Constant HDD activity

I've got this unusual problem from past 2 weeks. I see that my HDD light keeps flickering even when there are no processes running. I thought that my antivirus indexing my files, but I disabled it, still happened. Safe mode, happening again. I thought this was the problem of Windows, but this is happening on Linux as well (SuSE 10.2). I did defrag my HD and my AV is always updated it automatically scans when my system is idle. I leave my system switched on most of the time, so it takes care of that. What could be the problem? I want to cut this problem and extend the life of my HD. My config is there as my signature. Please do check it. Thanks in advance.
__________
Isn't there anyone to help me out??????????

Defrag ur HDD....run antivirus..and scandisk ur HDD.......

also try this site
try this

wizrulz said:
Defrag ur HDD....run antivirus..and scandisk ur HDD.......

also try this site
try this

I edited my post. I ran an AV check and defrag it as well. Well, I ran chkdsk yesterday. It came up with few errors. It told that it couldn't continue with errors. So, I scheduled it to run on the next boot up. No problems were faced there. It just did a scan and nothing turned up. Thanks for the link. Will try to tweak those.

did you check for any unusual start-up entry or Process in TaskManager.

& if dont find anything unusual, then post a HijackThis log here.

s18000rpm said:
did you check for any unusual start-up entry or Process in TaskManager.

& if dont find anything unusual, then post a HijackThis log here.

Thanks for the link. I'll post the log file here. There's no wild seeking, but its still something for me. I also read in this post that its normal for SATA HDD to seek like that. Please give me more insight on this. I'll google out as well.

for the "STIR" (Seek to increase Reliability), check your HDD's Instruction/Owners Manual.
If its stated there, then that might be the Answer.

^^
OK but what about lagging? HDD which makes noise also show a lag in activity (in most of the cases.), so what about lag?

What kind of Noise. like the usual clickling sound or other type.

i dunno much about this particular(lag+sound) case, but the lagging maybe due to insufficient Power Supply. (PSU, UPS...causing the problem)

@n2casey There's no lagging in accessing, just a dim flicker of the light compared to the one where it glows brightly during normal disc activity.

@s18000rpmThere's no noise, but just the dim flickering of the light. Actually I was scared when chkdsk detected errors. I thought my drive was failing, but the disc check during the startup didn't show any bad sectors. Same goes with other partitions. I'll soon be posting the HijackThis log file.

Here's my HijackThis log file.

I analysed the report and found no virus or malware.
The problem is that you have too many start-up entries and hence too many processes. No wonder any PC would be sluggish under such circumstances. Remove unwanted start-up entries. Keep it limited to Antivirus start-ups and some needed applications.

OR...Just run a free performance scan and remove the unwanted processes.

Kiran_tech_mania said:
I analysed the report and found no virus or malware.
The problem is that you have too many start-up entries and hence too many processes. No wonder any PC would be sluggish under such circumstances. Remove unwanted start-up entries. Keep it limited to Antivirus start-ups and some needed applications.

OR...Just run a free performance scan and remove the unwanted processes.

Yeah, I know there are a lot of startup entries, I need to clear them. But I need a few to run during startup. Well, how is it related to the constant HDD activity? I shutdown most applications in the tray once its started. I think I'll put a snap of my HD light 'glowing' to show what kind of light it actually is showing up.

just for the record, s18000rpm, carpserv.exe is a legit file. no issues. *www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/carpserv.exe-725.html

sunil : antiwpa.dll keeps ur windows working in an unactivated state making the os believe it is activated. it makes winlogon.exe believe that it was booted in safemode and so winlogon skips the WPA-Check. ;-)

i suggest u get it scanned with multiple av's at
*virusscan.jotti.org/ and/or
*www.virustotal.com/en/virustotalf.html

by and large ur hjt logfile appears to be clean. just fix this entry using hijackthis tool :
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = *10.240.48.195/webLogin.jsp

a constant/on/off hdd activity in the background shud not ordnrly b a cause for concern, unless ofcourse there r specefic issues invloved.
there are a lot of background processes going on like, indexing, etc...

i assume u have nevertheless scanned in safe mode with ur av and as.
i do suggest u reduce ur startups. for example i have none !
i always prefer to click and start apps/progs as n ven i require them.
*i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/stylucm5.gif

thanks for clearing my doubts Anandk.

anandk said:
just for the record, s18000rpm, carpserv.exe is a legit file. no issues. *www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/carpserv.exe-725.html

sunil : antiwpa.dll keeps ur windows working in an unactivated state making the os believe it is activated. it makes winlogon.exe believe that it was booted in safemode and so winlogon skips the WPA-Check.

i suggest u get it scanned with multiple av's at
*virusscan.jotti.org/ and/or
*www.virustotal.com/en/virustotalf.html

by and large ur hjt logfile appears to be clean. just fix this entry using hijackthis tool :
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = *10.240.48.195/webLogin.jsp

a constant/on/off hdd activity in the background shud not ordnrly b a cause for concern, unless ofcourse there r specefic issues invloved.
there are a lot of background processes going on like, indexing, etc...

i assume u have nevertheless scanned in safe mode with ur av and as.
i do suggest u reduce ur startups. for example i have none !
i always prefer to click and start apps/progs as n ven i require them.
*i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/stylucm5.gif

Your eyes are sharper than anyone can imagine

I know the process which I'm purposely running

Since there's know furious activity of the hard disk, I don't know if I really should be concerned as this was not really happening before. I need to get my camera back to post a snap of the pic. I'll try multiple AV scans as well. Thanks again

Will post the pic soon

Well, here is the picture of my computer. I switched off the lights and turned off the flash as well so that you guys can get a fair idea of how faint the light of the HD activity LED is. The right side, red one is the HD activity light. Please do let me know how to stop it.

*img66.imageshack.us/img66/4679/dscf04232ah.th.jpg

Can anyone please help me from here????

if no one can help u...last option is to format ur HDD and make all fresh installs...that is if no one comes up with solution

Dude i think ur AUTO-INDEXING feature of MS-SEARCH or any other search utility that you used is ON.. Check this out...

47shailesh said:
Dude i think ur AUTO-INDEXING feature of MS-SEARCH or any other search utility that you used is ON.. Check this out...

I dont remember turning on any of these. In case it is automatically enabled, pleae tell me how to turn it off.

press Cntrl + F in my computer...

In search pop bar on left pane do following

Click on change prefernce link..

then on "With indexing service" there choose "No, do not enable Indexing services" radio button..
this may solve your problem...

do you use any other searching tools like google desktop search, win locate32 or coppernick search ???

The Indexing Service of Windows was turned off by default on my system and it is STILL TURNED OFF!! Also, I don't use any Indexing software. This happens on Linux as well. So, any idea guys?

Also, here's my HDDlife log has to say:

HDDlife Project 2.9.0.109
(c) 2004-2006 by BinarySense Ltd., *www.hddlife.com, mailto:support@hddlife.com

