20 Signs That a Hard Drive Is Failing

A drop in overall speed is often one of the earliest signs that a hard drive is beginning to fail. When the internal parts such as the read/write heads or spinning platters start to wear out, the drive struggles to retrieve and store data efficiently. This delay forces the operating system to wait longer for responses, which slows down boot times, application launches, and general system tasks. In many cases, the slowdown is not caused by the processor or memory but by the drive’s reduced ability to handle normal data requests.

On Windows, this can appear as longer startup sequences, delays when opening File Explorer, and lag when switching between programs. The system also pauses while loading icons or indexing files. On macOS, Finder windows take several seconds to display contents, the spinning beachball cursor appears more often, and applications freeze during file access. On Linux, you will notice delayed terminal responses, slower package management operations, or extended load times when opening directories.

The Blue Screen of Death is a critical system error screen that appears in Windows when the operating system encounters a problem it cannot recover from without restarting. While BSODs can be caused by faulty drivers, bad memory, or overheating, a failing hard drive is a common culprit. When the drive develops bad sectors or its read/write mechanisms begin to fail, the operating system attempts to access essential system files and find them missing, corrupted, or unreadable. This interruption in the data flow triggers a fatal error, forcing Windows to halt to prevent further damage.

On Windows, the BSOD is the most visible symptom, often accompanied by an error code that points toward disk-related issues such as “UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME” or “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.” On macOS, there is no BSOD, but a similar event is the “kernel panic,” where the screen turns gray or black with a restart message. This occurs when the Mac cannot read critical system data from the drive. On Linux, the equivalent is often a “kernel panic” message in the terminal or a frozen system with diagnostic text on-screen.

Frequent error messages can indicate that a hard drive is struggling to read or write data correctly. When sectors on the disk become damaged or the read/write heads begin to fail, the operating system attempts to access files or system components that are partially corrupted or missing. This results in repeated pop‑ups, alerts, or on‑screen warnings. While occasional errors can be caused by software bugs or misconfigured settings, a consistent pattern of file‑related or disk‑related errors often points to a deeper hardware issue within the drive itself.

On Windows, these errors appear as dialog boxes stating that a file cannot be found, that a directory is corrupted, or that the parameter is incorrect. You will also see warnings from built‑in tools like CHKDSK or SMART status alerts. On macOS, Finder displays messages that a file cannot be opened or copied, or that the disk needs to be repaired. The system’s Disk Utility may also flag the drive as failing. On Linux, you will encounter “I/O error” messages in the terminal, failed mount attempts, or log entries in /var/log/syslog indicating read/write failures.

Slow file access occurs when it takes noticeably longer than usual to open, save, or transfer files. In a healthy hard drive, the read/write heads quickly locate and retrieve data from the platters. When the drive begins to fail, mechanical wear, damaged sectors, or degraded magnetic surfaces force it to make repeated attempts to read the same data. This delay is not just an inconvenience; it is a sign that the hard drive durability to handle basic operations is deteriorating. Over time, these delays escalate into file corruption or complete inaccessibility.

On Windows, slow file access appears as long pauses when opening documents, images, or videos, with File Explorer showing a loading bar for extended periods. Copying or moving files between folders stalls midway, sometimes triggering “Not Responding” messages. On macOS, Finder takes several seconds to display file contents, and saving changes in applications hang before completing. The spinning beachball cursor often appears during these delays. On Linux, you might notice lag when listing directory contents in the terminal, delays in opening files through a file manager, or “I/O error” messages in logs when the system struggles to read from the disk. 

Slow folder opening happens when it takes noticeably longer than normal for a directory’s contents to appear after you click or navigate to it. On a healthy hard drive, the system quickly locates the file index and displays the list almost instantly. When the drive begins to fail, damaged sectors, mechanical wear, or degraded magnetic surfaces cause delays in reading the file allocation tables or metadata. The system has to make repeated attempts to retrieve this information, which results in a lag before the folder contents are shown.

