Dell Inspiron 530 Processor/HD? ticking like a clock.

*** EDIT, [ Sorry!, I need someone to move this to INTERNAL hardware!! sorry!]

Basic Specs:
Dell Inspiron 530
32bit XP Home Edition
Intel Core2 Quad 6600 Kentsfield
3.0GB RAM
OCZ 600W PSU
EVGA e-GeForce 9800GTX+
Samsung HD501LJ 500GB HD


Hello all,
I have had my Dell Inspiron 530 for over a year now and it has given me numerous little problems the whole time. Now it is really starting to get annoying. I have had various issues in the past such as BSOD's, innumerable lockups, "loading PBR descriptor 2... done" (then nothing).

This morning I did the Symantec System Recovery/Restore to return the computer to a simulated "newly purchased" state. I installed AVG, Ccleaner, and WinPatrol right off the bat. Everything was going fine and I thought I had finally taken a drastic enough measure to rid me of all my problems. Then my processor, i think it's the processor, stops making the usual noises and starts just ticking like a clock, second intervals, tick-tock. This has happened before but I just restarted my computer and dealt with it. When the ticking starts whatever I'm doing will stop progress... a web page will stop loading, files will stop copying, installers will stop, whatever is going on stops with the start of the tick. So, i was disappointed, i turned off my computer, turned it back on, and now i am back to the "loading PBR for descriptor 2" scenario, which i will most likely be able to fix with XP CD and chkdsk... however this doesnt account for my processor tick-tock, and the computer slowing to a halt. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

Edited by walkdog0530, 06 August 2009 - 08:47 AM.

Have you opened the case and taken a look...to fix the origin of the noise?

You might also take a look in Event Viewer and see if there are any corresponding errors noted that might shed some light on what is going on.

The only time (other than hard drive situations) I've heard periodic sounds from a system...came when one of the fans was routinely hitting a wire/cable which I had placed in the path mistakenly.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19286490/19524981.aspx

Louis

Edited by hamluis, 06 August 2009 - 11:17 AM.

A processor has no moving parts & will not make a ticking sound.
The only thing that has to do with a procrssor that does have moving parts & could make a ticking sound it the heatsink fan.

The noise you describe actually sounds like the "click of death" a hard drive makes.
I think if you get a new hard drive the "ticking like a clock" & some other problems will go away.

If you don't have a set of reinstallation disks I suggest you try to get the unit going & make them before the HD completely fails.

thanks for the replies guys!... i guess it is the hard drive then, it was just hard for me to pin point the noise in the cramped case.. I have backed up all of my important files to another hard drive. So far my HD has not made the ticking sound again. (since yesterday morning), I think I am going to ride this thing out on the fresh windows install and see how far it gets me. If it happens another time or two I'll just spring for a brand new hard drive.

Let us not forget (as FJB pointed out) that fans can also be a source of noise.

Louis