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External Hard Drive Clicking: Causes & How to Fix it
Check out the solutions to fix the clicking noise from your hard drive
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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External hard driveshave become an essential part of our lives as we have exponentially increased the usage of documents, pictures, videos, and whatnot.
Our PCs come with limited storage; to expand it, we use a hard drive. But are you getting a clicking sound from your external hard drive?
If yes, then you aren’t alone. Several users are looking for a fix for the external hard drive clicking issue. There are several reasons your external hard drive makes clicking noises, which we will discuss in this guide.
Why is my external hard drive making clicking noises?
If you hear some weird noise coming from your external hard drive, it could create some curiosity and fear in the minds of the user. Here are some of the most common reasons your external hard drive makes clicking noises.
How can I resolve the clicking noise from my external hard drive?
1. Check the hard drive connection
Make sure that the connection between the external hard drive and your PC is proper. You should check the cable connecting the two devices and the connection heads and clean them if needed.
If that doesn’t help, you can try changing the connection cable and check if this works and if the clicking noises stop from your external hard drive.
2. Turn the hard disk upside down
You can put the hard disk upside down. This will prevent the magnetic head from touching the disk platter, which could be why you are hearing the clicking sounds.
Moreover, there will not be any damage if you use your hard drive upside down. So, give this method a try and check if this fixes the issue or not.
3. Check the power supply
If the external hard drive that you own requires a power supply connection for it to work, then ensure that you provide sufficient power input.
You can try changing the power supply source to see if this resolves the clicking noises from your external hard drive. Also, you should ensure that there aren’t any voltage fluctuations, as this could damage the internals of the hard drive.
4. Wait for the hard drive to cool down
Prolonged usage of the hard drive can increase the internal temperature as the hard drive performs the tasks continuously.
You should disconnect your hard drive, turn it off, and wait for some time before using it again. This will help cool the internal components of the hard drive and will also silence the clicking noises.
5. Get it replaced or repaired
If none of the above solutions helped and your external hard drive is breathing its last, you should get it repaired or replaced.
Before replacing the hard drive, getting it checked by a professional could save you some bucks, as there could be minor damage that might be causing the clicking noises from the inside of the external hard drive.
That is it from us in this guide. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do from the software end to fix the clicking noises from your external hard drive apart from applying the fixes mentioned above.
You can check out our guide explaining how to usedual boot on separate hard drivesin 5 easy steps.
If you are facing aWindows detected hard disk problem error, we have some solutions tohelp you resolve it.
Feel free to let us know in the comments below, which one of the above solutions helped you fix the clicking noises coming from your external hard drive.
More about the topics:external hard drive
Sagar Naresh
Sagar is a web developer and technology journalist. Currently associated with WindowsReport and SamMobile. When not writing, he is either at the gym sweating it out or playing country music on his guitar.
He is an avid traveler and has been to 15 countries, going to more places soon. TRAVEL and WORK is his mantra for a peaceful life.
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