Windows 7: A ticking noise followed by freeze

UdAkDev · 17 Jun 2012

Hi all!

Just around three weeks ago, my PC developed this problem where there was a ticking noise from inside the system, followed by the whole system freezing. Initially the system froze momentarily, but later onwards it became more and more permanent. We took it to the repairman and he fixed it, saying that there was a "corrupt file" in the system. No such problems emerged after that.

Two weeks later I heard a faint ticking noise, but the freeze was permanent, and it came while I was watching a YouTube video. After the freeze ended, a notification came up from Chrome saying that Shockwave had become unresponsive. I didn't take that much notice of it then...

Then around a week later, the same old problem came up, and this time, it became permanent as well. The repairman is puzzled and refutes my idea that it's because the HDD is going for a six. He still thinks that the old corrupt file problem is to blame.

Can anyone enlighten me how this ticking-noise-followed-by-progressively-permanent-freeze-up problem can be explained. Is there more than one reason? Is there any reason other than the corrupt file and HDD break-up?

Thanks!

Britton30 · 17 Jun 2012

Get a new repairman. It certainly sounds like the HDD is going sour and you should do a back up of your important data NOW.
Here are some drive testing tools. 7 Free Hard Drive Testing Software Tools
Another thought, make sure you don't have a disk in a CD/DVD drive.

jumanji · 17 Jun 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by UdAkDev

Hi all!

Just around three weeks ago, my PC developed this problem where there was a ticking noise from inside the system, followed by the whole system freezing. Initially the system froze momentarily, but later onwards it became more and more permanent. We took it to the repairman and he fixed it, saying that there was a "corrupt file" in the system. No such problems emerged after that.

Two weeks later I heard a faint ticking noise, but the freeze was permanent, and it came while I was watching a YouTube video. After the freeze ended, a notification came up from Chrome saying that Shockwave had become unresponsive. I didn't take that much notice of it then...

Then around a week later, the same old problem came up, and this time, it became permanent as well. The repairman is puzzled and refutes my idea that it's because the HDD is going for a six. He still thinks that the old corrupt file problem is to blame.

Can anyone enlighten me how this ticking-noise-followed-by-progressively-permanent-freeze-up problem can be explained. Is there more than one reason? Is there any reason other than the corrupt file and HDD break-up?

Thanks!

Run Puppy Linux from a pendrive Lucid Puppy way to recover files from a non-bootable computer and check whether your drive is accessible. If accessible backup all that you want to to another external drive.

After that run the diagnostic tool provided by the manufacturer of your HDD.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

UdAkDev · 20 Jun 2012

The problem is that the ticking noise sometimes doesn't come days on end, when suddenly it comes for no apparent reason. Can there be ANY other reason for this irregular occurence? A corrupt file or loose cord connection, or even related to the motherboard?

This problem's been bugging me, and I'm frustrated because I can't find any problem. If the problem was found, case solved. This computer hasn't been used even for a year, and hence I can even take advantage of the one-year warranty.

Thanks for your comments guys! Really appreciate it, but I really need to know what other POSSIBLE and PLAUSIBLE reason the ticking noise can be accounted for.

PS: Just in case I HAVE backup files as a contingency.

Britton30 · 20 Jun 2012

Can't answer unless you run the drive tests.
Other reasons, bad fan, bad CD drive or disk in it, PSU sparking.

UdAkDev · 23 Jun 2012

Nope. It's definitely NOT Hard Disk failure! Other possible options - keyboard & mouse cords, scanner & printer ports, and the ethernet cord connected to my CPU PCI ethernet slot. I've tried on the PC for two sessions of 6 hours while having a new keyboard and not being connected to the scanner and keyboard. Played each time while applying some pressure, i.e. by playing a high graphics game and watching some movies, and the problem hasn't surfaced! I have a suspicion it maybe due to the ethernet cable/PCI slot where I plug it in. What do you guys think? That a freeze-up can be caused by the ethernet? Also, what about the keyboard slot?

Golden · 23 Jun 2012

Hi,

I would run the diagnostic checks on the HDD as recommended by jumanji - until you have done that, it still seems to be the most likely cause of the noise.

Regards,
Golden

UdAkDev · 23 Jun 2012

We did run a test at the repairman's place. And the answer came back negative for failure.

Golden · 23 Jun 2012

Hi,

With respect to the repairman, he also said the noise was because of a "corrupt file". In almost all cases we see here, ticking noises of symptomatic of HDD issues.

Go ahead and run the tests then post the results here - that way we can tick that off the list, before we embark on something else.

Regards,
Golden

UdAkDev · 24 Jun 2012

Well he ran the HDD test. Results were negative. And the problem regarding the corrupt file emerged the first time around. Problems after the first repairs were not due to the file issue. Neither was it due to the HDD. So we rule that out now...

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