bad bad noises on boot

[BlackEyedAngel]

at the beginning of my boot, when i've just turned on my machine, the hard drive (i'm pretty sure it's the hd) makes very nasty sounding loud noises. it's like the normal activity noise but louder and more grindy. i dont like it. any idea what is causing it? corrupt boot sector or something? i hope nothing that drastic, but i am suspicious because it's only at the beginning of boot up as it is checking memory, and that stuff... advice appreciated as always.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

I had something similar occuring & it turned out to a loose wire going into the hard drive. The cable was set OK but one wire was loose. Went through two hard drives before it got picked up. Thank goodness for warranty.

 

[Friend of Bill]

Try a boot-time defrag. Boot files may be severely fragmented causing the hd arm to have to move all over the platters during boot.

 

[BlackEyedAngel]

snookbooger, is that an option in the windows defrag program? how do i set it up? sounds like a good idea though, it does sound like it's desperately trying to find stuff...

 

[Zedric]

Has it always been like this or is it a new fenomenon? Some disks are a bit loud during the startup. If it just started doing this, the disk is probably dying.

 

[BlackEyedAngel]

it's started doinf it in the last few months... :S bad stuff is going on methinks

 

[Zedric]

Backup. Replace.

 

[Flatbeat_Eddy]

OMG OMG OMG<, i have EXACTLY the same problem, it happened since i installed win XP.

although im sure my drive is giving up now, i need a new one methinks.

 

[Flatbeat_Eddy]

Originally posted by Hipster Doofus
I had something similar occuring & it turned out to a loose wire going into the hard drive. The cable was set OK but one wire was loose. Went through two hard drives before it got picked up. Thank goodness for warranty.

Yes, i just checked. It was a lose wire after all and luckily i didnt lose the drive to this.

I sugest that guyu having the problem makes sure the HD wire is FIRMLY connected, i must have accidently losend mine when i last upgraded.