220-802 · Question #853
A customer calls and explains they just moved and their computer will now not boot up and is making a loud clicking noise. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
The correct answer is D. Hard drive has crashed. A clicking noise combined with a failure to boot after physical relocation is a classic symptom of hard drive mechanical failure, often called the 'click of death'.
Question
A customer calls and explains they just moved and their computer will now not boot up and is making a loud clicking noise. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Options
- ACMOS battery is loose
- BOptical drive is stuck
- CRAM is loose
- DHard drive has crashed
How the community answered
(27 responses)- B4% (1)
- C4% (1)
- D93% (25)
Why each option
A clicking noise combined with a failure to boot after physical relocation is a classic symptom of hard drive mechanical failure, often called the 'click of death'.
A loose CMOS battery causes clock/BIOS settings to reset but does not produce a clicking noise or prevent boot in this manner.
An optical drive stuck open or malfunctioning does not cause a clicking noise loud enough to prevent boot, and is not directly linked to relocation damage.
Loose RAM typically causes POST beep codes or a blank screen on boot, not a clicking noise.
Hard drives contain spinning platters and a read/write arm; physical movement or impact during a move can cause the arm to strike the platters or damage the head assembly, producing a loud clicking sound and making the drive unreadable. This prevents the OS from loading, resulting in a no-boot condition. This is one of the most recognizable signs of imminent or complete hard drive failure.
Concept tested: Hard drive mechanical failure symptoms
Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hard-disk-failure-signs-and-what-to-do-9b8c8e6e-0e3a-4a5c-8e3a-4a5c8e3a4a5c
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