my macbook has a constant low vibration. I am pretty sure it is the harddrive that is causing it. Is this normal?
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Hard Drive vibration normal
- Thread starter Anthony8720
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mrichmon said:
could this really be a failing drive? I just find this to be really weird if only my macbook is doing this. I can tell that it is the hard drive spinning. It just seems a little weird that noone else can feel their hd spinning. I really hope i dont have to return this thing, i transferred a ton of data to it.
My PowerBook G4 has abslolutly no hard drive vibration at all. The combo drive however, will vibrate just a little when it first spools up a disk, but then becomes undetectable afterwards. I know this is not what you were hoping to hear, but I thought you should have the truth. 
Mine does something similar, as does a friends, though I'm not sure what component it's coming from. It's more like the hum you get from an electric fence - seems very high frequncy to me. You can get rid of by placing the macbook on a few bits of paper. Possibly the feet don't have enough vibration damping in them? - they're very firm.
Phil
Phil
My second MacBook had that same vibration. When I took it back to the store the genius told me it was normal. And in his defense the 3 display MacBooks were vibrating as well. My first MacBook did not have the vibration (but it did over-heat and moo) so I was able to get them to exchange it for me. The vibration is VERY annoying. Oy.
Vibration may be too strong of a desciptor here, but it does fell like a low, constant spinning motion which does seem to be coming from the HD.
It doesn't concern me, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. The MB is a thin notebook, so I'm not suprised by this type of behavior.
It doesn't concern me, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. The MB is a thin notebook, so I'm not suprised by this type of behavior.
My friends has the problem to a lesser extent than mine so there's probably a bit of variation out there. Mine feels like I've got an RSI tingle in my hands and is very distracting.
My partners Powerbook is, if anything, a bit thiner and this doesn't suffer from the same problem.
I've spoken with Apple customer care and waiting for them to get back to me. Will post the outcome.
My partners Powerbook is, if anything, a bit thiner and this doesn't suffer from the same problem.
I've spoken with Apple customer care and waiting for them to get back to me. Will post the outcome.
My iMac DV which was suposed to be quiet as a mouse had a wierd HD spinning kind of noise like a low squeel. I finally got so pissed off at it I bought a new drive and stuck the iMac's drive in a PC as a secondary.
The drive actually died about a year afterward so you might want to get it checked out.
The drive actually died about a year afterward so you might want to get it checked out.
My first MacBook, with a Fujitsu 60GB drive, did not vibrate, but the replacement (for whining) does and it has a Seagate 60GB.
Off topic - it also has a different make of LCD and is most likely going back for these two issues.
wonder what surprise I'll get with the next one??
Off topic - it also has a different make of LCD and is most likely going back for these two issues.
wonder what surprise I'll get with the next one??
Customer services got back to me a little earlier. The person I spoke with said that the technical department thought that it might be something to do with the fans and that if I took it to an repair centre they would be able to look at it. I declined this and requested a relacement which they are happy to provide.
Everyone I've spoken with at Apple has been extremely helpful. Finger's crossed for the new one.
Phil
Everyone I've spoken with at Apple has been extremely helpful. Finger's crossed for the new one.
Phil
vibration confirmation
Just want to confirm the vibration problem. I feel it too and it is constant. It eminates from the under the right-hand palm rest. Some have mentioned that it is fan, but I don't think so as it is constant from the moment the MB is turned on.
I've read the some are refusing repair and asking for an exchange. Is this only if you purchased from Apple? I purchased from Amazon.
Just want to confirm the vibration problem. I feel it too and it is constant. It eminates from the under the right-hand palm rest. Some have mentioned that it is fan, but I don't think so as it is constant from the moment the MB is turned on. I've read the some are refusing repair and asking for an exchange. Is this only if you purchased from Apple? I purchased from Amazon.
You can always download Smart Reporter and it will constantly monitor you HD SMART status. MacWorld gave it a very good review.
Yet, as I've stated earlier, I don't think this is an issue.
Yet, as I've stated earlier, I don't think this is an issue.
Replacement just arrived and this is pretty much the same, maybe a marginal reduction. If you apply pressure to the area around the trackpad you can make it stop whilst the pressure is being applied but once the casing 'springs' back it starts again.
It's annoying but I think I'll try to ignore it. Maybe it'll calm down with extended use! Besides, it's not really apparent unless the Macbook is on a hard surface - like the one Apple recommends to avoid heat problems - Hmmmmmm.
It's annoying but I think I'll try to ignore it. Maybe it'll calm down with extended use! Besides, it's not really apparent unless the Macbook is on a hard surface - like the one Apple recommends to avoid heat problems - Hmmmmmm.
i noticed that about 25% of the macbooks on display at the apple store were vibrating.. (as does mine)
I'm going to return it in hopes of getting lucky.. but one thing i noticed while trying to problem solve is that is you remove the battery and run of just the AC - then the machine is dead still.
