CLUNKETY CLUNK

wini · Post by **wini** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:38 am

This is a highly technical term, isn't it?
I have been transferring photgraphs onto CD this morning and all was going well until I started hearing clunkety clunk.
I have put a Phillips Lens cleaner through and it is sort of working again but I am still getting a noise that I think shouldn't be there.
Does this mean the CD drive is on its way out? It is only about 12 months old and hasn't had an enormous amount of work.
It is in a HP Notebook.

Thanks wini

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:54 am

Hello Wini,

Can’t say that I’ve ever had an attack of the clunkety clunks. Hope it’s nothing to do with being in W.A.

Does it clunk when the disc first moves into the machine, i.e. it happens just once like a door closing?
or
Is it a continuous clunking from the drive as the disc speeds up or maybe as it slows down?
or
Is it a continuous clunking the whole of the time the disc is doing any work?
and
Is the clunking loud or soft?
and
Is it a high pitched or a dull clunk.
and
Is there any noticeable vibration?
and
Is it just like a buzz or something almost shaking the machine.

If it’s a vibration it could be from a faulty disc or even a batch of discs if they’ve been subject to heat at some time since they were made. You could try one of your old discs that you know for sure is okay and see if it goes away.

Check to make sure there are no foreign objects inside the drive. Remove the disc, leave the drive door open (do notebooks have drive doors? – never had one) turn it on its side with a gentle shake and see if anything falls out. It could be biscuits if there are kids around.

I don’t know much about notebooks except that the drives aren’t as easy to obtain and replace when they go wrong but some one should come up with some better ideas.

All the best,
Alan

wini · Post by **wini** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:11 pm

Thanks for your help. I think you are right in suggesting it is a faulty disc.
The best I can describe it is that normally the disc makes a whirring noise, this is a much louder irregular sound.
If there is any biscuits in it they would have to be mine.
Children and grandchildren are well past that age.
This afternoon I have bought some new discs. The others I have had for several years.
Can I ask another question, please.
My old Toshiba notebook had a screen failure, so I was plugging it into a spare monitor.
Tha last time I tried to use it, it would get as far as Windows XP coming up on the monitor and then it froze.
I asked in the computer shop today and they suggested it was a software problem that they would be able to fix, before I give it to them I would like your opinion. I don't really need it but was using it as a spare hard drive.
Computers and I are not compatible

Thanks a lot

wini

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:46 am

Back again Wini,

That’s a difficult one. It could be a number of things but I’m inclined to think that the computers asking the monitor to do something it’s not capable of. The refresh rate, colour depth and screen resolution are possibly set too high for the monitor.

System restore might fix the problem if you’re using the same monitor you used when the set-up worked okay. You could set the restore date to when it worked alright but it might confuse your Anti Virus program and any programs installed subsequently.

Or you could change the settings in safe mode. Turn the computer on and immediately press down the f8 key. When you see the option screen arrow key to safe mode and enter. If it starts in safe mode the colours and screen layout will look a bit odd.

What you’re going to try to do is set the refresh rate to 60, the resolution to 800x600 and the colour depth to 16 bit which any old monitor should be able to handle. If we can’t change the refresh rate this way the reduction in the others might be enough. Different video cards may show different information as you work through this and bits might be confusing. You could have a look at the web page link down below as well. Where you change a setting click apply before moving to the next.

Right click the desktop & select properties.
Move the screen resolution slider to the left to 800x600
Change the colour quality to medium 16bit
(If the slider is greyed out go straight to advanced button)
Click the monitor tab and you’ll see the refresh rate
Take a note of what it is then set it to 60 hertz
(If there are no refresh rate options click adaptor tab)
On adapter tab click list all modes
Select 800x600 16bit (& 60 hertz if it’s there)
This should now show on display properties
Apply and OK your way out.

Restart the computer and see what happens.

If it’s now ok and if the refresh ended up at 60 you could try a slightly higher refresh rate say up to 75 instead (otherwise you’re in headache territory) or even a 1024x768 screen resolution (better to take one step at a time and take notes of the changes and effects although the higher settings mightn’t be worth worrying about if it’s only a backup up machine) by right clicking desktop then settings, advanced, monitor etc. If you see a refresh rate higher than 75 it might be safer to reduce it to that. If any of these later changes recreate the problem redo all those earlier steps.

This web page sets out this and other problems. See “Display Does Not Initialize” and there’s stuff about safe mode in the green bit at the bottom.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial ... F17s12.asp

Hope that works, it probably sounds more complicated than it really is. You’re only changing software settings and shouldn’t end up any worse off than you are now.

Alan

wini · Post by **wini** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:26 am

Thanks Alan,

I will try that and let you know how I get on.

wini

wini · Post by **wini** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:06 pm

Alan,
I read your link and I tried several othe xp links but to no avail.
The problem is I only get as far as Windows XP coming up on the screen and it doesn't matter what key I press after that nothing happens.
The 4 little squares that go across the screen underneath the Windows XP
do that about 14 times and then the computer seems to turn itself off.
It is making all the usual windows noises.
Looks like I will have to part with some cash to the computer shop.
I only use this as a stand alone computer and don't connect it to the internet.
I mainly load photographs on to it.
Just a thought, would connecting to my Broadband make any difference?

wini

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:24 pm

Just a quick post Wini,
You have to hold down the f8 (function key at the top of the keyboard) instantly after you press the on switch on the computer, and hold it down until you see the safe mode option screen.
Alan
I lost my mouse while I was entering the above and meant to add "that's if you can't get into safe mode". Broadband won't make any difference.
Alan

wini · Post by **wini** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:47 am

Thank you once again Alan.
The F8 worked and started in safe mode.
Now, at the risk of being an absolute pest, do I just keep operating in safe mode or do I do anything else to take it back to normal.
I read somewhere to go to run and type in misconfig but the computer tells me it doesn't recognise this.

wini

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 2:37 am

You’re no trouble at all Wini,

Just go through the procedures in the list I gave you to change the refresh rate etc. Once that’s done and you’ve restarted things should hopefully be back to somewhere like normal.

Have you done that and restarted? What’s been done so far and what’s the situation?

Don’t worry about the RUN thing yet. (actually it’s msconfig – no i)

Alan

wini · Post by **wini** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:08 am

THANK YOU ALAN

All is well. I would like to say "the cheque is in the mail", but I would be lying.

Thanks once again

wini