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New Rev B MBA Clicking Sound?

blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
Hey guys,

Just picked up a Rev B MBA yesterday new (not the SSD model) and I'm hearing a slight clicking sound coming from the right side of the keyboard every 10 seconds or so. Just made an appointment with the Genius Bar at my local retail store for tomorrow, and I will update the software tonight when I'm back at home.

In the meantime, any thoughts? The sound is not loud but extremely annoying. Loving the computer but if they don't give me a new model tomorrow or attempt to fix this issue I'll be forced to return this one (which I bought new at BB for a great price).
 
S

stoconnell

macrumors 6502
Mar 22, 2009
446
0
Rockville (Despite REM's plea.)
blair.harringto said:
Hey guys,

Just picked up a Rev B MBA yesterday new (not the SSD model) and I'm hearing a slight clicking sound coming from the right side of the keyboard every 10 seconds or so. Just made an appointment with the Genius Bar at my local retail store for tomorrow, and I will update the software tonight when I'm back at home.

In the meantime, any thoughts? The sound is not loud but extremely annoying. Loving the computer but if they don't give me a new model tomorrow or attempt to fix this issue I'll be forced to return this one (which I bought new at BB for a great price).
Click to expand...

That would be the HDD.
 
M

Miker2k

macrumors regular
Feb 2, 2009
135
0
Mine does the same thing. I keep meaning to call Apple about it.

Let me know what they say.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
Yes, the HDD. My bad.

I'll report back after the session tomorrow.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
Miker2k,

How long have you owned your MBA? How long have you also been having the same issues as me? Has it affected the performance of your MBA?
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
I have never heard it on any SSD MBA... however, on the few rare occasions that I used my original MBA, I heard the clicking. When I have used or tested others with HDDs, I have heard the clicking noise.

It's damn annoying and it usually is followed by the spinning beachball of death! Almost as bad as Windows blue screen of death, if freezes computer which does happen.

Unfortunately, even MBs and MBPs have been experiencing a lot of these clicks followed by lockups and spinning beachballs lately. SSDs are really the future! No moving parts makes so much more sense. I love the SSD in my MBA... I could never/ever go back to a HDD.
 
M

Miker2k

macrumors regular
Feb 2, 2009
135
0
blair.harringto said:
Miker2k,

How long have you owned your MBA? How long have you also been having the same issues as me? Has it affected the performance of your MBA?
Click to expand...

Oh, I've had it 8 or 9 months now I suppose. I never really noticed it because I usually have the TV or something else going on but once time I shut off the TV and noticed it right away. I poked around, figured it was the hard drive and never really gave it anymore thought.
 
pvmacguy

pvmacguy

macrumors 65816
Sep 2, 2009
1,114
29
Jax
Pretty sure thats just normal HDD noise. My tb external drive makes noises like that. My mac mini makes noises like that, netbook, old desktops etc. Sounds like normal operation of computers.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
never had a laptop that ever made this sound. and my last laptop was a penryn mbp. my current mini does not make this sound.

i'll report back tomorrow with what genius bar says.
 
C

caonimadebi

macrumors regular
May 7, 2009
216
1
My HDD macbook air made that noise too but it never bothered me. The slight clicking sounds were not associated with any performance issues. My 20GB 4G iPod (before they went classic) also makes that noise every once in a while. Maybe it's a feature of the 4.2k rpm drives? Maybe it's to conserve power? I never notice that sound in other 5.4k drives.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
Just got back from meeting with the Mac genius. He basically echo'd what the last post says. Common sound found on Macbook Air's. Not a performance issue. Ran some diagnostic tests, said I was fine.

Part of me is relieved it's not a problem. Another part of me is annoyed that this sound won't go away. Oh well.
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
blair.harringto said:
Just got back from meeting with the Mac genius. He basically echo'd what the last post says. Common sound found on Macbook Air's. Not a performance issue. Ran some diagnostic tests, said I was fine.

Part of me is relieved it's not a problem. Another part of me is annoyed that this sound won't go away. Oh well.
Click to expand...

You really didn't believe what everyone said here? Why did you ask then.

I think you're lucky to not have spinning beach balls when that happens. People with new MBPs are having the problem of clicking and lockups for minutes at a time with spinning beach balls.

In the future consider an SSD upgrade to eliminate the clicking. I am with you though; I never heard clicking on a Dell with an HDD. Only Mac notebooks with HDDs. It could be related to Apple's stop motion sensor that locks the HDD.

Good luck.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
"Really didn't believe what everyone said here?"

Excuse me?

I posted this topic as I was awaiting my Mac Genius appointment. It wasn't that I didn't believe what others said on this thread, I just wanted to get feedback before I had my appointment. That's all.

I sadly had that exact same beach ball problem on my 13" MBP, so I returned it. I actually brought it up to the Genius a few hours ago as we finished discussing my MBA. He said it could have been a series of issues. Even though I'm sacrificing battery life with my MBA vs. the 13" MBP, I prefer the screen as I find it has less glare and the weight of the MBA is of course fantastic.
 
AIRniloc

AIRniloc

macrumors regular
Dec 12, 2008
190
0
anozira
blair.harringto said:
"Really didn't believe what everyone said here?"

Excuse me?

I posted this topic as I was awaiting my Mac Genius appointment. It wasn't that I didn't believe what others said on this thread, I just wanted to get feedback before I had my appointment. That's all.

I sadly had that exact same beach ball problem on my 13" MBP, so I returned it. I actually brought it up to the Genius a few hours ago as we finished discussing my MBA. He said it could have been a series of issues. Even though I'm sacrificing battery life with my MBA vs. the 13" MBP, I prefer the screen as I find it has less glare and the weight of the MBA is of course fantastic.
Click to expand...

a HDD clicking is a definite early sign of HD failure...if the sound annoys you, take it back to the bar and ask them to compare it to a floor machine (which are new and never click)...if the genius tries to tell you that it is within 'specs' ask him about said 'specifications'..they don't exist

and scottsdale, you never heard this clicking sound on your SSD MBAir bc SSDs have no moving parts :rolleyes:
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
they ran a diagnostic test, all the results turned out fine.

also another genius said his mba (rev a or b, not sure) does the very same thing.

they won't give me a HDD rev c, as much as I'd like one.

it's really not a clicking sound. more like "chirping" and it happens roughly every 20 seconds.

because i paid so little for it new ($909), i won't return it unless i have additional issues.
 
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