lynx wrote:
>
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
> I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
> much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
> after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
> a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
> But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
> back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
> wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty
> page.
>
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
>
>
> TIA.
>
Generally the seagates are reasonably quite , not being able to hear it
I cant comment further , perhaps you need to hear a similar drive
operating to decide ?
G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
drive. (info here:- http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
quieter drive?
TIA.
--
rgds,
Pete
~~~~~
'If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished!'
lynx wrote:
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity,
> as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate
> as much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning
> stopped, after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle
> like sound for a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for
> this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet'
> operation. But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I
> can't take it back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some
> info first. I wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to
> a
> warranty page.
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
I have a couple of new Western Digital drives in a case that uses rubber
bands to support them.
They are so quiet I can't hear them. A lot quieter than the WD's I bought
last year.
lynx wrote:
>
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
> I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
> much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
> after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
> a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
> But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
> back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
> wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty
> page.
>
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
>
>
> TIA.
>
I suspect that you may have caught a bad one. I've got a system running
with 5 400gB Seagate drives (4 PATA and 1 SATA) and it is quite silent
even the drive access chatter is audible over the very quiet Seasonic
power supply only if the case side or front covers are removed. The
Seagate has a five year warranty -- I'd suggest that you swap it out
right now while the memory of the sound is fresh in memory.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA] http://johnmcgaw.com
>
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
> I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
> much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
> after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
> a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
> But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
> back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
> wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
Possibly a dumb question: Are you sure it's not an optical (CD/DVD) drive
making all the noise? They will do that if there's a disc inserted.
lynx <none@nothere.com> wrote:
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity,
> as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate
> as much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning
> stopped, after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle
> like sound for a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet'
> operation. But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I
> can't take it back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some
> info first. I wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
Yeah, it does sound like a faulty one.
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
On Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:48:07 GMT, lynx <none@nothere.com>
wrote:
>
>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
>with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
>drive. (info here:-
>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
>latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
>noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
>I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
>caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
>noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
>case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
>cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
>generate noise more often than not).
Maybe but cheap modern cases that are such lightweight
material and sometimes poor construction are another
problem. Not all modern cases are like this. You may
simply have a bad case (out of tolerance or drive bay not
riveted to front wall good or thin and few folds everywhere)
or the drive isn't mounted in it good, or the drive is bad,
or a combination of these factors together result in so much
noise. From what you wrote below, it seems the drive is
questionable and the case might just make the noise that
much worse.
>So I took the drive out, and just
>holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
>noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration.
Now we're talking relativity... any drive vibrates a slight
bit, even more when seeking. How much it vibrates relative
to another similar drive is the real issue. IE- another 7K2
RPM, preferribly another Seagate of same model (including
same # of platters, so same age and capacity, not just same
model-family).
>I have other
>seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
>much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
>after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
>a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
>if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
>But maybe that refers to just the read/write function).
It is likely to be bad, you should return it- better safe
than sorry.
> I can't take it
>back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
>wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>
>Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
>better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>quieter drive?
You could randomly get a bad drive from any manufacturer,
though sometimes defects are more likely in a given
manufacturing lot, so for example if the store where you
bought it has 30 of same drive in stock, all of them from
the same lot, the odds of getting another dud might be
higher than buying same drive from somewhere else... but the
replacement might be fine.
So I'd be more hesitant to buy exact same drive from same
place but not Seagate nor that model in general, but then WD
drives are reasonable too. Sometimes it's just the
handling, maybe somebody dropped that one in the back room
and didn't want to set it aside as potentially damaged
goods.
"lynx" <none@nothere.com> wrote in
message
news:X1cNg.27272$rP1.11017@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can
> shed some light regarding noise with a
> Seagate drive. I have just purchased a
> ST3250820AS 250gb SATA drive. (info
> here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html )
> This drive is supposed to be pretty
> much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it
> in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not
> talking about hard drive activity, as
> I haven't even installed a OS on it
> yet, but rather just the noise caused
> by the rotation of the platters. It
> produced a humming type noise, and
> vibration was quite noticeable. It
> even caused the computer case to
> vibrate slightly, which in turn made
> it's own noise. (modern cases are made
> of such lightweight material that they
> vibrate and generate noise more often
> than not). So I took the drive out,
> and just holding it in my hand to
> confirm that it was the drive causing
> the noise, and how much noise, I could
> feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and
> they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
> much as this one. Also when I powered
> it off, and the spinning stopped,
> after a few seconds there was a faint
> scraping or rattle like sound for a
> second or two. So I'm wondering if
> this is normal for this drive, or if
> it's faulty? (It would seem strange to
> me if it is normal, considering how
> much Seagate boast about it's
> 'whisper-quiet' operation. But maybe
> that refers to just the read/write
> function). I can't take it back until
> next weekend, but I was hoping to get
> some info first. I wrote to Seagate
> but they were no help- just referred
> me to a warranty page.
