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crowdaddy00 · 02-17-2003, 12:33 AM

The HD is a Western Digital 30GB 7200rpm. I was bored so I went and took apart my pc to see exactly what was the noise coming from my pc. I already know I want a new HSF that is a little quieter the the stock celeron one. I found out that the HD was making the high pitch noise. Does this mean that the HD is going bad? I cant really take the noise anymore. I have a Western Digital 30GB 5400rpm HD that i can replace it with till I can get a bigger, quiet HD. Should I replace it or just keep it in and try to find another way to quiet the HD? Also, does anyone know what is the decibal level of a stock celeron 1ghz HSF is? all i could find was that the fan spins at 3590 rpm. thanks.

**HAL9000** · 02-17-2003, 12:37 AM

Probably the bearings in the drive going. it could last for a long time yet, but probably won't get any quieter.

crowdaddy00 · 02-17-2003, 12:43 AM

Darn. the noise is driving me nuts. the pc is already louder than i want it. I hate the fact that my friends compaq evo 510c p4 2ghz pc is quieter than mine. I guess i will switch HD's till i can get another one. Is there something i can do to make it not make that noise or will i just have to live with it? thanks.

Redo40 · 02-17-2003, 12:53 AM

If it's the bearing like Hal states, replacing it is the only way you will get rid of that noise.

avx · 02-17-2003, 01:46 AM

I read in the "how things work" section here at pcmech that only professionals should work on HD's, are the bearings something that can be fixed easily or is this better left to a profesional?

Tuf · 02-17-2003, 04:10 AM

Hard Drives aren't serviceable at home for any physical problems they may have. IDE drives are so cheap now if they aren't under waranty it's cheaper to replace them than to fix them. Good SCSI drives are often worth fixing or having refurbed.

mike breck · 02-17-2003, 04:34 AM

How old is the HD?

Are you absolutely sure that it is the HD making the noise?

Try disconnecting the HD, powering up, and seeing if the noise continues.

Try connecting just the power lead to the HD. Is the noise still there?

crowdaddy00 · 02-17-2003, 07:43 AM

i unplugged the hd and booted up the system. the high pitch noise was gone. i hooked the hd back up and the noise cane back. The HD is about 2 years old. Looks like I will be replaceing it with my 30GB 5400rpm drive till i can get a new one. thanks for all the help.

drewK7VT2 · 02-17-2003, 07:54 AM

some of those older 7200RPM western digital hard drives die prematurely, but if i remember correctly they have a 3 or 5 year warranty

Alfie · 02-17-2003, 08:26 AM

Download the diagnostic software from WD and have it check the drive,if the drive is faulty and the diagnostic software shows an error,WD will cross ship a new hard drive to you.
If it doesn't have any problems,try repositioning the drive,even putting it one of the larger bays with rails,if it's already in a large bay with rails,try it without the rails.
WD drives used to be about the noisiest drives,always chattering,newer drives are quieter,but yours isn't that old,so the chattering part probably doesn't enter the picture.
Make sure the screws are tight,etc.

crowdaddy00 · 02-17-2003, 08:39 AM

well i ran the diagnostics and no errors. i tried moving it to a 5 1/4 bay and still makes the noise. i am using my fathers pc right now. I love how quiet it is but its a p4 so thats why it is quiet. the HSF is quieter than mine and so is the HD. I found out the HD is a Seagate Barracuda 40GB. They are suppose to be really quiet HD's. I will just have to live with the noise till I can get a new HD. If i could get rid of the fan noise from the stock HSF from my celeron, maybe it would be easier to live with the HD noise. Thanks.

Hot Rod · 02-17-2003, 08:40 AM

Sounds like the bearings to me too. If that is the case, the hard drive will appear fine to any diagnostic software. The drive will probably last for a long time but I would start looking at buying a new one. Especially if it is really bothering you.

***glc*** · 02-17-2003, 08:40 AM

Even if the drive passes diags, you should be able to get a replacement out of WD if you complain about the noise loud enough.

crowdaddy00 · 02-17-2003, 08:44 AM

hmm. well, it won't hurt to try. The least they can say is no. Thanks.

Redo40 · 02-17-2003, 09:53 AM

Should have made myself clearer, I didn't mean replace the bearing, I meant replace the drive.