On Windows, this appears as File Explorer taking several seconds to load a folder, with a green progress bar moving slowly across the address bar. Large folders with many files or mixed file types may be especially slow to open. On macOS, Finder windows remain blank for a noticeable period before populating, and the spinning beachball cursor may appear during the delay. On Linux, file managers such as Nautilus or Dolphin may pause before displaying folder contents, and in the terminal, commands like ls take longer than expected to return results.

Missing files indicate that the hard drive is failing to store or retrieve data reliably. When sectors on the disk become damaged or the file system structure becomes corrupted, the operating system attempts to locate files that no longer exist in a readable state. This results in documents, images, or application data disappearing without user action. In some cases, the file names remain visible, but the data inside is inaccessible because the drive has lost the physical or logical link to it.

On Windows, missing files often appear as empty folders, broken shortcuts, or files that trigger “File not found” or “The directory is invalid” errors. The Recycle Bin remains empty, confirming that the files were not deleted through normal user actions. On macOS, Finder displays folders with reduced file counts, and attempts to open certain files result in “The file does not exist” or “The operation could not be completed” messages. Disk Utility frequently flags the drive with errors during verification. On Linux, missing files show up as absent directory entries, failed ls listings, or “No such file or directory” messages in the terminal. System logs often record I/O errors or failed inode lookups.

Files that refuse to open often indicate that the hard drive is no longer reading stored data correctly. This problem occurs when the sectors holding the file’s data have become damaged or when the file system structure has been corrupted. The operating system attempts to retrieve the information but fails because the data is incomplete, unreadable, or physically inaccessible. In some cases, the file icon and name remain visible, giving the impression that the file exists, yet the underlying data is lost or scrambled. This symptom points to a serious decline in the drive’s ability to store and retrieve information reliably.

On Windows, attempting to open such files results in error messages like “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” or “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file.” Applications may freeze while trying to load the file, and Event Viewer often logs disk-related errors. On macOS, Finder displays alerts stating that the file is damaged or that the operation could not be completed. Disk Utility frequently reports issues with the volume’s structure during verification. On Linux, attempts to open the file through a file manager or terminal produce “Input/output error” messages, and system logs record failed read attempts or bad block reports.

Error messages during file transfers indicate that the hard drive is failing to read from or write to specific sectors reliably. When the drive’s platters or read/write heads degrade, the system encounters corrupted data blocks or mechanical faults that interrupt the process. The operating system attempts to complete the transfer but stops when it detects missing, unreadable, or damaged data. 

On Windows, these errors often appear as pop‑ups stating “Data error (cyclic redundancy check)” or “The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.” File Explorer freeze mid‑transfer, and Event Viewer logs typically record disk warnings or errors. On macOS, Finder displays alerts such as “The operation could not be completed” or “File is in use” when the system fails to read or write the data. Disk Utility frequently reports verification or repair failures for the affected volume. On Linux, the terminal outputs “Input/output error” or “Read‑only file system” during copy or move commands, and system logs in /var/log/syslog record repeated I/O failures.

Strange noises from a hard drive often signal that its mechanical components are wearing out or have already sustained damage. A healthy drive operates with a consistent, barely audible hum as the platters spin and the read/write heads move smoothly. When parts begin to fail, the drive produces irregular sounds such as clicking, grinding, or whirring. Clicking often indicates that the read/write heads are repeatedly trying and failing to locate data. Grinding suggests physical contact between internal components, which damages the platters and destroys stored information. These noises point to severe mechanical issues that usually precede complete drive failure.

On Windows, strange drive noises often accompany slow file access, system freezes, or repeated “Delayed Write Failed” errors. Event Viewer typically logs disk warnings or critical errors during these events. On macOS, Finder operations slow down, the spinning beachball cursor appears frequently, and Disk Utility reports hardware-level problems during verification. On Linux, the system freezes during read/write operations, terminal commands return “I/O error” messages, and logs in /var/log/syslog record repeated hardware faults.