HDD clicking, drive not recognized no BIOS

[wolfeyou]

Hello, I found a flashlight with a magnet sitting on my laptop, immediately above the HDD, thank you son, when I booted the laptop, the drive makes clicking noises, and I have warnings that the drive is not recognized, or it has a bios issue.  I have followed all of the online instructions with no resolution.  It's a HP pavilion 360 convertible, model 14-BA353CL, prod id 4YN63UA#ABA. It has a Toshiba disk drive MQ04ABF100.  It appears possible to install a new HDD mecha nically quite easy however, I have never done anything like this so I would greatly appreciate it if someone could provide the guidance on how to do it or what resources I should use to purchase a drive &  the replacement procedure and the start up procedure. 

Thank you  

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @wolfeyou 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

You're absolutely on the right track — it sounds like your hard drive has failed due to magnetic interference. The clicking noise is often called the “click of death,” which usually means the drive’s read/write head is damaged or stuck. Unfortunately, a strong magnet (even from a flashlight) can cause this, especially if it was resting right above the HDD.

The good news is:

Your HP Pavilion x360 does support HDD replacement.

It's a relatively easy DIY repair, especially if you're comfortable using a screwdriver.

You can also upgrade to a much faster SSD, which will drastically improve performance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Replace Your HDD (HP Pavilion x360 14-BA353CL)

1. What You Need

Replacement Drive Options:

Tools You'll Need:

Small Phillips screwdriver

Plastic spudger or guitar pick (for prying)

Anti-static precautions (optional but good)

2. Replacing the Drive

Basic Steps:

Turn off the laptop and unplug power cable

Flip the laptop over and remove all rubber feet or stickers to expose hidden screws

Unscrew all screws from the back panel

Use a plastic pry tool to gently pop open the bottom case

Locate the HDD (usually on the bottom right)

Carefully disconnect the SATA cable and remove the drive

Transfer the drive bracket or caddy to the new SSD/HDD

Connect the new drive, reinstall screws and back cover

Done!

3. Installing Windows (Fresh Start)

Since your old drive is likely dead, you’ll be doing a clean Windows install:

What You Need:

A USB flash drive (8GB or more)

Access to another working computer

Create Bootable USB:

Go to Microsoft’s Download Page

Download Media Creation Tool

Plug in USB stick and run the tool to create Windows 10 bootable installer

 

Boot and Install:

Insert USB into your HP laptop

Turn on laptop and press ESC repeatedly to enter Startup Menu

Choose Boot Device Options (F9)

Select your USB drive

Follow the prompts to install Windows

When asked for a product key: Click “I don’t have one” (your laptop’s key is embedded in BIOS)

Choose Custom Install, select your SSD and click "Next"

Windows will install and activate automatically.

4. After Installation:

Connect to Wi-Fi

Windows will install most drivers automatically

You can go to HP’s support site to download any missing drivers:

🔗 HP Pavilion x360 14-BA353CL Drivers

If you'd like help picking an SSD within your budget or want me to walk you through making the USB installer, just let me know!

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye