A user reports that their workstation suddenly froze and now will not load the operating system. During POST you hear a steady, rhythmic clicking coming from the only installed 3.5-inch SATA hard drive. The drive is still listed in BIOS, but Windows recovery tools cannot read any partitions on it. Which action gives the best chance of preserving the user's data?
Power down the computer, replace the hard drive, and restore the files from the most recent backup.
Boot into Windows PE and run chkdsk /f on the clicking drive.
Initialize the disk in Disk Management and create a new NTFS partition.
Reseat the SATA data and power cables, then attempt another normal boot.
Repeated clicking from a mechanical hard disk usually indicates an internal hardware failure such as a stuck actuator arm or damaged platter surface. Continued power-on attempts can worsen the damage, reducing the likelihood of a successful recovery. The safest approach is to remove the failing drive immediately, install a replacement, and restore the user's files from a verified backup. Running utilities such as chkdsk, reseating cables, or re-initializing the disk all continue to spin the damaged mechanism and risk permanent data loss.
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What is POST and why is it important in diagnosing hardware issues?
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What causes the repeated clicking sound in a hard drive?
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How does a Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) differ from typical recovery tools?