Should a new Hard Drive make noise?

Sean

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My parents just got a new computer, it's the last one so they can't exchange it. The hard drive (Western Digital) makes a continuous hum while it is spinning (which is all the time). This is not a read/write noise, but only spinning. My parents can't hear as well as me so it doesn't seem to bother them but is bothers me. It sounds like a miniature bench grinder grinding non-stop. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif It almost sounds like something that's running without lubricant.

So my question is, is it normal to get a noisy HD? Aside from the noise, is it a sign it's going to fail?
 

PhotonWrangler

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[ QUOTE ]
DrJ said:
Well no, there should not be a grinding noise...but there is a chance that it might be a vibration type noise due to the HDD mounting, that is being amplified in the case.

So...you could open the case and check the mounting of the drive...otherwise, if it's not a vibration noise from how it's mounted, and it makes much more noise than is normal, then it could be defective, and due for an early failure....


[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like questionable bearings to me. I agree, the mounting can have a lot to do with the noise and vibration, so definitely check that first before writing it off. But I would also start making backups of all of the important files on that drive asap! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

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Backups? We don't need no stinking ba^&{=bHgZlpl2

NO CARRIER

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

Lux Luthor

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I thought my Maxtor was making noises, but it turned out to be the case fan which is right next to it. In fact, it wasn't even the fan, just the mounting for it. If you're absolutely sure it's the drive, though, I would say it's defective. As mentioned above, definitely back it up right away. I've had 3 HD failures so far, and as a rule, I always use 2 HDs with one as a backup, and I also backup to CD, although less often.
 

Saaby

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It's probably mounting. I recently swapped my internal and external drives (AS my firewire chipset can access 40 Gb that my computers slightly dated ATA/100 interface can't) and found that my desk got about 70% quieter too! Both drives are much quieter in their new homes.
 

raggie33

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good news is hardrives are so cheap now like starting around 40 bucks for 40 gigs. but if ya store a lot of stuff i say get what ya can afford i once saw a 160 gig drive for 99 bucks after rebates
 

Tomas

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Normally I would say that excessive noise probably indicates a problem, but sometimes it only means that the drive is noisy ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have one I've been running 24/7 for over three years that sounds like a C-130 winding up for it's takeoff roll (and has since new). Thank goodness it is a backup external disk that lives in a closed cabinet that muffles it's sound.

If the sound on yours is NOT caused by a closeby blower or poor mounting then I'd be honestly leary of it's potential lifespan.

T_sig6.gif
 

Quickbeam

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Here's something to think about with harddrives that should make even the most determined procrastinator start doing regular backups...

With HD sales, price is everything. The overwhelming majority of consumers will buy a cheaper, more poorly made HD as opposed to paying more for a better made one. All they see is the price.

In order to keep the price down, hard drives are built to the absolute minimum specifications - thinnest possible magnetic coating, least sensitive heads, etc. - that will allow for a working hard drive.

Hard drives COULD be built that would last for decades. But they aren't because no one would buy them. Instead they're built to the lowest possible standards that still gets them within specs.

So your hard drive WILL fail - it's not a matter of if, but when.

I have a factory refurb. hard drive (warranty replacement) that squeals - been working fine for over a year, but I fully expect it, and my other hard drive, to fail any day. Because I keep only backups on the second hard drive, and all my files on the first, if either fails I just go buy a new one and either restore the backup or make a new backup as soon as I install the replacement.

