we all try something to see if it helps, obviously i don't know much about the technicalities of a hard drive that's why we try different thing's and find out about it ourselves, "zeroes" did i mention these, eh nope (again who cares about facts)... so we are not being ridiculous!!! we need to learn don't we
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27" iMac Hard Drive Noise
- Thread starter frenchie0101
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we all try something to see if it helps, obviously i don't know much about the technicalities of a hard drive that's why we try different thing's and find out about it ourselves, "zeroes" did i mention these, eh nope (again who cares about facts)... so we are not being ridiculous!!! we need to learn don't we
SaSaSushi
macrumors 601
Hi all,
Got my 2tb iMac today... First thing, the Hitachi HD on mine is anything but quiet... I hear it running, but I will say that it sounds more like the HD on my old Powerbook and not the deep grumbling.. As I move from webpage to webpage sometimes I hear it, sometimes I don't, but it doesn't seem as annoying to me it is more like a regular hard drive sound (click, click, click) versus the deep grumbling of the Seagate.. That being said it is noisy!!! I have not migrated any data onto it, just using it with no new programs and data and can definitely hear it working away... I guess I would not be so disappointed if there were not folks out there saying their's is quiet!! Should I try a delete/reinstall of Snow Leopard? It does not sound like a problem HD, just a bit noiser than I thought it would be...
Also, there IS a very annoying and loud hum from the machine... Does not fluctuate with brightness (loud all the time) but when I feel the chin of the iMac it is vibrating - it feels like something is running constantly... Not the HD though, maybe the fan? I set it on a mouse pad and that helps but not all the way... great....
Also, a nice big yellow shade going down the center of the screen...
AUGH!!!!!!
Got my 2tb iMac today... First thing, the Hitachi HD on mine is anything but quiet... I hear it running, but I will say that it sounds more like the HD on my old Powerbook and not the deep grumbling.. As I move from webpage to webpage sometimes I hear it, sometimes I don't, but it doesn't seem as annoying to me it is more like a regular hard drive sound (click, click, click) versus the deep grumbling of the Seagate.. That being said it is noisy!!! I have not migrated any data onto it, just using it with no new programs and data and can definitely hear it working away... I guess I would not be so disappointed if there were not folks out there saying their's is quiet!! Should I try a delete/reinstall of Snow Leopard? It does not sound like a problem HD, just a bit noiser than I thought it would be...
Also, there IS a very annoying and loud hum from the machine... Does not fluctuate with brightness (loud all the time) but when I feel the chin of the iMac it is vibrating - it feels like something is running constantly... Not the HD though, maybe the fan? I set it on a mouse pad and that helps but not all the way... great....
Also, a nice big yellow shade going down the center of the screen...
AUGH!!!!!!
I've been anticipating your report on your new machine. VERY sorry to hear of more problems. As you know, I too have a 2T version coming in a few days, though mine will be an i7 (yours is the i5 isn't it?).
What week number is yours? On another thread, people seem to be reporting success with their Week 50 models. Again, very sorry to hear your bad luck is continuing.
Thanks Sir Cecil.. It is a week 50 machine, and it is an i5...
Today the loud vibrating hum is not happening, and I am pretty convinced yesterday it was a fan.. The bottom chin is not vibrating either today.. I will still call Apple Care tonight to have them help me run diagnostics.. (EDIT - the hum is happening, thought my wife had the shower fan on in the bathroom, nope, is the computer.. yay...)
Hard drive is definitely noticeable, but as mentioned yesterday, it sounds like when I am running my old powerbook g4.. Not the low rumble we experienced on the 1tb drive, but you can definitely hear it as you open iphoto, and off and on when you open/scroll web pages.. I am inclined to say that this is "normal" based on my experience with my powerbook and my wife's macbook, but when folks say theirs is silent it makes me wonder... This is not silent by any means, but sounds more like a hard drive should make when using the computer, does that make sense? I will say it is a lot less annoying than the 1tb, and I can see myself getting used to this noise...
For those folks that are reporting silent 2tb Hitachi drives, are they TRULY silent (no noise whatsoever) or are they making the normal HD searching noises as you use the machine.. I think the term "silent" is so subjective..
Yellow band down the center is the worst issue with this machine.. From other posts it seems worthless to get a new iMac swap right now as folks are still getting problematic screens...
