since ive installed ME my tower makes the clunking noise when you shut down now and again when its on!has anybody any clues as to whats going on and if its better getting on top of the problem or leaving it,any help appreciated,thanks,Lee

Check your CPU fan..power fan..

Also look for power wiring and or data cables that the fans might be hitting.

Lee, I think installing ME may be coincidental. Take off the side of your computer, shut down with your ear by the hard drive, that's my bet for a clunking sound. With the side of the computer off try to force the clunk and keep checking until you find where it is coming from. Fix or replace. I suppose it could be a CD, floppy drive, et cetera starting or stopping. Disconnect the power plug to each of these devices (one by one) and force the clunking activity to eliminate. You can also easily check for wires banging in to the CPU or other fans. If you have important stuff on your computer it is important that you back it all up now while you troubleshoot. If the hard drive is failing you may lose it all. "It's not if a hard drive will fail, it's when will it fail." Tim

I have a simular problem and it still does it. It is Windows ME, no doubt about it! There is nothing wrong with your hard drive and there is nothing hitting the fan or your CPU. Don't worry about anything. Just revert back to Windows 98 or 2000, or even better, buy a Mac! How do I know you ask? Well, I once had Windows 98 installed on my computer and it was running SMOOTHLY. Brand spanking new hard drive. Then, I decided to install Win ME (big mistake). Every now and then, I would hear a click-clattering grinding sound coming from the hard drive, especially at startup and at shutdown and sometimes but very seldomly while the computer is running. Anyway, I wanted to see if it was a hardware or software problem so I installed win me on my other computer and sure enough, after a couple days of use, the other computer was making the same noise from the hard drive at startup and at shutdown. That's how i know it's windows me to blame. I still have win me on my other computer and it's still doing that so I will revert back to 98 and trash win me (the CD) and will never buy another microcrap OS again. Windows XP?!?!? HAHAHA, that will be another joke!

i also thought that i got with my windows ME a coffee grinder drive... got rid of the hard drive trashing by installing 128 meg more memory.. and many other tweaks Regards Miro