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I have a problem with my Hard Drive (SATA III). Shortly and simply I explained my problem in this link.

I searched this on internet, so in some forum topics I read your HDD dead, or some in topics Too many bad sectors caused it and so on. But I don't know which of this idea is true.

Can you please explain what causes to happen this?

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  • Sometimes referred to as the "click of death" it's when the platter arms are instructed to go to the disk but something happens and the magnet causes the head to "flick" back to the home position - thus giving the notorious "click" noise. What I have done in the past is VERY carefully (as you've already opened the disk cover) push the head past the orange plastic section to see if it is simply a head getting stuck on the orange plastic. Has the disk been dropped or had any impact?
    – Kinnectus
    Oct 29, 2014 at 17:23
  • You need to explain the question here. You can use the video to further explain. But everything really needs to be contained in the question itself.
    – Ramhound
    Oct 29, 2014 at 17:29
  • @BigChris then why the magnet pulls back the head without reading the disk ? No it had never dropped and/or impact.
    – Mirjalal
    Oct 29, 2014 at 17:45
  • @coni - because of a mechanical problem
    – Ramhound
    Oct 29, 2014 at 19:03
  • 3
    Voting to close this as "unclear what you are asking" based on the same reasoning as link-only answers being not answers (detailed here and here). Without watching the linked video, this question is meaningless.
    – user
    Nov 3, 2014 at 10:01

1 Answer 1

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Hard disk malfunction is very difficult to pinpoint. There are a number of possibilities as to what the actual fault is, but common causes for the "click of death" - as your video demonstrates - include:

  1. Controller board failure - the PCB on the outside of the hard disk (attached to the disk) contains chips and firmware that provide the instructions to control the disk and the ability to transfer the data to/from disk via the disk interface (SATA, IDE etc.).

  2. Data head failure - the mechanical arms of the disk can become loose (or tight if you've messed with the screws) and this can change the gap between head and disk and cause data to not be read or written. The head itself can wear over years of use. Premature failure can also be a factor.

  3. Data head stuck - as the gap between disk and data head is in the 10s/100s of atoms then the magnetic fields can create a "sticking" of the head to the disk and can prevent the disk platters from rotating. The OP doesn't experience this as the head doesn't reach the disk in the first place.

  4. Data head arm stuck - the arm of the disk head can become stuck - quite frequently on the "park" plastic. When the head is parked it is in a safe position if the disk is dropped. In the OP's video this is the orange piece of plastic that the data head seems to not be able to get past. This could be a possible cause.

  5. Inability to read disk geometry and vital data to initiate disk - the very first sectors of the disk contain important data about the disk's geometry and integrity status. If this data cannot be read or written to then the controller cannot relay this data to BIOS or OS

In conclusion:

I believe that - in this situation - either the data head/arm is stuck by the "park" plastic guard or the controller board for the disk is faulty.

As the OP has already opened the disk casing then they could "try" to free the disk head of they are very careful. If this can be ruled out then if an exact controller board can be sourced from a donor disk then a working controller may restore disk functionality.

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