HDD potentionally dying

[Deleted]

About 2 months ago I basically build a whole new PC, but I kept my GPU, HDD as well as SSD. I formatted both of them and stuck the OS on the SSD.
Now, ever since I hear a noise coming from the PC, which I assume is the HDD. I wish I could record it, but it happens maybe with intervals of half an hour- hour, depending on how I use the PC.
For example: I have FFXIV (Installed on HDD) opened up, but am tabbed to my second screen. If I then tab back in, it's like the HDD is loading the game up again, game "freezes" for a second or 5 *noise occurs* and then works fine again.
Another example: WoW (SSD) is open and actively played, I tab out to Firefox (installed on HDD) open a new tab, *noise happens* and I can tell the HDD is accessing Firefox.

I watched/listened to some HDD failure sounds, but those are generally already completely lost cases. Mine still seems to work, but has very long "thinking times" after being unused for a little while. I haven't heard this sound ever before, someone told me it may be because I formatted it and it's gotten new data written over the old stuff causing these noises.

Since most other parts are new, I am unsure if it could potentially be something other than the HDD.
Oh, and this hard drive is about 4-5 years old now, if I'm not completely mistaken.
Pulled some info from Speccy if that is any help at all: https://gyazo.com/c41bd9e9086533b8ff613c6810f4e8b2
Right now I have Speccy open, and every ~10 seconds a *click* coming from somewhere.
Speedfan gave me these online results: https://gyazo.com/cb1fb8b815fce4d41d1b162e92020ad5

I have a feeling it could be its age, as well as me formatting it and writing new data over it. If that's the case it's fine, but hearing that sound regularly is just a bit unsettling, especially if it's just 'suddenly' gonna die on me one day.

Thanks in advance!

[Remilia]

Is it the sound of the HDD starting up? Power options in window can turn off the HDD after X amount of tie.
There are numerous methods for the OS to start accessing the HDD which can cause it to spin up again. Since you installed your OS on an SSD the HDD could potentially just not have been accessed so the OS turns it off, you can change it in power settings in control panel.

The program that's accessing the HDD can/will pause for a bit when it's spinning up.

[chazus]

Why are so many programs on the HDD? I understand if you don't have room on the SSD for all your games, but your most played games and especially browser should be on there.

Move Firefox to the SSD and see if the problem persists.

[Deleted]

Is it the sound of the HDD starting up? Power options in window can turn off the HDD after X amount of tie.
There are numerous methods for the OS to start accessing the HDD which can cause it to spin up again. Since you installed your OS on an SSD the HDD could potentially just not have been accessed so the OS turns it off, you can change it in power settings in control panel.

The program that's accessing the HDD can/will pause for a bit when it's spinning up.

Holy shit, how dumb. I checked the power settings and it was indeed set to be turned off after 20 minutes. I've changed it to never and see if that'll change anything.
I'm also pretty sure it doesn't actually make that particular noise when booting up. Just the standard mechanical sound of an HDD powering up.

[Ssateneth]

yes power saving options with OS on SSD will usually turn hard drive off after some minutes. when HDD turns off, you might hear a loud-ish click sound and a spin down, both are normal, and a spinup and scanning sound when it turns back on, also normal. I personally don't find the power saving option useful as I have to wait to access the hard drive if I do need to access it, usually thinking my PC froze when its power powering the HDD up.

[Deleted]

It's still making the noise, especially when loading cutscenes and/or mid combat when I'm in bigger groups doing FATEs in FFXIV which is installed on the HDD. It sounds a little like *whee whee whee* then clicks normally and loads up the scene. Occasionally the noise persists a second or two longer.

Next paycheck I'll order myself a new one. I was gonna save for a second and bigger SSD, but I can't spare the money for that anytime soon.

[Blackwale]

I have one Seagate drive that's been doing the same thing for a couple of years. Other than the unsettling sound, it works just fine. I do keep good backups though...