>
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to
> swap it, would I perhaps be better off
> with another make, such as Western
> Digital? Are they a quieter drive?
>
>
> TIA.
>
> --
>
> rgds,
>
> Pete
> ~~~~~
> 'If at first you DO succeed, try not
> to look astonished!'
We fitted a Seagate 160Gb SATA drive to
a new PC on the weekend and it made a
high pitched whine for a few hours then
stopped and it's been quiet since.
Sounded like a bearing but as it was
working OK I planned to leave it until I
had time to get it back to the shop but
now it looks to be OK.
I've had plenty of Seagate drives and
they're normally very good.
>lynx committed to the eternal aether...:
>
>
>>
>>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
>>with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
>>drive. (info here:-
>>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>>) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
>>latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
>>noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
>>I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
>>caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
>>noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
>>case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
>>cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
>>generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
>>holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
>>noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
>>seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
>>much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
>>after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
>>a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
>>if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>>considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
>>But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
>>back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
>>wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>>
>>Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
>>better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>>quieter drive?
>>
>>
>
>Possibly a dumb question: Are you sure it's not an optical (CD/DVD) drive
>making all the noise? They will do that if there's a disc inserted.
>
>
No, it's not. My level of technical expertise is sufficient to have
allowed for that possibility. :) But I would say that the level of
vibration from the drive is approx. the same as my Asus 52x CD-ROM with
a disc loaded. If anything, the Asus vibration maybe less!
I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
--
rgds,
Pete
~~~~~
'What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say' -Ralph Waldo Emerson
>On Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:48:07 GMT, lynx <none@nothere.com>
>wrote:
>
>
>>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
>>with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
>>drive. (info here:-
>>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>>) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
>>latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
>>noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
>>I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
>>caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
>>noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
>>case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
>>cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
>>generate noise more often than not).
>>
>>
>
>Maybe but cheap modern cases that are such lightweight
>material and sometimes poor construction are another
>problem. Not all modern cases are like this. You may
>simply have a bad case (out of tolerance or drive bay not
>riveted to front wall good or thin and few folds everywhere)
>or the drive isn't mounted in it good, or the drive is bad,
>or a combination of these factors together result in so much
>noise. From what you wrote below, it seems the drive is
>questionable and the case might just make the noise that
>much worse.
>
>
Yes it does.
>>So I took the drive out, and just
>>holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
>>noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration.
>>
>>
>
>Now we're talking relativity... any drive vibrates a slight
>bit, even more when seeking. How much it vibrates relative
>to another similar drive is the real issue. IE- another 7K2
>RPM, preferribly another Seagate of same model (including
>same # of platters, so same age and capacity, not just same
>model-family).
>
>
Yes, correct.
>>I have other
>>seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
>>much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
>>after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
>>a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
>>if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>>considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
>>But maybe that refers to just the read/write function).
>>
>>
>
>It is likely to be bad, you should return it- better safe
>than sorry.
>
>
I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>>I can't take it
>>back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
>>wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>>
>>Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
>>better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>>quieter drive?
>>
>>
>
>You could randomly get a bad drive from any manufacturer,
>though sometimes defects are more likely in a given
>manufacturing lot, so for example if the store where you
>bought it has 30 of same drive in stock, all of them from
>the same lot, the odds of getting another dud might be
>higher than buying same drive from somewhere else... but the
>replacement might be fine.
>
>
Yes, I agree with that. But how would I know the lot number? The label
lists a date code, and site code.
>So I'd be more hesitant to buy exact same drive from same
>place but not Seagate nor that model in general, but then WD
>drives are reasonable too.
>
I asked the dealer about Western Digital drives noise wise compared to
Seagate, and he said they were about the same. He is a small dealer, so
it's most likely that another drive would be from the same lot.
Unfortunately I have to travel a fair distance to reach him, so if I get
another, regardless of make, and it's just as noisy, that will be annoying.
> Sometimes it's just the
>handling, maybe somebody dropped that one in the back room
>and didn't want to set it aside as potentially damaged
>goods.
>
>
That was my thought also. Seagate clearly warn about shock in excess of
350Gs.
