Is your hard drive suddenly making a clicking sound? Don’t ignore it—this could be a serious warning sign. At Five Star Data Recovery, we focus on getting data back from drives with mechanical issues. This includes the annoying hard drive clicking sound. If your drive has started clicking, ticking, or making repeated noises when powered on, power it down immediately. A clicking hard drive can get worse quickly. The longer it runs, the harder and more costly it is to recover your data.
When you hear a clicking hard disk drive, you’re likely hearing the read/write head trying to find data, but failing. Instead of reading the correct track, it keeps resetting and trying again, causing a rhythmic “click-click-click” sound.
People commonly refer to this issue as the click of death, and it represents one of the most serious symptoms a drive can show. In most cases, it’s a mechanical failure—something inside the drive is either broken or misaligned.
A hard drive making clicking noise usually signals internal damage. Some of the most common causes include:
Regardless of the cause, if your HDD is clicking, it’s best to stop using it immediately to prevent further damage.
We understand—you want your data back fast, and DIY videos make it look simple. But opening a drive or running software on a damaged disk often causes more harm than good.
Here’s why you should avoid DIY recovery on a clicking hard disk drive:
At Five Star Data Recovery, we use advanced tools and a certified cleanroom to safely recover data from physically damaged drives—including those with head crashes and hard drive clicking symptoms.
We start by evaluating your drive in our lab. If it’s clicking, we’ll perform non-invasive tests to confirm the type of failure and estimate the chance of recovery.
If internal repair is needed, we open the drive in our certified cleanroom. Our engineers inspect the heads, platters, PCB, and other components.
We may replace damaged parts (like the read/write heads) using donor drives with matching firmware and parts.
Once the drive is stable, we create a full disk image. This lets us extract data without relying on the original, unstable hardware.
We verify your recovered files and transfer them to a new drive that you provide or purchase from us.
No Data, No Charge — If we can’t recover your data, you don’t pay.
If your hdd is clicking, follow these steps immediately
Do not power on the drive again until a qualified data recovery professional has properly diagnosed it.
Avoid opening the drive or tapping on it to stop the sound.
Do not attempt to use any data recovery software on a hard drive that clicks.
Time is critical. The longer a failing drive runs, the worse the damage can get.
If your hard drive is making a clicking noise, don’t wait. The sooner we look at it, the better your chances of a full recovery. We’re here to help you safely and professionally recover what matters most.
Your clicking hard disk drive might be failing, but you can still save your data.
We recover data from all brands and models affected by hard drive clicking, including:
Whether it’s an internal desktop HDD or an external portable drive, we have the tools and experience to help.
Your data is private—and we treat it that way. All recoveries are performed in our secure Glendale, CA lab. We never outsource your device, and we permanently delete recovered data after delivery.
“My external hard drive started making loud clicking sounds, and I knew something was seriously wrong. I called Five Star Data Recovery, and Elen explained the process and got my case checked in right away. Within a week, they recovered all of my photos and work documents. Their communication was excellent from start to finish.”
Eric S.
Burbank, CA
“I had a Western Digital drive that started clicking and wouldn’t mount at all. After reading reviews, I shipped it to Five Star Data Recovery. Vahan and his team did an amazing job. They explained that the heads had failed and performed a clean room recovery. I got back 97% of my files!”
Jasmine T.
Dallas, TX
“My desktop hard drive was making a clicking noise after a power outage. Alex handled the recovery and explained that the internal heads were damaged. They replaced the parts and recovered almost all of my data. The flat-rate pricing with no surprises made the experience stress-free.”
Luis M.
Glendale, CA
A clicking hard drive usually indicates internal mechanical failure. This often happens due to damaged read/write heads, actuator arm issues, or spindle motor problems. When your HDD starts clicking, it’s critical to stop using the drive immediately to prevent further platter damage and permanent data loss.
Yes. At Five Star Data Recovery, we specialize in clicking hard drive recovery. Our engineers use Class 100 clean room technology to safely open the drive and replace damaged components like heads or actuators, giving us the best chance at recovering your important files.
No. Powering on a clicking hard drive repeatedly can cause the heads to scratch the platters, making data recovery much more difficult or impossible. If your HDD is clicking, turn it off immediately and contact a professional data recovery service.
Standard turnaround for hard drive clicking cases is 3–5 business days. However, if you need faster service, we offer Expedited and Expedited Plus options for priority handling. Expedited Plus gives you 24/7 engineer attention until the recovery is complete.
We offer a flat-rate fee of $950 for all hard drive clicking data recovery cases. This price includes all clean room labor and necessary donor parts. There are no hidden fees, and you only pay if we successfully recover your data.
Yes. Clicking sounds almost always indicate internal mechanical failure. These cases require clean room opening and part replacement to safely access the data.
No. Software cannot repair physical damage inside a clicking hard drive. Attempting software recovery on a mechanically failing drive can worsen the issue and reduce your chances of successful recovery.
Yes. We recover data from all major hard drive brands including Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba, Hitachi, and others. Whether internal or external, we handle all types of clicking HDD recoveries.
We can recover photos, videos, documents, databases, and other important files from clicking hard drives. Once the recovery is complete, we provide you with a full file list before you decide to proceed.
Yes. For all standard clicking hard drive recovery cases, you won’t pay anything unless we successfully recover your data. The only exceptions are for drives previously opened or tampered with.
Data loss is stressful — but working with us doesn’t have to be. Watch how our team handles each recovery with care, professionalism, and precision. From diagnostics to delivery, we offer flat-rate pricing, honest communication, and proven results — all from our secure Glendale lab.
Lab Hours
Mon – Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 2pm
Lab Hours
Mon – Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 2pm
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