Question for WD MyBook Users

[suekitch]

Hi folks,

This isn't strictly a Mac question, but I know there's a lot of knowledgeable users here and I'm sure some have the MyBooks too.

I'm in the middle of the daunting process of reformatting my two 500GB MyBook hard drives (the standard black ones) to a Mac friendly format having been a Windows user for a while... having such a large HD on the iMac makes it not too painful, thankfully.

However, I've got one of my drives hooked up at the moment, copying away. It's making a consistent ticking noise as it works.

It's been a while since I asked very much of my drives (generally I just read off them file by file as it were; playing video), so is this noise normal, or is this drive on its way out do you think?

As I say, it is a consistent ticking, like the ticking of a clock really rather than scary whirring-clunk noises, and there's no trouble copying files onto my iMac at the moment. I just don't want to copy stuff back over if it's going to die on me.

Thanks I've got a stack of DVDs here anyway and I think it's about time I updated my DVD copies of my files...

 

[TwinCities Dan]

I don't think any noise is good thing, mine is silent.

 

[r.j.s]

From your description, it sounds like normal heavy read/write sounds.

 

[MacDawg]

No noise from mine either
But I don't listen closely to scrutinize it either

I would think *some* noise would be normal though

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[suekitch]

Well I'm not listening closely, but I can hear it in the background over my TV (which is pretty quiet).

Hoping it is just the heavy read/write sounds. Or else it's an excuse to treat myself to that Firewire 800 external I was considering! But I'll need to get the files off my iMac first to reformat drive number two, ack

Edit: It's actually just quietened down considerably... hmm..

 

[PrincessPeach]

My husband has had to return several MyBooks for making worrying sounds. The last time he did it they sent him one of the newer models and thankfully that one is running reliably now.

If the noisy one is still under warranty it might be worth returning it just in case.

 

[sammich]

I've got 2 MyBooks (500GB and 1TB) and they both make this consistent not quiet, not loud, rattling noise ever since I got them, both over 7 months old.

Maybe I should've been a little more concerned back then, but both still good.