XPS 1530 Hard Drive Problems - Endless Clicking

I'm kind of out of options on what might be causing all of this aside from just general hardware failure of the drive.

Whilst the 'noise' is very quiet (a contradiction, if ever there was!), and nothing like as bad as the noise you hear on 3.5" desktop drives when they're starting to fail, I can't think of anything else it could be?

At first, I thought it might just be Windows cacheing or defragmenting files 'on the fly', but it's too regular for that (it's only audible every 3 secs or so), which leads me to susoect it could very well be a problem with the drive?

The only way to tell for sure, would be to replace the drive.  But if the laptop is still under warranty, you obviously don't want to be paying for hardware replacements outta your own pocket - especially when it's just to perform some troubleshooting.

You should call tech support if it is under warranty.  If it's not, then you will have to cough up... or try to borrow a known working drive?

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful - or even more optimistic, but as I say... it's not a noise I've come across before?

Touch wood - I've never had a problem with any 2.5" drive :(

Thanks for the response.  I ended up going the "replace it under warranty" route, as I've still got quite a bit of time on my warranty, and my system has become virtually unusable.  It's also a good opportunity to start with a clean Windows install, as I requested a bare drive instead of one imaged with the usual pile of useless software.  I also switched drive manufacturers, since this was a Samsung ... I'm going to give Seagate a try.  Hopefully this will do the trick ....

Thanks again for the response.

I am having the same problem. My HD makes some strange irritating noise. It's like my HD is continuasly working hard if you hear the noise that my HD makes. A friend from me has the same laptop Dell XPS m1530 and his laptop is running realy silent. If you hear mine its also an noise box . The clicking and scratching comes from my HD. I didn't send an email to dell yet but I am going to do that.

I realy hope that the problem can be fixed because my laptop is only 1 week old and it's already make noise like a computer from 5 or more years old. That's a shame!

I am having the same problem. My HD makes some strange irritating noise. It's like my HD is continuasly working hard if you hear the noise that my HD makes. A friend from me has the same laptop Dell XPS m1530 and his laptop is running realy silent. If you hear mine its also an noise box . The clicking and scratching comes from my HD. I didn't send an email to dell yet but I am going to do that. I realy hope that the problem can be fixed because my laptop is only 1 week old and it's already make noise like a computer from 5 or more years old. That's a shame!

Welcome to the forums :emotion-5:

Have you contacted tech support about it?

I did yesterday , I am still waiting for a response from the support.

I did yesterday , I am still waiting for a response from the support.

I hope they're not too long in getting back to you... but if you get few up waiting on them to do so, try the (real-time) 'Chat Online' option.

I can certainly relate to you guys on this hard drive issue.  Listen to this!  I have had my M1530 for about 3 months and I am awaiting the 4th, yes, I said 4th! hard drive to install. 4 in 3 months. Not to mention, the tech was at my office 2 weeks ago to replace the motherboard, and then again last week to replace the speakers. I have been on the phone with tech support more in the last 3 months than I have been in 20 years. The thing has almost been totally rebuilt, but I am wondering, when do I give it back to them? It has been down more time than it has been working.

Texhunt, it's time to look into your state's Lemon Law as your's would seem to qualify as a Lemon in my book.  I know that here in Wisconsin that it would (the same componant failing three times under warranty qualifies up here). 

To the rest of you, figure out what brand of Hard Drive is installed in you laptops, go to that manufacturers website, download THEIR diagnostic utility, and run the thorough test.  If it's defective that should reveal it.  It's a considerably more exhaustive diagnostic than the one that Dell provides. 

There is an acoustic drive program that quiets hard drives.  This program may be causing problems with the hard drives.  It may not be what's causing these problems, but it is very odd that 3 hard drives in a row would fail.  Even cheaper 2.5 inc hard drives are usually very reliable.

Fellow consumers,

It is time for a consumer advocacy group and a lawyer. I've had hard drive problems, vista conflicts with everything, AVerTV media problems, audio problems, internet freezing problems (vista and roxio De created the problem), blue tooth problems, and most importantly CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROBLEMS (they don't familiarize themselves with your case details, ask redundant questions that are answered in the case details, don't understand that they create problems oft times, with their imposed resolutions. they don't get back to you when they say they will and just seem to be generally unprepared to deal with customer issues. I had to yell and scream at technical support to get them to honor my warranty by sending someone to install/replace a defective part. The case was not documented accurately, either.

Further, they send me a "re-built" hard drive that registers as 186 gb (I purchased 200gb) on the dell system diagnostics and drivers. However, when you run system set up it states 200gb. the explanation is that different mathematical measures are used....Baloney......200gb is 200gb. I am in the united states and use the product in the u.s. the metrics should match what is told to the consumer, period. I believe Customers successfully sued another company for this kind of foolishness. In fact, I am certain of it. It is time to band together cohesively and get these outstanding, egregious problems resolved for once and for all. After all, these computers are not free or inexpensive; nor is the customer support you must pay for.

nomorebs,

Your hard drive size is accurate,a 200gb HDD with windows installed and the recovery drive D: plus media direct, should show as 186gb.

Before install yes it will be 200gb.And dell

I just got mine today and it started clicking this evening?   Has yours gone away?  Do you have the 500 gb hard drive?

For more information on this (clicking noise of HDD) issue, please look at the:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=168425&highlight=clicking+sound

Hi,

MuY HDD is indeed a 500 GB of Samsung

My clicking problem of the HDD stopped after I took contact with the DELL helpdesk. See lower for what they mailed me. I did every step, but it was the last step (step 3) that helped (puttng the HDD sound mode on PERFORMANCE). Anyway, you should follow every step so you know for sure there is nothing wrong with your HDD. But normally if you execute step 3 the noise problem will stop.

DELL-help

The clicking sound from the hard drive may be a normal behaviour, but to make sure there is not a hardware failure, please perform these tests:

1.Please install the latest BIOS for your system:

For a detailed guide on how to install it, please click the Installation Instructions.



2. Please run the Dell 32 bit diagnostics:
(which is essential to ensure, that there is not a hardware defect on your system.)

Please restart the computer.

Tap F12 during startup when the Dell? splash screen appears.

Press the to highlight Boot to Utility Partition and then press .

When the Main Menu appears, click Custom Test.

On the new screen which appears after choosing CUSTOM TEST, please mark the HARD DRIVE tests.

If the previous steps were performed, please click on RUN TESTS (located on the bottom, left side of the screen)
Please follow the on screen instructions to complete testing.


Please write down the error messages (which appear in new POP-UP windows) and also at which component it was found (you can see it on the left side of the screen).

I thank you in advance for performing these steps and informing us about the diagnostic results.


If the diagnostics returns no errors, the hard drive is functioning fine.


 
3. Please try these solutions for the clicking noise:

Please power up the PC, or if the PC is already turned on, shut it down and then power up the system.
Press F2 during the first few seconds, while the initial Dell logo is on the screen, to enter the BIOS.
please use the arrow keys to highlight PERFORMANCE.
Please navigate here to the HDD ACOUSTIC MODE section.
Set the mode to QUIET.
Press Enter to confirm.
Please press Esc .
Press navigate to Save Changes and Exit and press Enter.


If this BIOS change does not help, and the clicking noise still appears, please go to BIOS again and this time change the HDD ACOUSTIC MODE to PERFORMANCE.