Laptop- whirring and beeping sounds. Help please!?

This is a cause for concern. I recommend backing up all your data and checking that you have a copy of XP to copy to any new HDD you purchase. Also checking that you have a backup of all the drivers that your laptop needs. This including the chip-set drivers, visual drivers and networking drivers. If you have all this you can carry on using the laptop safe in the knowledge that if is your HDD does stop working that you have not lost everything. This noise normal does come from a HDD that is on its' way but it may just be that you have a load of processes running that means your HDD is always busy.