Common signs of HDD failure includes strange noises like clicking or whining, overheating, data transfer errors, performance issues, boot problems, random crashes, and missing files and folders. Many of these issues occur only when the situation is really bad, which is why it’s important to keep an eye on your HDD’s S.M.A.R.T. parameters with a tool like Disk Drill, which includes a S.M.A.R.T. monitoring feature free of charge.