Fan noise -- 2011 MacBook Pro

pgp78 · 11:22 PM

I noticed what seemed like a constant fan noise coming from just the right side of my 15" MacBook Pro (left side was quiet). After running software like HandBrake that revs the computer higher, I realized that what I was hearing before on just the right side was likely just hard drive's constant rotation. It took running HandBrake and the fans getting to 3000 rpm before I could hear the fans on both sides.

Is constant rotational noise from the hard drive normal? Not the "accessing" noise that occurs when the hard drive is busy -- but rather the smooth sound of rotation..

My previous 2010 13" had a Seagate and was whisper quiet. The 2011 unit has a Hitachi. Would appreciate your input

daneoni · Mar 24, 2011, 10:59 PM

7200 RPM? if so..normal.

pgp78 · Mar 24, 2011, 11:13 PM

This is just a 5400 rpm Hitachi drive on the base 2011 15" MBP. Unless the noise is the fan and is only audible on the right side -- but I doubt it since istat is reporting 2000 rpm for both fans yet I can only hear something coming from the right side (the left side is whisper silent)...

daneoni · Mar 24, 2011, 11:26 PM

Its definitely the HDD. Hitachi is notorious for often being nosier compared to the competition.

pgp78 · Mar 24, 2011, 11:28 PM

Thanks for confirming. I'm fine with the CPU fans -- but this hard drive rotation is unacceptable. Based on the posts for 2011 MBPs I've seen complaining about the fan being audible while idle, I suspect a lot of people got stuck with Hitachi drives. The Seagate I had in my 2010 MBP was whisper quiet.

ECUpirate44 · Mar 24, 2011, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgp78

The Seagate I had in my 2010 MBP was whisper quiet.

Same here. I would just go to the Apple store and have them switch it out. Ask if it could be replaced with a Seagate or WD Scorpio.

87am · Mar 24, 2011, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

Same here. I would just go to the Apple store and have them switch it out. Ask if it could be replaced with a Seagate or WD Scorpio.

Not gonna happen.

ECUpirate44 · Mar 24, 2011, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87am

Not gonna happen.

Apple employees are known for bending the rules. If there is a WD or Seagate HDD available, asking is not a bad idea.

iApples · Mar 24, 2011, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87am

Not gonna happen.

You never know. They could be feeling nice that one day.

pgp78 · Mar 24, 2011, 11:45 PM

I used to do computer repair in the past. I'm 100% certain that most of the loud CPU fan complaints people are having with the 2011 MBPs when not revving their CPU are tied to having a Hitachi hard drive. Its not the fan they're hearing -- its the drive's constant rotation.

pgp78 · Mar 25, 2011, 12:06 AM

This thread seems to confirm the point about the audible fan noise (based on 2000rpm metric on both left and right fans) actually just being the hard drive's rotation:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...chi+hard+drive

ata · Mar 25, 2011, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

Apple employees are known for bending the rules. If there is a WD or Seagate HDD available, asking is not a bad idea.

It's not even really bending the rules. The hard drive and memory are officially customer-replaceable parts in this batch of MBPs; it's in the manual, and it says you can do it yourself without voiding the warranty (as long as you don't break anything in the process).

brentsg · Mar 25, 2011, 12:52 AM

The Seagate in my 2011 13" is super quiet.

pgp78 · Mar 25, 2011, 12:56 AM

Would you mind sharing the model?

Mac symbol -> About this Mac -> More Info -> Serial ATA

brentsg · Mar 25, 2011, 01:05 AM

Capacity: 320.07 GB (320,072,933,376 bytes)
Model: ST9320325ASG
Revision: 0009APM1

Blue Sun · Mar 25, 2011, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daneoni

Its definitely the HDD. Hitachi is notorious for often being nosier compared to the competition.

Yep, it is definitely the HDD. I had a 320GB Hitachi in my MBP before I put an SSD in there. They are extremely noisy.

Interestingly, the noise will dampen if you rest your wrist on the space just to the right of your trackpad.

ECUpirate44 · Mar 25, 2011, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ata

It's not even really bending the rules. The hard drive and memory are officially customer-replaceable parts in this batch of MBPs; it's in the manual, and it says you can do it yourself without voiding the warranty (as long as you don't break anything in the process).

Thats not what i'm talking about. Replacing a HDD in a computer with a different brand HDD that was originally installed may be bending the rules.

ghostlyorb · Mar 25, 2011, 08:03 AM

I don't see a name for mine... just see Nvidea.. I have the '09 with a 7200RPM. It's pretty quiet. In the room I'm in now.. it's super quiet.. I can only hear the fans running at 2000 RPM. My hard drive is always quiet.

shoegal · Mar 25, 2011, 01:50 PM

The Seagate in my 2011 13" was LOUD! So I don't know if it really is the Hitachi

websterMBP · Mar 26, 2011, 02:42 AM

My 2011 MBP 15" 2,0ghz has the Seagate harddrive and it's pretty silent. On my previous2009 MBP 13" I think the harddrive was a tad more silent, but then again, I'm not sure because the 15"MBP has 2 fans and the 13"Mbp only one fan. Yes the sound derives from the right hand side of the trackpad but maybe the noise mingles with the fans. I really coudn't tell but it's a faint hissing sound. Anyway, the Seagate harddrive of which we are talking has got quiet good reviews:http://www.testseek.com/computers/ha...abeaa6d69.html

macbahia · Jun 7, 2011, 08:10 AM

HD Fan Noise iMac bought in 2010
This two softwares resolved my problem in 1 minute and it cost me just 10 US$:

1. To see and check all tree fan speeds inside your iMac:

iState Pro 2.0 (free)

2. Download Software which controls HD Fan speed called HHD Fan Control:

http://www.hddfancontrol.com/

good luck

rockinrocker · Jun 7, 2011, 11:22 AM

or MSC Fan Control works too.

