High pitched hard drive noise and other HD questions

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volodar · #1 Post by **volodar** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 7:11 am

Hi there everybody -

I just purchased a new x40, and I am getting a very annoying high
pitched whine from the 40GB 1.8 hitachi drive. I know it has been
mentioned on the forum before and answered by ldbobby that this is a
feature of that hard drive. I was wondering if the 20GB drive also
makes that whine. I can hear the high pitched whine a tube TV makes
when I turn it on, so I have sensitive hearing. Can anybody else that
has a 20GB HD, and also has sensitive hearing let me know if the 20GB
also makes this noise? (The room needs to be relatively quiet to hear
it, but after a few minutes, it gives me a headache!) -

I love the X40 in every other aspect, but think I might have to return it if I can't find a HD that fits the X40 and does not make this noise. Does
anybody else know if any other manufacturers are making the special
1.8inch HD that fits in the X40? Is Hitachi coming out soon with
another (possibly quieter) model?

Thanks a lot,
Volodar

selvan777 · #2 Post by **selvan777** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:32 pm

My X20 came with a Travelstar 20GB and it was quiet to my ears but I'll admit I don't have sensitive hearing. I've since replaced it with a 40GB that runs on liquid ball bearings that's faster and even more quiet.

monty cantsin · #3 Post by **monty cantsin** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:06 am

selvan777 wrote:My X20 came with a Travelstar 20GB and it was quiet to my ears but I'll admit I don't have sensitive hearing. I've since replaced it with a 40GB that runs on liquid ball bearings that's faster and even more quiet.

That doesn't answer Volodar's question. You're talking about a totally different drive that's not even of the same form factor!

selvan777 · #4 Post by **selvan777** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 12:30 pm

True, that's why I started by first highlighting the fact that mine is in an X20. Not an answer as you can see but Information to share.

mandrak3 · #5 Post by **mandrak3** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 1:03 am

volodar wrote:Hi there everybody -

I just purchased a new x40, and I am getting a very annoying high
pitched whine from the 40GB 1.8 hitachi drive. I know it has been
mentioned on the forum before and answered by ldbobby that this is a
feature of that hard drive. I was wondering if the 20GB drive also
makes that whine. I can hear the high pitched whine a tube TV makes
when I turn it on, so I have sensitive hearing. Can anybody else that
has a 20GB HD, and also has sensitive hearing let me know if the 20GB
also makes this noise? (The room needs to be relatively quiet to hear
it, but after a few minutes, it gives me a headache!) -

I love the X40 in every other aspect, but think I might have to return it if I can't find a HD that fits the X40 and does not make this noise. Does
anybody else know if any other manufacturers are making the special
1.8inch HD that fits in the X40? Is Hitachi coming out soon with
another (possibly quieter) model?

Thanks a lot,
Volodar

Volodar, not a direct answer to your question but this might help ... I recently bought an 80GB Hitachi (my old one was a 40GB Fujitsu), and it also was making lots of "clicking" and whining noises initially. I have since defrag the drive a number of times, and the clicking/whining has reduced substantially. It might pay for you to try that and see if it solves your problem to a more bearable level.

Let us know how you go.

Good Luck!

apley · #6 Post by **apley** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:12 am

The X40 that I had also made a high-pitch noise, which was cured by the solution described in this past post.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=109

volodar · #7 Post by **volodar** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 8:28 am

Thanks for all your help - I tried the CPU scaling trick - no luck

I'm sure this is the 1.8 inch Hitachi 40GB HD - it emits a high frequency whine that is *unbearable* when it spins up and never goes away as long as the HD is powered. Only people that can hear the high frequency noise emitted by tube TV's can hear it, but I have never heard another HD make this strong of a noise! I got a replacement HD from IBM, and it made the same noise - others on the board have confirmed that it is the 1.8 40GB HD

My question is this - does anybody have a X40 with the 20GB HD? If you do, can you ask somebody that can hear high frequencies to let you know if it emits a whine? I can't work on it at all now, and must send it back by the end of the week if I can't come up with a solution - there is no other HD I can purchase that will fit the X40, is there? I really don't want to send it back, but it looks like I'll have to if I cant find another HD.

-V

elysian · #8 Post by **elysian** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:42 pm

I have the same problem. I've found that if I hibernate the computer and then turn in back on, the sound goes away.

elysian · #9 Post by **elysian** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:43 pm

volodar: Also, do you hear a high pitched noise when you visit websites with Flash? I have really sensitive hearing as well.

volodar · #10 Post by **volodar** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 4:07 pm

I tried the hibernate trick, and listened to it while on a flash site. No change - this is definately the HD, not the MB. Whenever the HD is on, the noise is constant. Whenever the HD is off, there is no noise. Thanks again for everybody's help

cooleye · #11 Post by **cooleye** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:06 am

I put my ear near the left palm rest and now I see what you are talking about. Yes, it has the noise as you described whenever the power is on. BTW I think everybody should be able to hear it in a quiet midnight.

However I did not notice it so much when I sit in fornt of it. I guess the noise is not avoidable if you can hear it in nromal position.

daba · #12 Post by **daba** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:04 am

Another one of these high pitched noises from the 1.8'' hard drive confirmed. It's pretty unfortunate. I wonder if there is a way to get rid of it.

beerak · #13 Post by **beerak** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:29 am

Hi volodar,

no worries, I hear the high pitched noise when I turn on TV too. I have a problem with it too, I am sensitive on this high pitched noise.

My Hitachi 40GB in x40 do the same. When there is a silence in the room, I can hear funny noises from my x40.

Some HHDs especially Hitachi do this. But someone hear it and someone not. For example my sister doesn't hear the high pitched noise but I am jumping all over the room.

LumberJack · #14 Post by **LumberJack** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:16 am

Hey...

Yes this is a reccuring problem with SCSI drives also, that they make this whinings noise. I would have thought that a small drive as the ones in the X40 wouldn't be to bad, but it's not too unexpected. Your drive should not be clicking though... I don't mean soft clicking, but the hard noisy kind.. that is bad...

If you are really desperate you can try searching online for some freeware "hd noise reducer utility" or something like that. I used to use them on my old desktop, it reduced the amount of random accesses to your drive so there is less clicking and reduced spinup.

LJ

pavjulian · #15 Post by **pavjulian** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:21 am

I recently upgraded an older laptop with an IBM/Hitachi drive that was generating noise. It was definitely indication of wear on the spindle bearings. My suggestion would be to have IBM replace the drive (if it's under warranty) or upgrade your drive with a replacement. FYI, I've had very good experiences with toshiba "GAX" series 2.5-inch drives. They're quiet, relatively affordable and solid performers (5400 RPM with 16MB cache).

High pitched hard drive noise and other HD questions

High pitched hard drive noise and other HD questions

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a possible cure to high-pitch noise problem

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