-the moment i click the battery into place- then whole case starts vibrating.
I don't think that there is anything wrong with the HD.. it seems he vibrations are coming from the normal drive spin (probably) -maybe the fan- and are are transferring to the case somewhere- build variation of the macbooks i guess
I was hoping that a little physical tweak somewhere would the help resolve this, but i give up.. The vibration is just to annoying when working at a desk, and im not going to deal with it.
I'm going to return it in hopes of getting lucky.. but one thing i noticed while trying to problem solve is that is you remove the battery and run of just the AC - then the machine is dead still.
-the moment i click the battery into place- then whole case starts vibrating.
I don't think that there is anything wrong with the HD.. it seems he vibrations are coming from the normal drive spin (probably) -maybe the fan- and are are transferring to the case somewhere- build variation of the macbooks i guess
I was hoping that a little physical tweak somewhere would the help resolve this, but i give up.. The vibration is just to annoying when working at a desk, and im not going to deal with it.
mine has subtle vibration. but I'm not sure it from hard drive or fan. because fan is hardly running unless temperature goes up to more than 72C. well, very very subtle fan run on / off. so I think it's not effected on vibration at all. so it's from hard drive? one thing is interesting is that if I put some news paper on the bottom, vibration is completely gone. even I put it on edge of bottom, it's gone, too. you don't have to tilt your macbook if you have that problem. I don't know it is a problem or not. at least everything is fine, including no moo, whine, power adapter buzzing, nada...
however I really want to know what's caused that problem. apple genius don't seem to know it exactly.
however I really want to know what's caused that problem. apple genius don't seem to know it exactly.
Same vibration
I too have a new Macbook C2D with the vibration. After 1 week of trying to get a permanent solution (it actually goes away with paper between Macbook and desk and applying pressure on right palm rest) I took it to the Apple store yesterday. Of course everything was "normal" according to 2 different guys on genius bar. I told them then this was not normal (my hands are numb after typing for 5 min) so they took the computer and sent it for repair. Normally I will hear from them in a week time but I don't have too many hopes.
I tried to be very technical on my explanation but they did not seem very interested to me. If no repairs are done I will ask for a replacement machine or full refund at Amazon. I've bough 4 Macs and at least 4 iPods in the last 4 years so I will not accept anything less from Apple.
I too have a new Macbook C2D with the vibration. After 1 week of trying to get a permanent solution (it actually goes away with paper between Macbook and desk and applying pressure on right palm rest) I took it to the Apple store yesterday. Of course everything was "normal" according to 2 different guys on genius bar. I told them then this was not normal (my hands are numb after typing for 5 min) so they took the computer and sent it for repair. Normally I will hear from them in a week time but I don't have too many hopes.
I tried to be very technical on my explanation but they did not seem very interested to me. If no repairs are done I will ask for a replacement machine or full refund at Amazon. I've bough 4 Macs and at least 4 iPods in the last 4 years so I will not accept anything less from Apple.
Short but bitter sweet experience with MacBook
Tomorrow I'll be sending back my second MacBook for a refund. The reason is these vibrations. The first one developed the vibration within a few days. I sent it back and received a replacement that had the vibration out of the box. From what I have read on forums the vibration problem is occurring randomly. If you are lucky your machine won't have it, if you are unlucky you can replace it three or more times and still end up with a vibrating machine.
Even though Apples return policy is great it is frustrating to end up with the same problem all over again. Therefore I have decided to wait for Leopard and maybe buy a MacBook Pro later. It's a little bit sad though since the MacBook was just right for my purposes (software development and general internet use) and apart from the vibrations I really like it. But the bottom line is that it shouldn't be a lottery to buy a fully functional computer.
Tomorrow I'll be sending back my second MacBook for a refund. The reason is these vibrations. The first one developed the vibration within a few days. I sent it back and received a replacement that had the vibration out of the box. From what I have read on forums the vibration problem is occurring randomly. If you are lucky your machine won't have it, if you are unlucky you can replace it three or more times and still end up with a vibrating machine.
Even though Apples return policy is great it is frustrating to end up with the same problem all over again. Therefore I have decided to wait for Leopard and maybe buy a MacBook Pro later. It's a little bit sad though since the MacBook was just right for my purposes (software development and general internet use) and apart from the vibrations I really like it. But the bottom line is that it shouldn't be a lottery to buy a fully functional computer.
There are 2 types of vibration with the MBP Uni, 1 is from the static coming from the aluminium material and 2 is from the HDD, If you ran your fingers across the space near the trackpad and you feel some vibration thats from the static, if you sat your hand on it and it vibrates thats probably from HDD.
I recently started feeling the vibrations from the HDD, its probably from the constant moving the Macbook while it still on and damages the HDD.
I recently started feeling the vibrations from the HDD, its probably from the constant moving the Macbook while it still on and damages the HDD.