Noisy Western Digital 1

[moshun]

Hi everyone,

I have a 500gb WD SATA:
WD 500GB Serial-ATA2 7200RPM 16MB Cache WD5000AAKS

Its fine but the only problem is that it is the noisiest drive Ive ever had. Compared to the Samsung I have in there it sounds like a car engine. It wails when opening folders (granted the folder is 100gb) and also is always 6degrees warmer than the samsung--usually 45degrees

I was worried about the drive so I ran diagnostics with SpeedFan and it warned me about the Power Hrs function. My number was 96 where it should apparently be 100.

Are WDs known for their incredible noisiness and should I worry about the Speedfan analysis? BTW I leave my machine on 24hrs a day and it undergoes pretty heavy activity levels.

thanks for any ideas

 

[ski]

Run the WD diagnostics on it. If it passes all tests, and it's still under warranty, then you can discuss the matter with WD. They may be willing to replace it.

 

[wahnula]

Agreed. The noisiest hard drive I've ever heard only made soft clunking sounds as the head jumped all over the platter. Seagate makes an excellent drive you should hear NO rotational whir or whine unless your ear is right up against it. I am also a silence freak and I have (2) 7200.10's in RAID 1, quiet as a whisper. The additional Raptor holding my Vista install make lots of seek noise but not the Seagates.

If you bought the drive new I would return it. If you bought it used try the RMA route. Spinning noises are the death knell of hard drives.


Tony

 

[moshun]

Thanks a lot guys...The drive doesn't make spinning sounds, it makes a similar thrashing sound to normal drives but it is of a much hollower and more deep quality. It rumbles essentially. The only problem with asking for a new drive is that I thought WD would just send me another refurbished one. Its passed every test btw from WD to the seagates tests to defraging and .....

 

[moshun]

Oh also, I have experience with RMA with WD and a several times the drives they brought back were noisier and also defective. The replacements are just repaired and sometimes junk. The replacements werent for me but for customers of a computer shop a family member owned but I can now see what a nuisance it is.

 

[wahnula]

Sounds like you may have a resonance problem in your case. To Isolate the drives, get two heavy rubber bands, pass them through the screw holes and secure at one end by passing a pencil through the two loops. Place one drive between the rubber bands, and one drive only. Better?

Tony

 

[moshun]

Ive studied resonance for physics a yrs back..I never thought about it.

Instead of rubber bands I put a thick piece of paper--like a shim to keep the drive firm long before. Ill try your method thanks a lot for the advice.

One question though---say you have a folder of 150gb of files--should the drive wail when opening that folder up? My primary drive doesnt seem to fuss that much about opening large folders while the WD does. The WD has never frozen on me but it does sound like the head is doing an awful lot of moving--the drive is defragged.

thanks a lot Tony youve been a great help