If Apple Care determines through testing that I need to return my iMac due to a problem creating the hum, I am calling it quits until the next revision.. Too many problems with this version, and way too much time invested in just trying to get a properly working machine... Heck, by now we are probably half way to the next "speed bump", may as well just hold off for the next version and maybe get Blue Ray! (-:
spcdust
macrumors 65816
Recently took delivery of a 2TB Core i7, which replaced my original 1TB Seagate iMac, and I would concur with everything mdewberry says about the HDD noise - sounds better than the Seagate but still audible. The noise is definitely lower in audibility and not as consistent as the 1TB - I open up iPhoto and there's a bit of HDD activity noise and then it abates where as the Seagate would often continue rumbling. Same with internet browsing and other activities, a bit of HDD activity but does not continue or accompany every activity you do. In all honesty I would say this is an acceptable noise level, well within the parameters I would expect of a mechanical HDD, therefore I'm and I'm more than happy. As a side note I migrated my set up straight from my Time Machine back-up.
I have to say, Apple have been fantastic - not only did they give me the 2TB HDD upgrade for free (I think I just got very lucky on this particular point), they even allowed me to keep the 1TB machine until I took delivery of the 2TB replacement. Makes me remember why I have always rated Apples customer service.
I have to say, Apple have been fantastic - not only did they give me the 2TB HDD upgrade for free (I think I just got very lucky on this particular point), they even allowed me to keep the 1TB machine until I took delivery of the 2TB replacement. Makes me remember why I have always rated Apples customer service.
Yea, I got the 1 TB 21.5 inch yesterday and the hard drive does make that clicking noise. Reading through this thread it appears that it is working as intended.
I haven't really heard this noise since my old IBM, my 13" rarely makes it.
I haven't really heard this noise since my old IBM, my 13" rarely makes it.
Your description is correct - ie. some noise when opens apps and very occasionally when scrolling or opening web pages.
It did this virtually all the time after Migration Assistant and a lot louder. I reinstalled OS and manually transferred docs across and it was much quieter.
Very happy with it.
uuaschbaer
macrumors regular
My 2TB was entirely silent until I installed Adobe's CS4 Master Collection (lots of GBs). Others in this thread have noticed that their 2TB drives started grumbling after their migration which receded after a clean reinstall. Would defragmentation help?
Well, my 2T, Week 50 i7 arrived this morning and I've been playing with it for just two hours. I'm hesitant to get excited because the previous i5 started well and after four or five days, noise problems set in.
But... on initial use, this i7 has no problems. Perfect cosmetic condition out of the box, no dead pixels that I can detect and no noticeable yellowing (though I haven't run the actual test), no flickers yet and NO noise. Haven't heard even a slight click from the HD, but I have only been using the Internet so far no major applications have been utilized yet. So far I hear no fans or feel any vibration at all. Basically, if the screen wasn't lit, one wouldn't know the computer is switched on it is making no sound when operating thus far. That includes when downloading and installing software updates and waking from sleep. I haven 't pressed my ear to the enclosure, but from my seated position I hear absolutely nothing in terms of mechanical noise.
As I said, initial experience of the i5 was good too, so I'm still nervous a problem might rear its head, but at least everything seems perfect at this early stage.
Will report any changes.
But... on initial use, this i7 has no problems. Perfect cosmetic condition out of the box, no dead pixels that I can detect and no noticeable yellowing (though I haven't run the actual test), no flickers yet and NO noise. Haven't heard even a slight click from the HD, but I have only been using the Internet so far no major applications have been utilized yet. So far I hear no fans or feel any vibration at all. Basically, if the screen wasn't lit, one wouldn't know the computer is switched on it is making no sound when operating thus far. That includes when downloading and installing software updates and waking from sleep. I haven 't pressed my ear to the enclosure, but from my seated position I hear absolutely nothing in terms of mechanical noise.
As I said, initial experience of the i5 was good too, so I'm still nervous a problem might rear its head, but at least everything seems perfect at this early stage.
Will report any changes.
That is great news Sir Cecil! Glad you were able to get a good one! It is good for me to hear as I have to send mine back due to a constant hum/vibration and a LOT of yellow on my screen, and I am seriously considering just getting a refund and waiting until Apple can get their act together... but, I talk a good game and I really want a new iMac so when I call Apple Care tonight I will probably have them put me in line for a new one.. (-: Hearing that you had success in getting a great machine gives me hope!
Your comments regarding the HD are interesting... When I started mine up I heard the HD right away, but as mentioned it is more "click like" than the deep grumbling.. The fact that you have heard NO HD noise is very interesting, especially when opening applications and downloading information! Please keep us updated, would be interested to hear your feedback as you get into more usage!
