What could this sound be inside my unibody?

[Kronie]

I have a strange sound that my unibody has started to make. Every once in a while, maybe every few minutes? My unibody makes this chirping sound. It almost sounds like a bird outside in the trees. In fact for a while I thought is WAS a bird for a while.

Its hard to type a sound but its like a high pitched "dinit" just once and then its quiet for a while then...."dinit"

Its not effecting performance at all.

I did upgrade my stock drive to a 500 GB seagate a few months back but cant imagine how that would effect anything.

Any ideas?

 

[GoCubsGo]

I saw this discussed here before. I can't recall if it had to do with the hard drive.
Happy reading.

 

[Kronie]

Thanks for the links.

I just got off the phone with our local Mac repair shop.

The tech told me (even before I told him what kind of drive I have) that the 500 GB 7200 RPM Seagates make a sound just like I have. Its the parking of their heads. I have the same drive.

He said I could also take the drive out and start the laptop and if its still making the sound then its obviously something else. Maybe a fan or possibly a speaker.

 

[t0mat0]

What exact drive did you use?(500 GB seagate) did it have drop detection (sudden motion sensor or similar)
Also - have you got all the Apple updates? The drive noise was in part resolved through an update they put out.

 

[Kronie]

Yea, its the Seagate Momentus. 500GB @7200 RPM. It does have drop detection, I think. That's another thing the tech said it may be. Maybe shake the laptop and see if it goes away?

My laptop is running the latest version of snow leopard and I upgraded the EFI. Its definitely the drive I put my ear to the laptop last night, waited and heard it.

 

[Neo-Tech]

If the drive does have drop detection, you should turn off Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor using Terminal, as if a drive already has drop protection, it'll conflict with the Apple one thus causing issues similar to yours.

 

[iLog.Genius]

If the drive does have drop detection, you should turn off Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor using Terminal, as if a drive already has drop protection, it'll conflict with the Apple one thus causing issues similar to yours.

Is that fact? There has been a lot of talk but with no concrete answer. I guess it could make sense but Apple has shipped those who ordered a 7200 RPM drive with G-Shock and I highly doubt those Mac's with the G-Shock drive have their motion sensor disabled by Apple which makes me believe that it shouldn't make a difference at all. Just doesn't make sense for Apple to do something that would conflict and to think Apple would do you a favor by disabling their motion sensor?