New Rev B MBA Clicking Sound?

[blairh]

Hey guys,

Just picked up a Rev B MBA yesterday new (not the SSD model) and I'm hearing a slight clicking sound coming from the right side of the keyboard every 10 seconds or so. Just made an appointment with the Genius Bar at my local retail store for tomorrow, and I will update the software tonight when I'm back at home.

In the meantime, any thoughts? The sound is not loud but extremely annoying. Loving the computer but if they don't give me a new model tomorrow or attempt to fix this issue I'll be forced to return this one (which I bought new at BB for a great price).

 

[stoconnell]

Hey guys,

Just picked up a Rev B MBA yesterday new (not the SSD model) and I'm hearing a slight clicking sound coming from the right side of the keyboard every 10 seconds or so. Just made an appointment with the Genius Bar at my local retail store for tomorrow, and I will update the software tonight when I'm back at home.

In the meantime, any thoughts? The sound is not loud but extremely annoying. Loving the computer but if they don't give me a new model tomorrow or attempt to fix this issue I'll be forced to return this one (which I bought new at BB for a great price).

That would be the HDD.

 

[Miker2k]

Mine does the same thing. I keep meaning to call Apple about it.

Let me know what they say.

 

[blairh]

Yes, the HDD. My bad.

I'll report back after the session tomorrow.

 

[blairh]

Miker2k,

How long have you owned your MBA? How long have you also been having the same issues as me? Has it affected the performance of your MBA?

 

[Scottsdale]

I have never heard it on any SSD MBA... however, on the few rare occasions that I used my original MBA, I heard the clicking. When I have used or tested others with HDDs, I have heard the clicking noise.

It's damn annoying and it usually is followed by the spinning beachball of death! Almost as bad as Windows blue screen of death, if freezes computer which does happen.

Unfortunately, even MBs and MBPs have been experiencing a lot of these clicks followed by lockups and spinning beachballs lately. SSDs are really the future! No moving parts makes so much more sense. I love the SSD in my MBA... I could never/ever go back to a HDD.

 

[Miker2k]

Miker2k,

How long have you owned your MBA? How long have you also been having the same issues as me? Has it affected the performance of your MBA?

Oh, I've had it 8 or 9 months now I suppose. I never really noticed it because I usually have the TV or something else going on but once time I shut off the TV and noticed it right away. I poked around, figured it was the hard drive and never really gave it anymore thought.

 

[pvmacguy]

Pretty sure thats just normal HDD noise. My tb external drive makes noises like that. My mac mini makes noises like that, netbook, old desktops etc. Sounds like normal operation of computers.

 

[blairh]

never had a laptop that ever made this sound. and my last laptop was a penryn mbp. my current mini does not make this sound.

i'll report back tomorrow with what genius bar says.

 

[caonimadebi]

My HDD macbook air made that noise too but it never bothered me. The slight clicking sounds were not associated with any performance issues. My 20GB 4G iPod (before they went classic) also makes that noise every once in a while. Maybe it's a feature of the 4.2k rpm drives? Maybe it's to conserve power? I never notice that sound in other 5.4k drives.

 

[blairh]

Just got back from meeting with the Mac genius. He basically echo'd what the last post says. Common sound found on Macbook Air's. Not a performance issue. Ran some diagnostic tests, said I was fine.

Part of me is relieved it's not a problem. Another part of me is annoyed that this sound won't go away. Oh well.

 

[Scottsdale]

Just got back from meeting with the Mac genius. He basically echo'd what the last post says. Common sound found on Macbook Air's. Not a performance issue. Ran some diagnostic tests, said I was fine.

Part of me is relieved it's not a problem. Another part of me is annoyed that this sound won't go away. Oh well.

You really didn't believe what everyone said here? Why did you ask then.

I think you're lucky to not have spinning beach balls when that happens. People with new MBPs are having the problem of clicking and lockups for minutes at a time with spinning beach balls.

In the future consider an SSD upgrade to eliminate the clicking. I am with you though; I never heard clicking on a Dell with an HDD. Only Mac notebooks with HDDs. It could be related to Apple's stop motion sensor that locks the HDD.

Good luck.

 

[blairh]

"Really didn't believe what everyone said here?"

Excuse me?

I posted this topic as I was awaiting my Mac Genius appointment. It wasn't that I didn't believe what others said on this thread, I just wanted to get feedback before I had my appointment. That's all.

I sadly had that exact same beach ball problem on my 13" MBP, so I returned it. I actually brought it up to the Genius a few hours ago as we finished discussing my MBA. He said it could have been a series of issues. Even though I'm sacrificing battery life with my MBA vs. the 13" MBP, I prefer the screen as I find it has less glare and the weight of the MBA is of course fantastic.

 

[AIRniloc]

"Really didn't believe what everyone said here?"

Excuse me?

I posted this topic as I was awaiting my Mac Genius appointment. It wasn't that I didn't believe what others said on this thread, I just wanted to get feedback before I had my appointment. That's all.

I sadly had that exact same beach ball problem on my 13" MBP, so I returned it. I actually brought it up to the Genius a few hours ago as we finished discussing my MBA. He said it could have been a series of issues. Even though I'm sacrificing battery life with my MBA vs. the 13" MBP, I prefer the screen as I find it has less glare and the weight of the MBA is of course fantastic.

a HDD clicking is a definite early sign of HD failure...if the sound annoys you, take it back to the bar and ask them to compare it to a floor machine (which are new and never click)...if the genius tries to tell you that it is within 'specs' ask him about said 'specifications'..they don't exist

and scottsdale, you never heard this clicking sound on your SSD MBAir bc SSDs have no moving parts

 

[blairh]

they ran a diagnostic test, all the results turned out fine.

also another genius said his mba (rev a or b, not sure) does the very same thing.

they won't give me a HDD rev c, as much as I'd like one.

it's really not a clicking sound. more like "chirping" and it happens roughly every 20 seconds.

because i paid so little for it new ($909), i won't return it unless i have additional issues.