Clicking PowerMac G5!

[RedElectro]

I thought I had a problem with the hard drive on my G5 due to an occasional clicking sound - even when the machine was idle. The sound can happen roughly once every 10 minutes and is a single "hard drive" kind of clicking sound (I think). However, I replaced the drive with a new one and the noise is still there!!!

Anyone any idea what this could be? I know that Macs park the heads on drives quite frequently, but surely once parked, they wouldn't need to click again without any activity??

 

[SimonUK5]

Take all the drives out and boot from a cd. Does it still click? If it does, its not the drive, if it doesn't then its the Drives i wouldn't be worried if it was just a small click every so often

 

[chrismacguy]

I thought I had a problem with the hard drive on my G5 due to an occasional clicking sound - even when the machine was idle. The sound can happen roughly once every 10 minutes and is a single "hard drive" kind of clicking sound (I think). However, I replaced the drive with a new one and the noise is still there!!!

Anyone any idea what this could be? I know that Macs park the heads on drives quite frequently, but surely once parked, they wouldn't need to click again without any activity??

Is it definitely the HD - could be clicking from the machines built-in audio (Various Apple Machines have had audio issues) - Id try running with the side off so you can hear where the click is coming from.

 

[RedElectro]

Thanks for the replies.

It is only every now and then really, so possibly not something to be overly concerned about?

I don't think it's an audio thing as I've got a set of speakers connected, so it should be coming from them?

I agree, it does sound HD related (it's that kind of sound) but what's confusing me, is the fact it carried on after I replaced the HD with a brand new one.

Thanks again guys, I'll try your suggestions out (and let you know the outcome) as soon as I get a bit of spare time!

 

[chrismacguy]

Thanks for the replies.

It is only every now and then really, so possibly not something to be overly concerned about?

I don't think it's an audio thing as I've got a set of speakers connected, so it should be coming from them?

I agree, it does sound HD related (it's that kind of sound) but what's confusing me, is the fact it carried on after I replaced the HD with a brand new one.

Thanks again guys, I'll try your suggestions out (and let you know the outcome) as soon as I get a bit of spare time!

Could be the optical drive, if its a regular click and it persisted throughout the use of 2 different HDs - sometimes the drives check for discs periodically - could be that?

 

[Nameci]

Check your sys pref -> energy saver, have you ticked the "put the hard disk to sleep when possible" check box? It might be that your HDD is waking from sleep, it spins down when not in use and spins back to normal when your system writes data onto your HD.

 

[Mutinygraphiks]

Check your sys pref -> energy saver, have you ticked the "put the hard disk to sleep when possible" check box? It might be that your HDD is waking from sleep, it spins down when not in use and spins back to normal when your system writes data onto your HD.

i second this, as probably being the problem, cause when i leave my computer running for hours if i have other work to do on my laptop i check this and every time it wakes from sleep or goes to sleep my HDD clicks.

 

[RedElectro]

Thanks!

That option was checked in the Sys Prefs. I've un-ticked it and have not heard the click since. I think it was that! Feel bit stupid now, should've thought of that really!

Thanks guys. That's been bugging me.