Possible Hard Drive Failure????

My sons computer has begun to act strangely. The other night he powered down
the computer (he thought he did) and turned off the monitor. Hours later in
the middle of the night it started to make a popping sound, actually the
speakers where making the popping sound the poping sound coincided with a
flashing power button and drive light. There wasn't anything on the monitor
so he just used the power button to turn it off. The next day it powered on
like usual, he used it during the day with no problems (he hasn't mentioned
anything unusual happening with programs or anything). Left it on that night
so the virus scan can do it's thing only to be awaken again but the popping
sound and power and drive light flashing. So he got up to turn it off by
using the power button but this time it wouldn't turn off, so he had to
unplug it. I took a look today, plugged it back in and had the same things
happen as my son. Can't even power it off via the power button the drive
just keeps spinning and the power and hard drive lights keeps flashing. Is
this a sign that the hard drive has given up????

On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 20:05:20 GMT, "99windstar"
<nikkiekoalastop@verizon.net> wrote:

>My sons computer has begun to act strangely. The other night he powered down
>the computer (he thought he did) and turned off the monitor. Hours later in
>the middle of the night it started to make a popping sound, actually the
>speakers where making the popping sound the poping sound coincided with a
>flashing power button and drive light. There wasn't anything on the monitor
>so he just used the power button to turn it off. The next day it powered on
>like usual, he used it during the day with no problems (he hasn't mentioned
>anything unusual happening with programs or anything). Left it on that night
>so the virus scan can do it's thing only to be awaken again but the popping
>sound and power and drive light flashing. So he got up to turn it off by
>using the power button but this time it wouldn't turn off, so he had to
>unplug it. I took a look today, plugged it back in and had the same things
>happen as my son. Can't even power it off via the power button the drive
>just keeps spinning and the power and hard drive lights keeps flashing. Is
>this a sign that the hard drive has given up????
>

No, a hard drive failure should not produce popping noise
from speakers. Perhaps if the drive was shorting out, it
could effect power supply and cause it, or if your AC power
to the room is really bad that could make the speaker amp
instable, but these are far less likely than that your power
supply has failed.

If you have a multimeter, take voltage readings of the power
supply. Ideally you would not leave the system running in
that state while taking the measurements because the PSU's
output could be very irregular and definitely not good to
put through any connected components. _IF_ it is your power
supply, it should have turned itself off, and that it didn't
do so, could mean there are also other parts now failed.

There is a remote chance some other component is failing and
causing power problems as a result but it seems less likely,
that if that's the case it might be in conjunction with PSU
also being insufficiently featured to shut off in this
situation.

What make and model of power supply is this?

"99windstar" <nikkiekoalastop@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:4Ke2f.10348$Tn5.7655@trnddc08...
> My sons computer has begun to act strangely. The other night he powered
> down the computer (he thought he did) and turned off the monitor. Hours
> later in the middle of the night it started to make a popping sound,
> actually the speakers where making the popping sound the poping sound
> coincided with a flashing power button and drive light. There wasn't
> anything on the monitor so he just used the power button to turn it off.
> The next day it powered on like usual, he used it during the day with no
> problems (he hasn't mentioned anything unusual happening with programs or
> anything). Left it on that night so the virus scan can do it's thing only
> to be awaken again but the popping sound and power and drive light
> flashing. So he got up to turn it off by using the power button but this
> time it wouldn't turn off, so he had to unplug it. I took a look today,
> plugged it back in and had the same things happen as my son. Can't even
> power it off via the power button the drive just keeps spinning and the
> power and hard drive lights keeps flashing. Is this a sign that the hard
> drive has given up????
>

No - soft power down is controlled by the motherboard and OS. The power
switch
connects to the motherboard so if thats not working it indicates the
motherboard may not be working properly.
Try resetting the motherboard bios first by taking the battery out and
refitting it.
If that doesnt work try reinstalling the motherboard drivers. Windows
unloads the drivers
as part of the power down process and if theres a problem with the drivers
the computer may
not shutdown or may take a very long time to shutdown. If that doesnt work
then backup all
personal data and format the hdd then reinstall Windows.