Solved – WD Red Hard Drive Making Clicking Noise

Summary: WD Red hard drives making a clicking noise is a common concern that indicates potential hardware issues. In such scenarios, Stellar Data Recovery Services is a reliable ally. We can recover data from a WD Red hard drive, ensuring peace of mind during distressing data loss incidents. Get FREE Quote

Is your WD Red hard drive making a clicking noise? Don’t panic.

We discuss why your WD Red hard drive is making a clicking noise and how to recover data from it.

We shall cover:

• What Are The Reasons For The WD Red Hard Drive Making A Clicking Noise?
• How To Recover A WD Red Hard Drive After It Made Clicking Noises
• Stellar Data Recovery Services For WD Red Hard Drive
• FAQs
• Conclusion

What Are the Reasons for WD Red Hard Drive Making A Clicking Noise?

The clicking noise coming from WD Red hard drives has been a topic of discussion among users.

This noise, which can vary in intensity, has been reported across different models of WD Red hard drives.

While the exact cause of this noise is not clearly pinpointed, several theories exist.

Some of the causes of clicking noise from your WD Red hard drive are such that you don’t need to do anything about them.

When The Causes Of Clicking Noise In WD Red Hard Drive Are Benign

1. Drive Initialization: When the drive is powered on, it goes through an initialization process, which might produce some noises, including clicking sounds.
2. TLER (Time-Limited Error Recovery): Some users believe that the TLER setting, which is a feature in WD Red drives, might be causing the clicking noise. TLER is designed to prevent the drive from entering into a deep recovery cycle. If the drive cannot recover data in a set period, it will notify the RAID controller to mark the sector as bad. This process might produce a clicking sound.
3. Drive Firmware: Some users have pointed out that the firmware version of the drive might be a contributing factor to the noise. Updating or downgrading the firmware might help in some cases.
4. Head Parking Feature: Some point to the head parking feature. The read-write head moves to a resting position when the drive is not in use to reduce wear and tear. This transition can sometimes produce a clicking sound, especially when the drive moves from an idle state to active use.
5. Physical Components: A few experts suggest that a WD Red hard drive is making a clicking noise might be due to the physical components of the drive. It might be due to the large number of platters and the larger head. They could inherently produce more noise during operations.

In such cases, it’s likely you won’t face any issues accessing your hard drive’s data because all these causes are benign and don’t indicate a physical malfunction.

Additional Reading: What Are The Different Types of Hard Drive Noises

When The Causes Of Clicking Noise In WD Red Hard Drive Need Attention

As we said, in some cases, the noise is linked to physical damage.

1. Read/Write Head Misalignment or Damage

If the read/write heads are misaligned or damaged, they might produce a clicking sound as they struggle to read data from the platters. This can occur due to physical shocks or manufacturing defects.

2. Platter Damage

The platters store the data, and any damage to them can cause the read/write heads to skip or click as they try to access the data.

3. Spindle Motor Issues

The spindle motor spins the platters. If it’s malfunctioning, it might not spin the platters at the correct speed, leading to the clicking noise.

4. Bearing Failure

The bearings allow the platters to spin smoothly. If they start to fail, they can produce a clicking or grinding noise.

5. Stiction

This occurs when the read/write heads stick to the platters, preventing them from spinning. It can result from the drive being powered down abruptly or from long periods of inactivity.

6. Physical Shock or Trauma

Dropping the hard drive or subjecting it to strong vibrations can cause internal components to become misaligned or damaged, leading to the clicking sound.

7. Contamination Inside the Drive

If any foreign particles enter the sealed environment of the hard drive, they can interfere with its operation and cause clicking sounds.

What Should You Do If Your WD Hard Drive Is Making a Clicking Noise?

If your WD hard drive starts making a clicking noise, approach the situation with caution.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on what you should do:

Things to Remember

• The clicking noise could indicate potential data loss. You might not immediately realize which data has been compromised.
• The more you use the drive with a potential physical issue, the higher the risk of more data becoming corrupted and lost.

