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13'' MBP Hard Disk clicking
- Thread starter ayau
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So what exactly causes this mechanical noise? I'm assuming this clicking sound is normal then? I have a ThinkPad X61s which also has a built-in accelerometer and I've never heard of that noise before.
the noise is caused from the magnets in the drive parking the drives head, it makes a loud click because it happens very fast. this prevents the heads from coming in contact with the drives platters.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I'm not sure. I have had MacBooks with SMS that did not click but my unibody MacBook from April is clicking when I pick it up, even just picking it up slightly and I am sending it in for repairs to have that and a couple other issues looked at. Not sure. It's definitely coming from the hard disk. A clicking sound from a hard disk is usually not a good sign.
I had this problem. Called Apple up, they said it should not be making the clicking. However, I've installed a new HDD and the problem has gone, so they have agreed to replace the other HDD rather than me having to send the entire laptop back.
Ring them up, it is a problem and they will be prepared to remedy it.
Ring them up, it is a problem and they will be prepared to remedy it.
this is the same thing that is happening to me, i bought my 13in MBP a few weeks ago and if im watching a movie and i tilt the computer while laying in bed it makes the same noise as when you tilt the computer when burning a cd. i also makes the movie stop for a second while it s eems to catch up. should i call apple about this?
Called Apple Support and they just told me to run the hardware diagnostics tool. I'm not sure how I can convince them to just send me a new hard disk.
The support people will make you jump through a few hoops first. Just run the tests for them and I'm assuming they all pass. Call them back and tell them the tests pass and your hard drive is still making the clicking noise. The ball is then back in their court to do something. Keep at them, don't let them push you off.
Wouldn't they just tell you go to to a local Apple Store and have an Apple Genius check it out? At that point, I have a feeling they'll just say it is normal and within specs.
Wouldn't they just tell you go to to a local Apple Store and have an Apple Genius check it out? At that point, I have a feeling they'll just say it is normal and within specs.
If you live near an Apple store that might be the best thing to do. If you don't live near the store that's just not possible. If you go to the store and they tell you everything is fine you can still call Apple support and try to get it replaced through them.
the noise you hear is Sudden motion sensor parking the heads so you don't scratch the platter. Some HDD may be louder then others when doing this.. I've also read that apple's laptop come built in with the Sudden motion sensor and that buying an aftermarket HDD with the sensor built in causes problems.
Independent on whatever other advice you get, you should have an external hard drive and use Time Machine to protect your data in case something goes wrong.
Question: Where exactly is this happening? If you can hear a clicking noise in a very quiet environment, then there is a good chance that it is fine. If you hear a clicking noise in an office with other people working around you, then you should be very, very worried.
Do you have the Hitachi 160GB model? Does it click whenever you close the lid of the laptop and you move the laptop around?
I took my 13" mbp to a mac genius. I explained the problem, and when she picked up my laptop it made that familiar click. She seemed surprised, remarking that her 2008 15" unibody didn't make that noise before taking it over to her supervisor. He said he couldn't remember the name of the actual part, but that it stops the drive to prevent data loss, and that it was a perfectly normal click.
Not the best response ever, but I suppose it's better than nothing. It seems to me it could damage the hdd by stopping suddenly, over and over. Or at the very least that that is a mechanical part that gets overworked, and therefore more likely to fail.
Not the best response ever, but I suppose it's better than nothing. It seems to me it could damage the hdd by stopping suddenly, over and over. Or at the very least that that is a mechanical part that gets overworked, and therefore more likely to fail.
It's almost always normal to them.
Just get a cheap USB external for $50-80 and Time Machine backup your drive. You'll be happy and can rest at ease if it goes belly up you'll have minimal interruption of service.
13" MBP Hard Disk clicking
I also have noticed this click noise whenever moving my new 2009 13" MBP around. It doesn't seem to take much jarring to get this to happen (the sudden motion sensor appears to be very sensitive). I just got my MBP back from the apple store service dept. They replaced the 250GB hdd since the technician thought it was starting to fail. In the tech notes, noise was described as "high pitched pew pew pew" sound. This is not the sound I heard. Rather, I was more concerned with the loud clicking. Anyway, the same exact problem is back even with the new installed drive. The hdd still clicks loudly. I decided to try my own experiment while I was in the store... I went over and started picking up the 13" MBP's on the display tables. Guess what?! They ALL make the loud clicking noise! I tried 4 or 5 of them... I also tried some 15" and 17" MBP's with mixed results (it was hard to hear over the music in the store). It might be related to the type of hdd that apple uses in the new MBP's (I think they are all Hitachi travelstars).
So here is my current thinking... Either 1) there is a problem with the SMS accelerometers in the new MBP's (too sensitive or improperly calibrated) or 2) the SMS has actually always been this sensitive, but no one has ever noticed because the hdd's have been much quieter when parking the head in previous models. I wonder if different hdd's (like WD or Seagate) produce such a loud click when the drive parks the head? Has anyone installed 3rd party drives in the new MBP's and noticed reduced clicking noise?
I also have noticed this click noise whenever moving my new 2009 13" MBP around. It doesn't seem to take much jarring to get this to happen (the sudden motion sensor appears to be very sensitive). I just got my MBP back from the apple store service dept. They replaced the 250GB hdd since the technician thought it was starting to fail. In the tech notes, noise was described as "high pitched pew pew pew" sound. This is not the sound I heard. Rather, I was more concerned with the loud clicking. Anyway, the same exact problem is back even with the new installed drive. The hdd still clicks loudly. I decided to try my own experiment while I was in the store... I went over and started picking up the 13" MBP's on the display tables. Guess what?! They ALL make the loud clicking noise! I tried 4 or 5 of them... I also tried some 15" and 17" MBP's with mixed results (it was hard to hear over the music in the store). It might be related to the type of hdd that apple uses in the new MBP's (I think they are all Hitachi travelstars).
So here is my current thinking... Either 1) there is a problem with the SMS accelerometers in the new MBP's (too sensitive or improperly calibrated) or 2) the SMS has actually always been this sensitive, but no one has ever noticed because the hdd's have been much quieter when parking the head in previous models. I wonder if different hdd's (like WD or Seagate) produce such a loud click when the drive parks the head? Has anyone installed 3rd party drives in the new MBP's and noticed reduced clicking noise?