is a rapid click happening not a click every 5 seconds
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