My computer is occassionally making a clicking noise that seems to be linked to MS Outlook. It sounds like a switch cycling on and off like it's stuck and locks up the computer for about 30 seconds then lets it go so I can work, but still keeps clicking about once a second until I hear a buzz and then it stops or sometimes continues cycling for a while longer.

The thing seems to happen after the computer is on for about an hour, so i'm thinking it may be heat related?

Anybody have that kind of issue.

I've got 2 hard drives in it and when I go to the secondary drive (Maxtor) where most of my files are stored it sometimes makes a faint "crunchy" sound when it is opening files or opening windows. The drive is only about three years old.

Any suggestions?

A big notebook and lots of sharpened #2 pencils???

The crunch sound on your secondary drive could be very normal. Is it IDE? It sits idle til you make a request.

When was the last time you blew out the inside of your pc? Im not saying that heat is the issue just wondering.

1965 Galaxie 500
2007 Shelby GT500
2004 Marauder
1994 Aerostar

It's IDE and I never gave my PC a blow job.

Oh yea I've heard that before.

I did not have sexual relations with that PC. Or something like that.

57 Ford Custom 300 2dr
390 FE,
Holley Street Dominator, 750 DP
Cruisomatic
3:55 Trac Loc

How old is your main hard drive? If "it" is clicking that could mean trouble. I suggest you back-up everything of value to your secondary asap. Do a disk defrag on the primary and just hope for the best.. If your primary is a quantum fireball. Its like a time bomb. Not if, But when? I have one with pictures I never gotten a chance to back up before it died on me. I just cant throw it out.

1965 Galaxie 500
2007 Shelby GT500
2004 Marauder
1994 Aerostar

Crunching sound associated with accessing data sets -> usually normal - not necessarily cause for concern.

"Clicking" sound associated with a hang or freeze condition -> NOT Normal - sometimes associated with a physical failure of the drive. IF the drive still functions normally after the freeze I would:

1) Copy your critical data (docs, e-mail, etc) immediatly to some other media.
2) Perform a full disk backup - probably to your secondary disk - ideally to some other media.
3) THEN - start troubleshooting the clicking sound...

The Maxtor with all my files and photos is only about 3-4 years old. The main hard drive is about 2-3 years old and it is one that replaced a Quantum Fireball that crashed and burned. That one took all my Outlook history with it.

I back up everything on a large flash drive now. The software is Windows XP on my "C" drive.

I figure it's probably a hardware issue and will get worse, so as soon as I can get income rolling again, I'll replace this thing.

Click Start, select Run, Then type cmd in the box to get to the Command Prompt utility
Click Ok
Run the chkdsk utility by typing in the following command:
chkdsk c: /f /r and press enter.

The /f command automatically fixes any errors encountered, the /r command locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

The drive will be checked on the next reboot. When that's finished substitute C: for whatever the drive letter of the other drive is that's in there.

It's definitely a good idea to take the case cover off and blow the dust out. Be sure the power is disconnected and you ground yourself to the case before touching anything in there.

There will be a log file, let me know what it says. You can find it by doing this :
Go to Start, Run and type: eventvwr.msc /s , and hit enter. When Event Viewer opens, click on "Application", then scroll down to "Winlogon" and double-click on it. This is the log
created after running Checkdisk

I'll give it a shot. Thanks.