>"lynx" <none@nothere.com> wrote in
>message
>news:X1cNg.27272$rP1.11017@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
>
>>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can
>>shed some light regarding noise with a
>>Seagate drive. I have just purchased a
>>ST3250820AS 250gb SATA drive. (info
>>here:-
>>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html )
>>This drive is supposed to be pretty
>>much the bees knees with regards
>>latest technology, but when I put it
>>in the system, and fired it up, I
>>noticed how noisy it was. I'm not
>>talking about hard drive activity, as
>>I haven't even installed a OS on it
>>yet, but rather just the noise caused
>>by the rotation of the platters. It
>>produced a humming type noise, and
>>vibration was quite noticeable. It
>>even caused the computer case to
>>vibrate slightly, which in turn made
>>it's own noise. (modern cases are made
>>of such lightweight material that they
>>vibrate and generate noise more often
>>than not). So I took the drive out,
>>and just holding it in my hand to
>>confirm that it was the drive causing
>>the noise, and how much noise, I could
>>feel the vibration. I have other
>>seagate drives (older models), and
>>they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
>>much as this one. Also when I powered
>>it off, and the spinning stopped,
>>after a few seconds there was a faint
>>scraping or rattle like sound for a
>>second or two. So I'm wondering if
>>this is normal for this drive, or if
>>it's faulty? (It would seem strange to
>>me if it is normal, considering how
>>much Seagate boast about it's
>>'whisper-quiet' operation. But maybe
>>that refers to just the read/write
>>function). I can't take it back until
>>next weekend, but I was hoping to get
>>some info first. I wrote to Seagate
>>but they were no help- just referred
>>me to a warranty page.
>>
>>Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to
>>swap it, would I perhaps be better off
>>with another make, such as Western
>>Digital? Are they a quieter drive?
>>
>>
>>TIA.
>>
>>
>>
>
>We fitted a Seagate 160Gb SATA drive to
>a new PC on the weekend and it made a
>high pitched whine for a few hours then
>stopped and it's been quiet since.
>
>
Maybe I'll run this one for a while then, and see if it 'settles down' a
bit. Might be just because it's new, and the bearings are tight. But my
thought is that vibration is most likely caused by the platters or motor
not being perfectly balanced, if indeed they're balanced at all. Reminds
me of getting an engine crankshaft balanced to prevent vibration.
>Sounded like a bearing but as it was
>working OK I planned to leave it until I
>had time to get it back to the shop but
>now it looks to be OK.
>I've had plenty of Seagate drives and
>they're normally very good.
>
>
>
I always had Seagate's too, but noticed that it's only the later more
modern and faster drives that seem to have this vibration/noise problem.
--
rgds,
Pete
~~~~~
'I don't have a solution but I admire the problem'
> lynx wrote:
>
>>
>> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding
>> noise with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb
>> SATA drive. (info here:-
>> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with
>> regards latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired
>> it up, I noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive
>> activity, as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just
>> the noise caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a
>> humming type noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even
>> caused the computer case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's
>> own noise. (modern cases are made of such lightweight material that
>> they vibrate and generate noise more often than not). So I took the
>> drive out, and just holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the
>> drive causing the noise, and how much noise, I could feel the
>> vibration. I have other seagate drives (older models), and they are
>> not as noisy, or vibrate as much as this one. Also when I powered it
>> off, and the spinning stopped, after a few seconds there was a faint
>> scraping or rattle like sound for a second or two. So I'm wondering
>> if this is normal for this drive, or if it's faulty? (It would seem
>> strange to me if it is normal, considering how much Seagate boast
>> about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation. But maybe that refers to just
>> the read/write function). I can't take it back until next weekend,
>> but I was hoping to get some info first. I wrote to Seagate but they
>> were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>>
>> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
>> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>> quieter drive?
>>
>>
>> TIA.
>>
> I suspect that you may have caught a bad one. I've got a system
> running with 5 400gB Seagate drives (4 PATA and 1 SATA) and it is
> quite silent even the drive access chatter is audible over the very
> quiet Seasonic power supply only if the case side or front covers are
> removed. The Seagate has a five year warranty -- I'd suggest that you
> swap it out right now while the memory of the sound is fresh in memory.
I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
--
rgds,
Pete
~~~~~
'Dogs have masters. Cats have servants'
lynx <none@nothere.com> wrote
> John McGaw wrote
>> lynx wrote
>>> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding
>>> noise with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS
>>> 250gb SATA drive. (info here:-
>>> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>>> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with
>>> regards latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and
>>> fired it up, I noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard
>>> drive activity, as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but
>>> rather just the noise caused by the rotation of the platters. It
>>> produced a humming type noise, and vibration was quite noticeable.
