What's that clicking noise? -_-X

I should have made this topic 5 months ago but never got around to it.

I'm about to take up my dad's offer on "Immediate Electronics Disposal" It's completely free too. All I have to do is piss off my dad until he rips the computer from its wires and throws it from the 2nd floor window. He's been frequently reminding me of that offer too.

Since the Friday before Memorial day, there's been this annoying clicking noise coming from my 4 year old computer occasionally. When that happens, the entire computer freezes. When it stops clicking and I move the mouse, it frantically clicks again. Sometimes the blue screen comes up.

After that moment when it first clicked, my computer takes forever (about 2 minutes) to load up instead of the previous ~30 seconds, the computer occasionally freezes every now and then for 5-10 seconds and resumes behavior (even if I'm not doing anything).

I've ran virus scans multiple times and there's nothing wrong with it. I think it might be a hardware issue but I know nothing about computers. I might take it to the local computer store to get it checked but I doubt he knows what's wrong (or if my parents can describe it to him ).

Speaking of virus scans, for some reason my antivirus software occasionally says that I didn't activate it even though I did. The date on it hasn't run out yet. My stupid self kept on reactivating the firewall so now the key is maxed out. It's about to run out in a month anyway.

So does anyone know what the problems are?

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for antivirus needs, get the free PC tools antivirus. i've been using it for about 6 months with no problems.

and it may not be a virus, it could be spyware of some kind, so download some programs like spybot and adaware to scan for them. i highly recommend more than one because the different programs look for different things.

if those dont help, check the connections on everything. my brother was having a similar problem, and it turned out his video card was loose.

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Hmmm... Clicking noises? It sounds like there is a strong possibility of a malfunctioning hard drive.

You should back up your data as soon as possible (if you haven't already) in addition to the suggestions above.

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My antivirus still works, it's just that it deactivates for some reason. It's about to run out in a month anyway.

I've been thinking it was a connection problem but my computer still works fine. I have days where it doesn't happen. it's just that when it does, I'm considering the offer. I will check it though (or have someone else check it).

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Just to clarify: From what I've learned, most of the time, unusual noises + impaired system performance = failing hard drive. The fact that the system freeze-ups seem to coincide with the clicking noises make me think that your hard drive is at fault. This is consistent with the antivirus "sometimes" refusing to acknowledge that it is activated, since that could result from files being corrupted or file operations timing out.

So, just another reminder: Back up your data in any way practical, ASAP...

EDIT: I didn't quite read through your post carefully enough to see that "check it" means "have the computer checked at the computer store." When you are there, consider telling them that it might be a problem with the hard drive, and ask for assistance making backups if necessary.

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Okay.

**** is getting worse. I'm thinking I have to get it checked. It started clicking a few minutes after I restarted 3 times.

I've saved everything I needed so I'll be fine... I hope.

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Yeah, your HDD sounds like it's dying...happened to me before.

Yeah that happened to me also.

Try...
1. Insert the installation disc.
2. Restart your computer.
3. When prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc.
4. Choose your language settings, and then click Next.
5. Click Repair your computer.
6. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
7. Click Command prompt
8. Type in "chkdsk.exe c: /f/r" (without quotes. c: is the drive letter of your HDD)
9. Wait, and it should say something like "The type of the drive is [whatever the type is]"
10. Wait for it to finish scanning (it takes a while/a long time depending on the amount of stuff in your HDD)
11. When it's finished, close command prompt, then restart your computer.

I had to do this a few times with my HDD too.

(well...what kinda OS is it? O_o;...this is for vista...)

It's XP.

And I have no idea where the disc is. =/

I'll get it fixed soon. Hopefully, it won't die on me before then.

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Or...depending on how slow your computer will react...(mine was seriously slow when it did those clicking noises, because it never once brang up Disk Cleanup when i asked for it) you could try Start -> Run -> cmd -> type "chkdsk.exe c: /f/r" (without quotes.)

But your call.