02-17-2003, 12:33 AM	#1
crowdaddy00 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 220	HD making high pitch noise The HD is a Western Digital 30GB 7200rpm. I was bored so I went and took apart my pc to see exactly what was the noise coming from my pc. I already know I want a new HSF that is a little quieter the the stock celeron one. I found out that the HD was making the high pitch noise. Does this mean that the HD is going bad? I cant really take the noise anymore. I have a Western Digital 30GB 5400rpm HD that i can replace it with till I can get a bigger, quiet HD. Should I replace it or just keep it in and try to find another way to quiet the HD? Also, does anyone know what is the decibal level of a stock celeron 1ghz HSF is? all i could find was that the fan spins at 3590 rpm. thanks. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 12:37 AM	#2
HAL9000 Red-eyed Moderator Staff Premium Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 17,576	Probably the bearings in the drive going. it could last for a long time yet, but probably won't get any quieter. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ -At Ford, quality is job #1, job #2 is making them explode. ~Norm MacDonald, SNL News -Switching to Glide..Balancing in my head..inside of me... taking the glide path instead.

02-17-2003, 12:43 AM	#3
crowdaddy00 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 220	Darn. the noise is driving me nuts. the pc is already louder than i want it. I hate the fact that my friends compaq evo 510c p4 2ghz pc is quieter than mine. I guess i will switch HD's till i can get another one. Is there something i can do to make it not make that noise or will i just have to live with it? thanks. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 12:53 AM	#4
Redo40 Member (12 bit) Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 2,170	If it's the bearing like Hal states, replacing it is the only way you will get rid of that noise. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ Roger "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Confucius

02-17-2003, 01:46 AM	#5
avx Live for the moment Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 1,938	I read in the "how things work" section here at pcmech that only professionals should work on HD's, are the bearings something that can be fixed easily or is this better left to a profesional? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter __________________ Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter. - Sir Winston Churchill

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02-17-2003, 04:10 AM	#6
Tuf Member (12 bit) Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,261	Hard Drives aren't serviceable at home for any physical problems they may have. IDE drives are so cheap now if they aren't under waranty it's cheaper to replace them than to fix them. Good SCSI drives are often worth fixing or having refurbed. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 04:34 AM	#7
mike breck Member (13 bit) Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,700	How old is the HD? Are you absolutely sure that it is the HD making the noise? Try disconnecting the HD, powering up, and seeing if the noise continues. Try connecting just the power lead to the HD. Is the noise still there? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 07:43 AM	#8
crowdaddy00 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 220	i unplugged the hd and booted up the system. the high pitch noise was gone. i hooked the hd back up and the noise cane back. The HD is about 2 years old. Looks like I will be replaceing it with my 30GB 5400rpm drive till i can get a new one. thanks for all the help. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 07:54 AM	#9
drewK7VT2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 412	some of those older 7200RPM western digital hard drives die prematurely, but if i remember correctly they have a 3 or 5 year warranty Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 08:26 AM	#10
Alfie Member (13 bit) Join Date: Sep 1999 Posts: 4,956	Download the diagnostic software from WD and have it check the drive,if the drive is faulty and the diagnostic software shows an error,WD will cross ship a new hard drive to you. If it doesn't have any problems,try repositioning the drive,even putting it one of the larger bays with rails,if it's already in a large bay with rails,try it without the rails. WD drives used to be about the noisiest drives,always chattering,newer drives are quieter,but yours isn't that old,so the chattering part probably doesn't enter the picture. Make sure the screws are tight,etc. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 08:39 AM	#11
crowdaddy00 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 220	well i ran the diagnostics and no errors. i tried moving it to a 5 1/4 bay and still makes the noise. i am using my fathers pc right now. I love how quiet it is but its a p4 so thats why it is quiet. the HSF is quieter than mine and so is the HD. I found out the HD is a Seagate Barracuda 40GB. They are suppose to be really quiet HD's. I will just have to live with the noise till I can get a new HD. If i could get rid of the fan noise from the stock HSF from my celeron, maybe it would be easier to live with the HD noise. Thanks. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 08:40 AM	#12
Hot Rod Member (9 bit) Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Iowa Posts: 413	Sounds like the bearings to me too. If that is the case, the hard drive will appear fine to any diagnostic software. The drive will probably last for a long time but I would start looking at buying a new one. Especially if it is really bothering you. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 08:40 AM	#13
*glc* Forum Administrator Staff Premium Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 37,771	Even if the drive passes diags, you should be able to get a replacement out of WD if you complain about the noise loud enough. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 08:44 AM	#14
crowdaddy00 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 220	hmm. well, it won't hurt to try. The least they can say is no. Thanks. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

02-17-2003, 09:53 AM	#15
Redo40 Member (12 bit) Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 2,170	Should have made myself clearer, I didn't mean replace the bearing, I meant replace the drive. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter

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