Fantastic!!! I really hope I can say the same when mine arrives... hopefully without any hesitation
spcdust
macrumors 65816
Do you ever feel like we may be chasing our tail on this, and other, issues? Apple do set the end users expectation so high (and obviously with a cost premium) that it's near impossible for them to fulfil us forum members expectations - is there always going to be something we find fault with?
I'm more than delighted with Apple's customer service (they even play Ramones when put on hold 🙂 , but when a company charges top dollar for a product, they should deliver. That is why I buy (way too much) Apple stuff.
Getting a yellow tint and a vibrating chassis on a pricey machine as the 27" i7 with 2TB is just not acceptable, IMHO.
I can agree that at one point one can get into a "forum psychosis" where one look for faults, and minor issues are promoted to major ones, but I won't lose any sleep over complaining about the screen or noise from a premium computer. 🙂
spcdust
macrumors 65816
You're quite right, as you were writing your response I was also editing my initial post so sorry the quote you correctly apportion to me is now gone (felt that my point was lost in my rambling)🙄
yeah thats all cool but your replies to someone who is trying to understand are a bit rude to be honest... especially when we are trying to learn, you have good knowledge its just a shame you are a bit arrogant in your replies
So I just read all 14 pages of this thread, because I received my i7 1TB Seagate, and for the first day or so it was dead quiet but now every little thing I do it grumbles pretty loudly. I have my old 20" white iMac next to it, which also has a grumbling sound but less often and more quietly than my new iMac. I'm just wondering, I've read that ppl have experienced clicking/humming noises, but is the loud grumbling abnormal? I'm not sure if it's something I should try to live with or not. Disappointed that a new higher end machine has this problem though..
rite bad news i got my 2TB yesterday all nice and quite HDD wise, slight yellow tinge along the bottom rite of the dock but nothing which actually bothers me... Fired it up this morning and the bloody rumbling and groaning is back exactly the same as the seagate, infact its louder IMO than the seagate..... What now??
I've now had my 1TB i7 iMac a few days and there is a constant low humming noise. I didn't notice it at first, I'm not sure if this is because it wasn't there, or I was just oblivious to it. It's quiet, but it's always there in the background. If i'd come from a PC to Mac I would probably think it's normal, but my other Macs have been silent other than fan noise when under a heavy workload.
I don't want to send it back because it seems like such a small problem, and I'm not convinced it is a problem at all, it may well just be the norm. Other than this my iMac is seemingly perfect too, no flickering, no noticeable yellowing which makes me even less inclined to send it back.
I don't want to send it back because it seems like such a small problem, and I'm not convinced it is a problem at all, it may well just be the norm. Other than this my iMac is seemingly perfect too, no flickering, no noticeable yellowing which makes me even less inclined to send it back.
Perhaps - but a lot of people with problem seem to be coming from "older" iMacs, so they are not comparing the new 27" with some theoretical ideal, but against an existing experience. I have a 18 month old 24" 3.06 - I'm expecting the i7 (if it ever arrives!) to be pretty much the same but with a faster processor and a bigger screen. Not noisier, not with flickering, or a yellow screen or a noisy HDD.
spcdust
macrumors 65816
Two options....
Possibly stop fixating on it (it's easy to get obsessed on these things), accept that people's definition of silent is different, and then hopefully move on.
OR
Return iMac, get refund, wait a few months and hope Apple may change HDD supplier.
Having initially had the 1TB and then received the 2TB drive myself I can say both grumble to some extent BUT the 2TB is less constant than the 1TB Seagate and is totally acceptable for a mechanical HDD. The Seagate would grumble away fairly constantly when you opened iPhoto and when browsing the internet (although it did actually settle after a while) and was more random and obtrusive than the 2TB. One thing to ensure is that iPhoto has finished cataloguing your face recognition as that may cause HDD noise and obviously Spotlight is not indexing. Don't get me wrong as I know where you're coming from but it's definitely worth giving it a few days use and see where you are at after that.
I have this going on as well, Senior Tech Advisor at Apple said it is probably a bad sensor in the machine causing something to run full time. They want it back...
Hi Frenchie0101, my 2tb was pretty noisy when I first started it up, but now using web and such it is mostly quiet.. I hear it a bit when opening an application and when opening Safari, but as mentioned by spcdust, this seems to be a sound that is more normal to a hard drive (and one I could get used to). It is not dead silent by any means, but it is not the low deep grumbling I heard on the 1tb. The Seagate noise was obtrusive and noticeable and drove me nuts.. This hard drive sounds like the hard drive noise I hear on any other computer... Again, not silent, but more normal and what I would expect... I recommend what spcdust mentioned, use the machine for a few days and see if you get used to it.. Unfortunately no other options after this other than a return and wait!