UPS clicking -- 3rd slave hard disk error press F1 to resume

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freedave

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[FONT=&quot]When I recently started my computer I often get my UPS clicking and then "3rd slave hard disk error press F1 to resume." Earlier the start-up would often take 30 minutes and the operation of the computer would often be very slow. At that time three hard drives showed in speccy and crystaldiskinfo as being "good." The problem seemed to go away for a couple of days but only the two hard drives below showed. The start-up problem resumed this morning -- still only two hard drives showing. This time when I got the UPS clicking I turned off the computer and turned it on until I didn't get clicking or the error message. The computer is operational but not fully back to normal. What would you suggest?[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Home, 64 bit
Processor: AMD Phenom™ II X4 830 Processor, AMD64 Family 16 Model 4 Stepping 3
Processor Count: 4
RAM: 8191 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 210, 1024 Mb
Hard Drives: C: 111 GB (85 GB Free); H: 931 GB (432 GB Free);
Motherboard: ASUSTeK Computer INC., CM1630
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Dave, I think you've answered your own question; sounds like your 3rd drive is on its way out. I would just replace it and restore any data that was on it from a backup. If you want to verify the drive is bad, download Hard Drive Tune. It will allow you to see Smart data and run a surface scan if the drive can be detected. Although, I wouldn't waste too much time testing, IMO.
 
Fred Garvin said:
Dave, I think you've answered your own question; sounds like your 3rd drive is on its way out. I would just replace it and restore any data that was on it from a backup. If you want to verify the drive is bad, download Hard Drive Tune. It will allow you to see Smart data and run a surface scan if the drive can be detected. Although, I wouldn't waste too much time testing, IMO.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Fred -- CrystalDiskInfo indicated that drive as "good" before it became undetectable. Would the free version of Hard Drive Tune work for Windows 10?

[h=3]HD Tune[/h]

[TD="bgcolor: #C0E0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1] Program [/SIZE]

[TD="bgcolor: #C0E0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1] Version [/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #C0E0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1] Date [/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #C0E0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1] Filename [/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #C0E0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1] Filesize [/SIZE] [/TD]

[TD="bgcolor: #E0F0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1]HD Tune[/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #E0F0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1]2.55[/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #E0F0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1]12 February 2008[/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #E0F0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1]hdtune_255.exe[/SIZE] [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #E0F0FF, align: center"] [SIZE=-1]628 KB[/SIZE] [/TD]
[SIZE=-1]Supported operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7.[/SIZE] [/TD]
 
Dave, download the trial version of HD Tune Pro, it runs on Win 10. Replace the SATA cable if you really think drive 3 is good, but I doubt it.
 
Curious? Did you really mean UPS? As in uninterruptible power supply (AKA "battery backup" power)?

A UPS should not be "clicking" even with an unstable load. It could cut-over to battery backup, but that would be a resounding "click", not "clicking".

Perhaps you meant RAID?
 
The click from a UPS will happen when it cycles from AC to battery power. That's not unusual, especially if there's a problem device connected on startup.
 
I thought it must be the UPS It is a repeated clicking, very audible, perhaps around once per second, sometimes as many as ten times or more. It clicks during start-up and is associated with the 3rd slave drive error. Do you think it is the hard drive making the clicking sound?
 
How far away is your UPS and does it have an LCD screen? You can't tell if the click is coming from a UPS or your computer case?
 
Fred Garvin said:
The click from a UPS will happen when it cycles from AC to battery power. That's not unusual, especially if there's a problem device connected on startup.
Click to expand...
I agree. But as I said, it is usually a single click when switching to battery. Not a "clicking". I've been using and recommending every computer be on a UPS for over 20 years.

I thought it must be the UPS It is a repeated clicking, very audible, perhaps around once per second, sometimes as many as ten times or more.
Click to expand...
I agree with Fred, where is this UPS located? Since these tend to be big and very heavy, they typically sit off to the side from the computer. Any sound they make should be apparent the sound is coming from the UPS. These are UPSs. Is that what you are talking about?
 
The UPS is about five feet away. The computer case is about 2.5 feet away and somewhat in a line with the UPS. I cannot tell for sure where the click was coming from . . .
 
Well, it is important to figure out where the sound is coming from since clicking noises is a classic symptom of impending drive failure. The clicking is caused by the R/W head banging against the end stops while it searches for the next segment of data it is seeking.
 
Thank you again -- I will turn it off this evening and restart it in the morning being careful to locate where the clicking is coming from . . .
 
Sounds like a plan. :) Keep us posted.

And make sure you have a current backup of your data, regardless where the sound is coming from.
 
Dave, shut down the PC and plug it directly into a wall outlet, bypassing the UPS all together. Open the computer case if it's a desktop then power it on. You should be able to hear whether it's the drive clicking or something else... put your fingers on the hard drive and you should be able to feel it, too.
 
Digerati said:
Sounds like a plan. :) Keep us posted.

And make sure you have a current backup of your data, regardless where the sound is coming from.
Click to expand...

The clicking is coming from the 3rd hard drive slave. I'm now trying to get the computer case off and see if I can remove the hard drive, which I have no experience in doing . . .
 
It's easy.. PC powered off, touch the steel part of the case to discharge static build up. The sides of the case usually have 2 screws holding them in at the back then slide the side cover back about an inch and pop it off. The hard drives will have up to 2 screws on each side of the bay and a power and data cable which pull straight back out of the drive.
 
If lucky, your case will use removable drive bays (either with cages or drive slides - or both). If so, you will only have to remove the case's left (looking at the front of the case) side panel. If you don't have removable drive bays, you may need to remove both side panels.
 
Fred Garvin said:
It's easy.. PC powered off, touch the steel part of the case to discharge static build up. The sides of the case usually have 2 screws holding them in at the back then slide the side cover back about an inch and pop it off. The hard drives will have up to 2 screws on each side of the bay and a power and data cable which pull straight back out of the drive.
Click to expand...
Thank you again, Fred. I and a friend of mine were not able to get the case off so we took it to a computer place -- the repair guy there took out the bad hard drive for $60 -- so far it is working fine -- the repair guy said that if we tried to take out the hard drive ourselves, it might cause some harm -- is that true? Dave
 
You have to be a little careful inside the case, so yes, you can damage the system, but it's not rocket science either. Your case might have been a little trickier to pull apart like Digerati was explaining. At least it's straightened out and working again.
 

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