26/01/2007 22:27:13.484
Trying use PhysicalDevice access
Device #0
Device #0: enable S.M.A.R.T. Ok
Device #0: ID sector get success
Device #0: 5A 0C FF 3F 37 C8 10 00 00 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Device #0: 4D 34 31 54 38 30 4E 48 00 00 00 40 04 00 2E 33
Device #0: 32 34 20 20 20 20 54 53 31 33 30 36 32 38 41 37
Device #0: 20 53 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Device #0: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 80
Device #0: 00 00 00 2F 00 40 00 02 00 02 07 00 FF 3F 10 00
Device #0: 3F 00 10 FC FB 00 10 01 FF FF FF 0F 00 00 07 00
Device #0: 03 00 78 00 78 00 F0 00 78 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 1F 00 02 01 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 7E 00 1B 00 6B 34 01 7D 03 40 69 34 01 3C 03 40
Device #0: 7F 40 00 00 00 00 FE FE FE FF 00 00 00 FE 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B0 9E A1 12 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 01 00 B0 9E A1 12 B0 9E A1 12 20 20 02 00 B6 42
Device #0: 00 00 8A 00 06 3C 0A 3C 00 00 C6 07 00 01 00 08
Device #0: 78 0F 00 10 02 00 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00
Device #0: 00 00 03 FE 50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AB 00 0B 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 A5 C1
Device #0: Model:SEAGATE ST3160827AS
Device #0: Serial:4MT108HN
Device #0: Firmware:3.42
Device #0: Identify info: 7d01::9eb0:12a1:0000:0000
Device #0: Size(512):160041472Kb
Device #0: ATTRIBUTE sector get success
Device #0: THRESHOLD sector get success
Device #0: 0A 00 01 0F 00 3A 30 84 33 CE 0C 00 00 00 03 03
Device #0: 00 60 60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 32 00 63 63 7B
Device #0: 07 00 00 00 00 00 05 33 00 64 64 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 07 0F 00 51 3C 23 92 00 07 00 00 00 09 32
Device #0: 00 61 61 2B 0C 00 00 00 00 00 0A 13 00 64 64 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 0C 32 00 63 63 C4 07 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 C2 22 00 21 2F 21 00 00 00 13 00 00 C3 1A
Device #0: 00 3A 30 84 33 CE 0C 00 00 00 C5 12 00 64 64 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 C6 10 00 64 64 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 C7 3E 00 C8 C8 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 C8 00
Device #0: 00 64 FD 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 CA 32 00 64 FD 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 82 00 AE 01 00 5B
Device #0: 03 00 01 00 01 5E 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 58 59 16 00 03 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 01
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 F0 F2 87 06 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 36 AF 2C D1 81 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 F0 F2 87 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 02 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 45 50 74 D6 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 0B BB 16 00 00 00 00 00 27 0C 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Device #0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 BB
Device #0: Attributes:
Device #0: -------------------------------------------------
Device #0: ID Flags Thresh Value Worst Raw
Device #0: -------------------------------------------------
Device #0: 01 000f 06 3a 30 00000cce3384
Device #0: 03 0003 00 60 60 000000000000
Device #0: 04 0032 14 63 63 00000000077b
Device #0: 05 0033 24 64 64 000000000000
Device #0: 07 000f 1e 51 3c 000007009223
Device #0: 09 0032 00 61 61 000000000c2b
Device #0: 0a 0013 61 64 64 000000000000
Device #0: 0c 0032 14 63 63 0000000007c4
Device #0: c2 0022 00 21 2f 001300000021
Device #0: c3 001a 00 3a 30 00000cce3384
Device #0: c5 0012 00 64 64 000000000000
Device #0: c6 0010 00 64 64 000000000000
Device #0: c7 003e 00 c8 c8 000000000000
Device #0: c8 0000 00 64 fd 000000000000
Device #0: ca 0032 00 64 fd 000000000000
Device #0: -------------------------------------------------
Device #0: Temperature:33, HiTemperature:47
Device #0: Health:55, Performance:55

Your's a sata Hdd and many times this occur in sata !!

This is not a problem , but check if your power supply is adequate

I've got a 400W PSU. I think that should suffice.

That can but even that also can have some problems so get a temp. to check from a friend or someone

shantanu_webmaster said:
That can but even that also can have some problems so get a temp. to check from a friend or someone

What are the 'usual' problems? I keep my system on for nearly 16 hours everyday, but I don't think that should be a problem as I read in a topic that it really doesn't hurt the system as such. Also, what is this Health and Performance percentage really indicating? The Performance shows Excellent and the Health status OK! The percentage level is around 55 for each.

it shows your systems total working effeciency!!!

its ok but you are having a problem so you got to check each and everything

Since is 55% is quite low and still showing Excellent and OK! is that good or bad??

its ok !!! not bad at all

X

This Cud Be It, Just Check ......

Download Tweakui

THEN

GENERAL CATEGORY ->

OPTION = Optimize hard disk when idle

.-Description
The "Optimize hard disk when idle" check-box allows Windows
to rearrange files on the hard disk when the computer is not
in use to improve performance.
.This is a systemwide setting which.requires a restart for ...
changes to take effect.

Hmmmmmm....... I had not heard about it. I'll be doing a quick check on that soon. But what about the same thing happening on Linux??