The hard drive is making or producing a squeaking, clicking, grinding, or grating noise.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot why the hard drive is making a squeaking, clicking, grinding, or grating noise.

IMPORTANT:

• If a S.M.A.R.T. (SMART) drive failure message  occurs, replacement of the hard drive will be required.
• If the sound is coming from the computer speakers when using the operating system, the computer microphone may be picking up feedback from the hard drive.
• Use the VAIO Care™ hardware diagnostics  to test the hard drive.
• The VAIO Care utility may not be available on all computers. To see if your computer has VAIO Care utility, check the computer specifications and Users Guide that came with the computer. Manuals are posted on your model support page.

1. Remove all media from the CD/DVD/BD drive.
2. Disconnect all external devices.
3. If possible, mute all audio devices.
4. Reboot and listen for hard drive noise.

   NOTE: A Solid State Drive (SSD) will never make any noise.

5. If the noise continues to occur, back up all critical data.
6. Check the hard drive for errors.

   NOTE: For operating system specific information about checking the hard drive for errors, search the Help and Support files in the operating system using the search phrase: error checking

If you have completed all of the steps and the noise continues, replacement of the hard drive may be required.  Go to Product Repair. 

NOTE: If data or files have been deleted from a hard disk drive, or if the drive has been formatted, damaged or corrupted, and the data and files cannot be recovered using the bundled software, it may be possible to recover the lost information  by using a professional data recovery service company.