Mar 24, 2011, 10:53 PM	#1
pgp78 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	Fan noise -- 2011 MacBook Pro I noticed what seemed like a constant fan noise coming from just the right side of my 15" MacBook Pro (left side was quiet). After running software like HandBrake that revs the computer higher, I realized that what I was hearing before on just the right side was likely just hard drive's constant rotation. It took running HandBrake and the fans getting to 3000 rpm before I could hear the fans on both sides. Is constant rotational noise from the hard drive normal? Not the "accessing" noise that occurs when the hard drive is busy -- but rather the smooth sound of rotation.. My previous 2010 13" had a Seagate and was whisper quiet. The 2011 unit has a Hitachi. Would appreciate your input Last edited by pgp78; Mar 24, 2011 at 11:22 PM.
	0

Mar 24, 2011, 10:59 PM	#2
daneoni macrumors G4 Join Date: Mar 2006	7200 RPM? if so..normal. __________________ 15" MBP Core i7 \| 27" ACD \| AEBS \| 5G iPod \| iPhone 5 \| 3G Apple TV \| iPad mini
	0

Mar 24, 2011, 11:26 PM	#4
daneoni macrumors G4 Join Date: Mar 2006	Its definitely the HDD. Hitachi is notorious for often being nosier compared to the competition. __________________ 15" MBP Core i7 \| 27" ACD \| AEBS \| 5G iPod \| iPhone 5 \| 3G Apple TV \| iPad mini
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 08:03 AM	#18
ghostlyorb macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Virginia, USA	I don't see a name for mine... just see Nvidea.. I have the '09 with a 7200RPM. It's pretty quiet. In the room I'm in now.. it's super quiet.. I can only hear the fans running at 2000 RPM. My hard drive is always quiet. __________________ 2011 15.4" High Res MBP 2.3GHz i7 Quad, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7200 RPM HD iPhone 5 16GB White AT&T iPad (3rd gen) 32GB iPad mini 16GB +AT&T
	0

Mar 26, 2011, 02:42 AM	#20
websterMBP macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2011	Harddrive noise My 2011 MBP 15" 2,0ghz has the Seagate harddrive and it's pretty silent. On my previous2009 MBP 13" I think the harddrive was a tad more silent, but then again, I'm not sure because the 15"MBP has 2 fans and the 13"Mbp only one fan. Yes the sound derives from the right hand side of the trackpad but maybe the noise mingles with the fans. I really coudn't tell but it's a faint hissing sound. Anyway, the Seagate harddrive of which we are talking has got quiet good reviews:http://www.testseek.com/computers/ha...abeaa6d69.html
	0

Mar 24, 2011, 11:13 PM	#3
pgp78 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	This is just a 5400 rpm Hitachi drive on the base 2011 15" MBP. Unless the noise is the fan and is only audible on the right side -- but I doubt it since istat is reporting 2000 rpm for both fans yet I can only hear something coming from the right side (the left side is whisper silent)...
	0

Mar 24, 2011, 11:28 PM	#5
pgp78 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	Thanks for confirming. I'm fine with the CPU fans -- but this hard drive rotation is unacceptable. Based on the posts for 2011 MBPs I've seen complaining about the fan being audible while idle, I suspect a lot of people got stuck with Hitachi drives. The Seagate I had in my 2010 MBP was whisper quiet.
	0

Mar 24, 2011, 11:45 PM	#10
pgp78 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	I used to do computer repair in the past. I'm 100% certain that most of the loud CPU fan complaints people are having with the 2011 MBPs when not revving their CPU are tied to having a Hitachi hard drive. Its not the fan they're hearing -- its the drive's constant rotation.
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 12:06 AM	#11
pgp78 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	This thread seems to confirm the point about the audible fan noise (based on 2000rpm metric on both left and right fans) actually just being the hard drive's rotation: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...chi+hard+drive
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 12:52 AM	#13
brentsg macrumors 68020 Join Date: Oct 2008	The Seagate in my 2011 13" is super quiet.
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 12:56 AM	#14
pgp78 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	Would you mind sharing the model? Mac symbol -> About this Mac -> More Info -> Serial ATA
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 01:05 AM	#15
brentsg macrumors 68020 Join Date: Oct 2008	Capacity: 320.07 GB (320,072,933,376 bytes) Model: ST9320325ASG Revision: 0009APM1
	0

Mar 25, 2011, 01:50 PM	#19
shoegal macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2011	The Seagate in my 2011 13" was LOUD! So I don't know if it really is the Hitachi
	0

Jun 7, 2011, 08:10 AM	#21
macbahia macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2011	HD Fan Noise iMac bought in 2010 HD Fan Noise iMac bought in 2010 This two softwares resolved my problem in 1 minute and it cost me just 10 US$: 1. To see and check all tree fan speeds inside your iMac: iState Pro 2.0 (free) 2. Download Software which controls HD Fan speed called HHD Fan Control: http://www.hddfancontrol.com/ good luck
	0

Jun 7, 2011, 11:22 AM	#22
rockinrocker macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2006	or MSC Fan Control works too. __________________ MBP 2011 15" - Mac Mini 2011 2.3 Mac Pro '08 2.8 dual quad - iP4 (32GB) iPad 3 (64GB)
	0

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