This is just another case of "one is none and two is one". Buy two hard drives at a time and use one for primary and one for backup image files only. I use Ghost on a boot floppy (two copies of that, too) to make backups on the second hard drive which is formatted with a FAT32 single partition - that way it's accessable by the DOS boot floppy that has Ghost on it even if the primary OS is down.
 

raggie33

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i have a maxtor 80 gig drive with 8 megs a cache and liquied bearing ya cant here it great drive. o i forgot to say with the newest ghost ya can back up ya drive to cd,s or dvds and ya can boot from the back up cd or dvd and it will restore ya pc to exactly how it was before including faverites,, passwords,,, it will be exact takes like 10 minutes to back up and with compresion u can fit about 2 gigs per cd and probaly 15 or so per dvd .and it will splt it between many disk if needed .then when you back up it just ask for the disk 1 thejn 2 and so on
 

Sean

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Given what Quickbeam said (which I believe) is one brand of HD any better than another? Western Digital, Maxtor, Seagate?
 

raggie33

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i prefare maxtor ive always built pc,s for my self and freinds only had one drive fail. and they replaced it fast.try to get the newer ones with the 80 gig platers and 8 megs a cache there very very fast and if ya get it with liquid bearings there very quiet
 

torment

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I've had a Maxtor die on me...sent it for RMA and got another one. I have never tried a Seagate but I would personally stick to Western Digital. I've been building computers for myself, friends, and customers for the past 8 years, and I wouldn't put anything but reliable stuff in their system. Its just more hassle for me to go back and undo everything I did. I know it made me mad when my PC wasn't working right so I don't try to put that off on anyone else.

WD all the way!
 

Quickbeam

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I have had the best luck with Maxstor. Had 3 separate WD drives fail and only one Maxstor fail, the last WD failure resulted in a warranty return and is the factory refurbished one in my machine now which whines. I won't get another.
 

Eugene

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Some are louder than others. I replaced the 20G 4200rpm IBM in my laptop with a 60G 5400rpm Toshiba and I can hear the drive run now. It might be a faster drive as well, all things being equal 5400 rpm drives are louder than 4200, 7200 are louder than 5400, you should hear a server with 8 10k rpm drives! The newer the pc the thinner the metal in the case as well which seems to resonate like a speaker cone and make noise. Also check the desk, I had a customer once when I was doing warranty calls with a computer desk with with the tall slot on the side to sit a mid to full sized tower case. She called in to complain that it was too loud so I went out with a hdd and fan. When I pulled the pc out of the desk and powered it on it was quiet. Putting it back inside the desk it was loud again. I demonstrated this to her and she wanted me to "fix" the PC. I had to leave with an unsatisfied customer because no matter how many times I moved that pc from the desk to the floor I couldn't convince her the noise was from the desk. I finally stuffed a dozen mouse pads all around it to quiet the cheap desk.
 

Stingray

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[ QUOTE ]
Sean said:
Given what Quickbeam said (which I believe) is one brand of HD any better than another? Western Digital, Maxtor, Seagate?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've built many (100's) different computers with all of the different brands and every brand has failed at one time or another. IBM's high end drives seem to be the most reliable in my experience. WD's are pretty good, Seagates have given me the most trouble, Maxtor seems to have the best bang for the buck. Most companies make several different "lines" of hard drives and the high end lines seem to last the longest. All of them will replace a bad one under warranty without a hassle, and usually send you back a bigger one to boot. Some even replace them out of warranty if you ask, usually with a refurb. Try calling up WD and tell them your problem, see what they offer.
 

raggie33

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rofl you all got it easy i have a volnano 7 plus coolor for cpu on max speed now thats loud. anyone who heard one before knows what i mean lol. almost like a vaccum cleaner in pc but i overclcok my cpu pretty high so i need it cant afford water cooling
 

BentHeadTX

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I am rather rough on my drives,
Killed WD, Maxtor, Quantum and Samsung die on me. Have had an IBM drive run for 3.5 years now but the other IBM Deathstar (Deskstar) died spectacularly though. Those drives sucked so bad IBM sold out that division to Hitachi.
At this point, I have a 80GB WD with 8mb cache...been working fine for the last 11 months. I have a 15GB drive laying around, I will transfer important files to it and then unplug it as backup. Waiting for the inevitable disk failure.
Anyone want a dead Asus mobo? What about a dead MSI mobo with leaking capacitors? Good thing flashlights are more reliable than crappy computer parts!
 
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