Tick from my computer every three seconds

I recently built a small PC to use as a simple file server. It is running Windows 11 Pro. The machine is running well and doing what I want, but has a quirk. Every three seconds there is a "click" that comes from the computer. It's not really a click, but more of a tap. It doesn't sound mechanical.

At first I thought it was just windows checking the optical drive every few seconds, but I've ruled that out. I've also done some testing on the two hard drive installed in the machine and there are no problems shown in the SMART counters or during drive scans. There is no drive noise when copying files from one drive to the other. I do not think it is a failing hard drive.

I'm starting to think that it might be an APM issue and Windows, or the drive itself, it doing some kind of power control that causes the click. I have set the drives to never sleep, but that hasn't made a difference.

The drives are a 6TB HGST HDN726060ALE614 and a 8TB Seagate ST8000DM004. I'd really like to not replace hardware, especially if this ends up being a software or settings issue.

Can someone suggest why I have a "clicking" hard drive? Any idea how to stop it?

I should also mention that I'm running this PC headless, using RDP to manage it, so I can't easily toss in a Linux or other utility disk and boot it for testing.

It's not a stuttering fan, is it? If it's as often as you say, can you not take the case cover off and eventually be able to determine it's direction by holding your ear close to it. Maybe bring in another set of ears or three. My husband can hear tones and levels of things I can't.

Try stopping Windows from loading. For example, if you have a boot menu that you can bring up, or by entering the BIOS. I would be curious to know if the issue happens only while in Windows or if it happens without Windows even loaded. If it happens outside of Windows then you know that you don't need to look at Windows at all for the source of the issue.

As @glasskuter mentioned... try to "locate" where the sound is coming from.

For doing that in cars or computers... I use a dowel rod about 3 foot long. Maybe a half inch thick.
Put one end up to your ear and just "touch" the other end on various parts in the computer.
The wooden rod will act like a stethoscope.

That's the easiest way to find where the sound is coming from.

If you need to listen to a fan... touch the wooden rod to the shroud, only. Keep away from the blades.

hsehestedt said:

Try stopping Windows from loading. For example, if you have a boot menu that you can bring up, or by entering the BIOS. I would be curious to know if the issue happens only while in Windows or if it happens without Windows even loaded. If it happens outside of Windows then you know that you don't need to look at Windows at all for the source of the issue.

Click to expand...

I tried this... powering off/on and tapping the DEL key to go to the BIOS. Windows didn't load, so I assume it's at the BIOS settings screen and there is no "tapping" occurring. So it looks like Windows, or some other software that starts up automatically. Definitely gives me a direction to go.

I've tried disabling all the "Startup Apps" found in the Task Manager, but made no difference. Still tapping in Windows.

glasskuter said:

It's not a stuttering fan, is it? If it's as often as you say, can you not take the case cover off and eventually be able to determine it's direction by holding your ear close to it. Maybe bring in another set of ears or three. My husband can hear tones and levels of things I can't.

Click to expand...

No. It's a very regular tap. Definitely not something hitting the fan. It's not that much of a tap either. I definitely know what you mean though. I've been there. :)

Unfortunately, the computer is in a location that is a real pain to work on. I don't want to pull it out if I don't have to.

Ghot said:

As @glasskuter mentioned... try to "locate" where the sound is coming from.

For doing that in cars or computers... I use a dowel rod about 3 foot long. Maybe a half inch thick.
Put one end up to your ear and just "touch" the other end on various parts in the computer.
The wooden rod will act like a stethoscope.

That's the easiest way to find where the sound is coming from.

If you need to listen to a fan... touch the wooden rod to the shroud, only. Keep away from the blades.

Click to expand...

This is a micro ATX machine. Everything is blocked by something else... The optical drive and power supply are the only two parts I can get at without dismantling the whole machine. Also, the computer is in an awkward place to open up, so I don't want to do that until I've tried everything else.

For those who are old timers... this tap is very similar to the floppy disk check an Amiga computer does every couple of seconds.

...no floppy in my PC though.

have you turned off disabled system sounds as there maybe a system speaker creating that noise.
just a guess.

best of luck, Steve ..

My guess would be one of the HDD’s
If it happens regularly enough and if it is a HDD you might also be able to feel it if you were able to keep a finger on the actual HDD until it happens. Not always convenient especially if there is no pattern to when it happens. One of my sons HDD’s makes a noise like this. Over time it has become more frequest.

My thoughts is as @antspants suggested.....one of the HDDs. Try setting the drives to spin down and sleep and see if the click continues. I've had a few HDDs over the years that made noises(head movement?) yet no errors showed up under SMART nor further testing.

BamaInArk said:

I've had a few HDDs over the years that made noises(head movement?) yet no errors showed up under SMART nor further testing.

Click to expand...

That’s the same as my sons, it’s pretty active with the ticks & clicks now, but I have run every diag I could find on it and nothing bad shows up.
But if it’s mechanical, who knows. I’d have to guess something isn’t sitting quite right? Who knows.

@Calab


Ya never know. It may be....

My third internal hard disk drive, a WD Black 4 TB, also makes a rhythmic regular tapping noise. I suspect it is HD Sentinel Pro pinging the drive regularly. The drive is mounted in an all-metal bay, so the sounds of any activity are "amplified." I have run complete WD and HD Sentinel Pro diagnostics on the drive, and it passed. Before I installed that drive about six months ago, my Dell XPS 8930 SE was quiet, but immediately I noticed the sound and investigated in case my new WD drive was defective so that I could RMA it, if necessary.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil