why is my hard drive light constantly on and doesn't blink like normal?

Answer 1

Usually when your HD light is on constantly means that a program is running in the background reading your disk. Although it could be your current antivirus (if it's norton <--BAD CHOICE if so) or it could be an undesirable program scanning for "interesting content" either way you need to correct that.
First: update your antivirus, if you're using norton i would actually uninstall that and download http://www.free-av.com (AVIRA Antivir Antivirus) If that solves your problem then great!
If your problem is still there or if you would like to try something else you can do the following: Click Start>Run, Then type in 'msconfig' and press enter. A window will appear, click on STARTUP tab you will see a bunch of items in a list with checkboxes to the left. UNCHECK EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR ANTIVIRUS (or uncheck everything including the antivirus, and then simply start your antivirus manually when you reboot for the first time) Once everything is unchecked, restart your computer. When it boots up completely a window will appear saying that you changed some settings, that is normal, uncheck the checkbox at the bottom of that window and click OK

Your computer should be much better :)

Answer 2

How long has this been happening? If it's always been like this and your computer is custom built, a jumper on the motherboard may be backwards. It could also just be a power light as not all cases have hard drive LEDs.

If that's not the case then the drive is busy reading/writing something. Can you hear the drive making noise? You may have to put your ear to the case to notice. A number of things could be happening and without further investigation, it'd be difficult to pinpoint without a tech actually looking at what software you have installed and what is active. Does the computer seem sluggish? Are you familiar with the Windows Task Manager? Click on CTRL+ALT+DEL simultaneously and click on the Task Manager button, then click on the Processes tab. There is a list of processes that are currently running that shows the name of the process, what is running the process, what percentage of the CPU is being used for that process and the memory usage for that process. Pay attention to which process is using the CPU. The majority of them should be at 00. If you can identify the process, you'll know what's accessing the drive. For example, IEXPLORER.EXE might be a process that you're using. If you're loading a page in internet explorer, the CPU percentage might go up 2-10%. Programs that are active use virtual memory rather than RAM since active programs can take up a lot of memory. Virtual memory is a Windows Operating System (OS) controlled section of your hard drive. When you have multiple programs running, Windows uses paging to flip between these programs--loading active programs from virtual memory into RAM.

You can do a google search for the "image name" or the process name to find out what its purpose is. If there is anything dodgy going on, you may be able to find out this way and you may also be able to find out how to fix it.

And if you are uncomfortable with doing any of this, you may want to take your computer in to a shop or take it in for warranty repair.

Good luck!

Answer 3

How long has this been occurring? If it particularly is often been like this and your pc is custom outfitted, a jumper on the motherboard may be backwards. it would additionally in simple terms be a capacity easy as no longer all circumstances have not ordinary force LEDs. If that may not the case then the force is busy reading/writing something. are you able to take heed to the force making noise? you would be able to ought to placed your ear to the case to observe. multiple issues must be occurring and with out added study, it would be complicated to pinpoint and not making use of a tech surely observing what application you have put in and what's energetic. Does the pc look slow? Are you conscious of the abode windows job supervisor? click on CTRL+ALT+DEL concurrently and click on the job supervisor button, then click on the strategies tab. there's a catalogue of strategies that are at present working that exhibits the call of the approach, what's working the approach, what number of the CPU is getting used for that technique and the memory utilization for that technique. pay interest to which technique is making use of the CPU. the final public of them must be at 00. in case you are able to % out the approach, you will understand what's having access to the force. for example, IEXPLORER.EXE may be a technique which you're making use of. once you're loading an internet site in internet explorer, the CPU share would circulate up 2-10%. classes that are energetic use digital memory fairly than RAM on the grounds that energetic classes can take in multiple memory. digital memory is a abode windows working gadget (OS) controlled area of your no longer ordinary force. once you have multiple classes working, abode windows makes use of paging to tutor between those classes--loading energetic classes from digital memory into RAM. you're able to do a google seek for the "image call" or the approach call to confirm what its purpose is. If there is something dodgy occurring, you're able to looking out this way and you would be able to even have the means to confirm a thank you to repair it. And while you're uncomfortable with doing any of this, it particularly is beneficial to take your pc in to a shop or take it in for guarantee restoration. good luck!

Answer 4

Something is reading your disk. Update your antivirus software and run it, just to make sure

Answer 5

it is busy reading something. If your memory is low it will keep busy your HD