Immediate Precautions

1. Backup Important Data: As a first step, backup all your crucial data to another storage device or cloud service.
2. Disconnect Data Cable: Unplug the data cable from the hard drive but leave the power cable connected. Monitor if the clicking noises persist.
3. Evaluate the Noise: If the clicking noise continues even after disconnecting the data cable, it’s a strong indication of a significant issue with the drive.
4. Cease Drive Usage: Stop using the drive immediately. Avoid any activities on your computer terminal, as there’s constant data writing happening in the background. If some data sectors are damaged, new data might overwrite them, leading to permanent data loss.
5. Avoid DIY Methods: Do not attempt any DIY fixes, especially using data recovery software. When there’s potential physical damage, such software solutions are ineffective and might exacerbate the problem.
6. Consult a Data Recovery Service: Reach out to a data recovery service professional with expertise in WD drives. Seek immediate consultation over the phone to understand the best course of action.

Based on the expert’s advice, refrain from using the drive until it has been properly assessed.

The data recovery service will help you determine whether any data has been lost.

On the other hand, if you already know that you’ve lost data, you must inform them. Expect the recovery service to inform you about the various data recovery options available.

If recommended by the professional, send your hard drive to them for a thorough investigation and potential data recovery.

Stellar Data Recovery Services has a brilliant track record in data recovery.  For over 30 years Stellar Data Recovery Services has been a trusted partner for data recovery to the most reputed enterprises.

Best Stellar Data Recovery Services for WD Red Hard Drive

When it comes to data recovery, you need a service that is not only proficient but also trustworthy.

This is where Stellar Data Recovery Services comes into play. We are known globally for our reliability and expertise.

Why Choose Us

• Trusted and Reliable: Stellar is a trusted name in the industry. We are the #1 hard disk data recovery service in India and the world.
• Class 100 Clean Room Lab: Our lab is equipped with the largest Class 100 Clean Room in India. This is necessary to prevent further damage from dust.
• High Success Rate: Our engineers pride themselves on being able to recover data entirely. We have been successful even in complex data loss scenarios.
• Versatile Knowledge: Our team handles both physical and logical data loss cases. At Stellar we offer solutions for a variety of issues including scratched platters, and virus-infected hard drives.
• Confidentiality Assurance: Stellar assures complete confidentiality of your data. We ensure that your information is secure throughout the recovery process.
• Expert Team: Stellar has a team of experts who can handle a wide range of data recovery cases. Not only WD Red hard drives. We work with the biggest RAID arrays and the smallest SD cards.

If your WD Red hard drive is making a clicking noise contact us right away. We have a solution for every type of hard drive and SSD trouble.

FAQs

1. Can I predict WD Red hard drive failure?

There is no perfect way to predict failure. But you can gauge that it is about to die from various parameters.

SMART, which stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology, is a monitoring system for WD Red hard drives. It can detect and report various errors and irregularities in the drive’s operation. These include spin rate, temperature, read error, write error, and more. SMART helps in safeguarding against data loss.

2. What makes WD Red hard drives unique?

WD Red hard drives are specifically designed for use in network-attached storage (NAS) systems. NAS systems are typically used to store and share files over a network.

These WD Red hard drives are sturdier (and also more expensive) than counterparts that are commonly fitted on desktops and laptops such as WD Blue. Most importantly they are designed for 24×7 workloads.

3. What is the process of data recovery at Stellar?

The data recovery process at Stellar is systematic and involves the following steps:

1. Free Phone Consultation: Initial consultation over the phone to understand your issue.
2. Media Analysis: Analysis of the affected media to know more about the damage.
3. Data Recovery: Recovery of data by our team of experts in Class 100 Clean Room.
4. Data Verification & Delivery: Verification of the recovered data and secure delivery to the client.

Conclusion

If you are experiencing data loss, Stellar Data Recovery Services is your best option. We are globally reputed for our expertise and high success rate in recovering data.

Call us today or reach out to us through our website.

Additional Reading: Recover Data from WD HDD with Bad Sectors