10 Most Common Hard Disk Problems and Their Solutions – 2024 Guide

If you have ever wondered how is all that information collected and filled on your PC or laptop, the answer is the hard disk. But how do you know when there is something wrong with it, and how can you save your precious data. There are several predicaments that can plague your hard disk, and each of them has a distinct cure. In order for you to repair your computer in the best possible way, you really need to gather all pieces of the puzzle first. Most people do not dwell that much on the safety of our hard drives. So when anything strange happens, we immediately believe that our hard disk is destroyed beyond repair. Do you wonder what the best way to identify and solve all these problems is? Here are some bits of advice for you.

1. It could be you

It happens to the best of us. You could have installed some wrong file of OS, perhaps you removed or relocated essential file location, or maybe you changed your system’s registry settings. Perhaps, you don’t remember it, or it wasn’t even you. Another person that has access to your computer could have done it by accident. So what to do? Especially if you don’t know what exactly has occurred, it might be too difficult for you to handle. Maybe you should consider hiring a professional from www.microcenter.com to regain your lost data and to repair your hard disk.

2. Perhaps it is a virus

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The thing we all dread a virus or malware could have infected your PC. The most obvious signs would be an unusual and random pop-up, maybe your links are redirected, possibly you have digital lags, glitches, freezes could also happen.

In the worst-case scenario, a total shut down of PC you own. You should also solely open them if the source is something you can trust. The prevention of these problems is reasonable. Install some anti-virus and anti-malware programs. Consider using a firewall also add-blockers are useful in more ways than one.

3. Sometimes overheating happens

Ventilation is of crucial importance for hard discs to continue to work correctly. Sometimes a fan is just too slow, or it has completely stopped working. When that occurs to your PC, it will overheat. What will come next is not only dangerous for your hard drive but also other components of your PC. So beware of any clicking noises, that will inform you if something is wrong with the fan. Changing it with a new and working one will do the trick here. But you also could do something with a thermal paste, if you are know-how.

4. It could even be a defect

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Manufacturing defects are also a possibility. You could have bought a hard drive that didn’t pass all the necessary tests. What you have then is a flawed hard drive, and the computer might not even recognize it. The solution is most apparent here. Since you have recently bought that faulty hard disc, you have a warranty, return to the place where you bought it, and ask for a new one. Since this is all a company’s error, you will not have to pay any additional money.

5. Files could be corrupted

Programs that are affected by malware could cause that, turning off your PC in some wrong way, losing electricity, or even shutting them down while they are still working. Whatever is the way you have corrupted your files, that will lead to you missing some data. Also, you might be blocked when you try to gain entrance to your information or sections of the PC. The answer to this problem might look complicated, but there is a way to fix your corrupt files. Go to the start button in the bottom left corner and write down “cmd”. When the black window appears, enter the following “chkdsk g:/f”.

6. Power supply inconstancies

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This might be rare, but it is still something that happens. The problem transpires if the power supply is just not enough or there is too much of it. When this happens, BIOS will not be able to find the hard disc, because of that HDD will not be able to spin up. In the worst scenario, you could even have a problem with the motherboard. The best way to make sure this never happens is to maintain stable power supply.

7. Unanticipated PC problems

Sometimes there are just too many bad sectors and blocks. That will lead to the spindle motor stopping rotations, which will lead to hard discs malfunction. The way you will know this is happening is because you will hear clicking sounds from HDD. The heads will not succeed in recognizing the sectors you are looking for hence. The reason why this happens is when the hard drive is formatted more often than its limit allows, or it has just passed its expiration date. To prevent this, you need to update your PC frequently.

8. It could be physical damage

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The most obvious damage to your hard drive is a physical one. Maybe you have dropped it or broken it in some other way. And if you continue to work on your PC even with a malfunctioning hard drive, it will lead to even bigger and more hazardous damages, including to it’s a magnetic surface. If something as serious as that happens, your only option is to replace your hard drive.

9. Water spillage

It happens to all of us. You had a glass of water or some other liquid next to your PC. And then you spilled it. Of course, your hard drive has some protection from something like that, but it is never fully able to resist water. The reason why this is such a big threat to your PC is naturally that hard drive and other components are electrical devices. You might try drying it, but it will most likely be needed to replace it with a new one.

10. Windows 10 can’t see it

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A lot of users have reported that distinct issue. Maybe windows don’t recognize it because the hard drive wasn’t correctly formatted and initialized. It could also be the case that your configuration in BIOS is the problem or even the connection itself. So to fix this, you should make sure the hard drive is accurately connected. A good thing to try out is to connect the hard disk to a different port or try some other cable. As well, it is always a good idea to update your drivers. If you know how to check if they even appear in BIOS, you could try that.

So, as we see, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. Some of the problems are physical, some are software problems, and some might not even be your fault. Unfortunately, a lot of them are something that you will not be able to fix yourself. But there is a beacon of hope out there. Some of the sites out there, like salvagedata.com, that can help you even with the most challenging obstacles.

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