Question:
Loud "screech" sound from hard drive/inside computer?
Eddie A
2008-02-22 20:57:27 UTC
I have a Toshiba A135-S4527 notebook PC with Vista Home Premium. I've had the computer for about 9 months, but once in a great great while, I hear this loud "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" from inside the laptop. [high pitch screech or beep] It sounds like it's coming from the hard drive, but I don't experience any freezing, crashes, screen flickering, etc.

Now get ready for the real mind-blower: In the 9 months I've had the laptop, the hard drive has failed twice. This means I am now on Hard Drive #3. After waiting 4 weeks for the last repair, and just getting the laptop back Monday, I called tech support and they said the sound could be a failing hard drive and I should send it back again. Horray! They've had the laptop in repair more than I've had it in my lap.

My question(s) is/are, was this sound normal?, where did it come from?, and is it due to a failing hard drive which needs a fourth repair?

Thanks very much for your time and assistance
Five answers:
R W
2008-02-22 21:22:49 UTC
The only things moving inside your pc --if your not using the cd/dvd, is the harddrive or fans..it could be either..but Ive had a laptop myself that went through 3 new Haitachi harddrives, about every 5 mos. with no apparent reason..it has to be a reason on the motherboard to cause this...
Abdu Rahim
2008-02-23 05:09:54 UTC
Wow. And ow! No, this is not normal! ANd, since it eats them so fast, it sounds like it is the computer eating the hard drives, rather than just a bunch failing on their own. A bad HDD Controller can cause this, Those are part of the motherboard...



This time, when you send it in, adress it directly to the attention of Supervisor, Product/Warranty Support, with a note that says:

1) what it's in for,

2) how many times it's been in before for the same thing, and

3) that you are not pleased with the reliability of their products and the fact that the true underlying problem has not been resolved.



Be matter-of-fact and polite, not rude and angry. I hope you get better results this time! BTW, I am starting to get the impression that Toshiba is working very hard on developing a reputaytion for unreliability.
chfields
2008-02-23 05:00:49 UTC
Sounds like a failing hard drive, although very unusual to have that happen 4 times.
EBMT
2008-02-23 05:17:42 UTC
really unusual for that many hard drives to fail,,,sound could be hard drive but get the cooling fan inside checked out,,it may be trying to seize up or not turning at its proper rpm and allowing excessive heat build up inside the case and causing other parts to fail...
Dougie L
2008-02-23 05:02:25 UTC
If you remove the drive then power on the system do you get the same sound?



If no then the HD is fsck'd

If you do it could be the fan.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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