What keeps killing the hard drives?

Neil79 · 8 Jun 2015 at 10:33

This isn't related to my system at all but it is related to my sisters!

My sisters computer is possessed by some sort of demon, there isn't a month that there isn't a problem with it, it wasn't even built by me either. First the system wouldn't boot up, so we purchased a power supply, then it wouldn't keep it's bios settings, so we got a new bios battery and then not one, but four hard drives including a new SSD have completely borked.

In total five hard drives have all failed, the standard drives make a ticking, grinding sound when booted up and cause the computer to fall on it's arse when being checked at boot, and the SSD isn't even found any more.

Any ideas what could be damaging them? Or is it just bad luck

Sandycheeks · 8 Jun 2015 at 11:06

Please post specs/components used.
My guess would be motherboard fault.

What kind of time frame has all of this happened ?

Nasher · 8 Jun 2015 at 11:10

Is the PC getting kicked a lot?

Sandycheeks · 8 Jun 2015 at 11:47

Does sound like an issue as nobody can be that unlucky, surely.

ED209 · 8 Jun 2015 at 11:53

if its lost the bios settings have you made sure ACHI has been set in the bios for the SSD?

wonko · 8 Jun 2015 at 11:59

PSU faults or supply transients could cause damage but can't see this causing ticking/grinding which suggest a more mechanical cause. Perhaps disks are being cooked or repeated impacts while spinning (kicked as suggested above).

Neil79 · 8 Jun 2015 at 13:55

wonko said:
PSU faults or supply transients could cause damage but can't see this causing ticking/grinding which suggest a more mechanical cause. Perhaps disks are being cooked or repeated impacts while spinning (kicked as suggested above).

Hmmm I wonder, it could possibly be that my sister is knocking the table over and over again, while talking to friends which in turn damages the drive.

As for specs, not completely sure on the board it's one of those cheap brand Gigabyte boards but it is an i3 system. Will have to have another look tonight. I did wonder if it was the PSU, however the drives died on the previous PSU as well and this PSU isn't that old. 750w

I'll have a word with her tonight, thanks guys

bledd · 8 Jun 2015 at 14:15

Faulty SATA cable / port?

Admetos · 9 Jun 2015 at 00:15

Do you have any dirty electrics in the house? For example fridge creating power surges? Does anything else fail in the house TV's for example.