MacBook Pro Hard Drive Dying? <sounds included>

[Metatron]

Since I got my Macbook Pro, the hard drive has always made this thud clicking sound. I use smartreporter, but it says that everything is fine. I disagree, so maybe you can listen the the two audio clips and tell me. It happens every minute or so, but only on some days. Sometimes it never makes a sound.

http://stewartblood.org/hd1.mov

http://stewartblood.org/hd2.mov

Thanks...

[edit:] I am trying to think of a time when it seems like it is happening the most...a pattern of sorts. Maybe my imagination, but it does seem to happen more often when it is on battery, and it is getting low. Around every 15 to 30 seconds or so.

 

[mrweirdo]

I just recently had my toshiba drive replaced by apple since it was bad(caused random kernel panics) with a seagate drive and it does the exact same thing in my black macbook. So far drive performance seems to be ok. So hopefully its just normal but it is scary sounding though.

also I have noticed that when the drive is set to turn off in the power save setings it will turn off but only for a few minutes at a time then it fires up again and runs for about 5 minutes till it turns off and starts repeating the process. I don't recall my old drive doing this. Kind of annoying :/

 

[Zwhaler]

I would be weary. At least make a backup of everything in case something goes wrong.

 

[Metatron]

I just recently had my toshiba drive replaced by apple since it was bad(caused random kernel panics) with a seagate drive and it does the exact same thing in my black macbook. So far drive performance seems to be ok. So hopefully its just normal but it is scary sounding though:/

I have been working with computers a long time, and while this doesn't sound like most hardrives I've heard going out, it surely does not sound good. Though like you said, I too have no trouble, other than that sound. I have applecare, but I it is so random my luck is that it would be a good day and I would not be able to reproduce the sound at the apple store. Wonder if they would take my audio recordings as evidence?

 

[audiobahn]

Hey, I have the same problem but i dont know if we are just going crazy... I would love to go to an apple store and see if all macbooks do the same noise. Bad thing is that i dont have an applestore close by. Try testing your hard disk by using "Disk Utility"... waiting for your results



Chris

 

[66217]

My last hard drive made that exact sound. The difference is that it made it after it stopped working. When I tried to boot, the MB would never find the hard drive (and the hard drive made that exact noise constantly.)

The new hard drive (the replacement), also made that sound. But the hard drive worked.
I found that it only made the sound when waking from sleep or turning the MB on. The guys at Apple told me this is normal for some hard drives to make this sound, and that I shouldn't be worried.

Since that day backing up my documents is like part of my religion.

 

[phoenix78]

I was told this was a normal feature. My HD makes the same clunknoise. Althugh i fail to see how this can be acceptable or even part of a design where so much effort already goes into making harddrives less noisy.

oh well... maybe it is a businesss thing... it isnt a fault but they also dont want to go and replace millions of harddrives either.

i guess we have to live with it for now and hope that manufacturers wake up to themselves and prevent this in future revisions.


rob.

 

[briantology]

Hmmm, my MBP also makes a noise right by where the power cord is plugged in, but it's like every 20 seconds. The sound is more like a click-beep though. It's kinda of annoying...