>>> It even caused the computer case to vibrate slightly, which in turn
>>> made it's own noise. (modern cases are made of such lightweight
>>> material that they vibrate and generate noise more often than not).
>>> So I took the drive out, and just holding it in my hand to confirm
>>> that it was the drive causing the noise, and how much noise, I
>>> could feel the vibration. I have other seagate drives (older
>>> models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as much as this one.
>>> Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped, after a few
>>> seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for a
>>> second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive,
>>> or if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>>> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet'
>>> operation. But maybe that refers to just the read/write function).
>>> I can't take it back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get
>>> some info first. I wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just
>>> referred me to a warranty page. Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps
>>> be
>>> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>>> quieter drive?
>>>
>>>
>>> TIA.
>>>
>> I suspect that you may have caught a bad one. I've got a system
>> running with 5 400gB Seagate drives (4 PATA and 1 SATA) and it is
>> quite silent even the drive access chatter is audible over the very
>> quiet Seasonic power supply only if the case side or front covers are
>> removed. The Seagate has a five year warranty -- I'd suggest that you
>> swap it out right now while the memory of the sound is fresh in memory.
> I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA drives are noisy- or noisier
> than PATA drives at least-
He's feeding you a line in utterly mindless bullshit.
The storagereview measurements show nothing like that.
> and that the level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due mainly to two
> factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made in China,
Only Seagate does that.
> and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s.
Mindlessly silly, that is completely irrelevant if the
drive is just spinning as it was when you tested it.
> He said he was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
He might get a surprise when he trys the drive you currently have.
>lynx <none@nothere.com> wrote
>
>
>>John McGaw wrote
>>
>>
>>>lynx wrote
>>>
>>>
>>>>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding
>>>>noise with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS
>>>>250gb SATA drive. (info here:-
>>>>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>>>>) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with
>>>>regards latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and
>>>>fired it up, I noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard
>>>>drive activity, as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but
>>>>rather just the noise caused by the rotation of the platters. It
>>>>produced a humming type noise, and vibration was quite noticeable.
>>>>It even caused the computer case to vibrate slightly, which in turn
>>>>made it's own noise. (modern cases are made of such lightweight
>>>>material that they vibrate and generate noise more often than not).
>>>>So I took the drive out, and just holding it in my hand to confirm
>>>>that it was the drive causing the noise, and how much noise, I
>>>>could feel the vibration. I have other seagate drives (older
>>>>models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as much as this one.
>>>>Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped, after a few
>>>>seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for a
>>>>second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive,
>>>>or if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>>>>considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet'
>>>>operation. But maybe that refers to just the read/write function).
>>>>I can't take it back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get
>>>>some info first. I wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just
>>>>referred me to a warranty page. Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps
>>>>be
>>>>better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>>>>quieter drive?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>TIA.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>I suspect that you may have caught a bad one. I've got a system
>>>running with 5 400gB Seagate drives (4 PATA and 1 SATA) and it is
>>>quite silent even the drive access chatter is audible over the very
>>>quiet Seasonic power supply only if the case side or front covers are
>>>removed. The Seagate has a five year warranty -- I'd suggest that you
>>>swap it out right now while the memory of the sound is fresh in memory.
>>>
>>>
>>I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA drives are noisy- or noisier
>>than PATA drives at least-
>>
>>
>
>He's feeding you a line in utterly mindless bullshit.
>
>
I was very sus about what he said.
>The storagereview measurements show nothing like that.
>
>
>
>>and that the level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due mainly to two
>>factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made in China,
>>
>>
>
>Only Seagate does that.
>
>
So I might be better off with Western Digital then?
>>and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s.
>>
>>
>
>Mindlessly silly, that is completely irrelevant if the
>drive is just spinning as it was when you tested it.
>
>
That's what I thought.
>>He said he was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>>
>>
>
>He might get a surprise when he trys the drive you currently have.
>
>
>
>
--
rgds,
Pete
~~~~~
'That light at the end of the tunnel could be an oncoming train!'
lynx wrote:
>
.... snip ...
>
> I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
> drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
> level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
> mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
> in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
> was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
Since the drives are identical, and the difference is in the
electronics of the interface, it seems obvious that the nasty
little electrons are being pushed nearly to light speed and are
squeaking loudly in complaint.
I have a well known bridge for sale in New York City. I can let
you have a bargain on it. It has been well maintained for over a
hundred years.
--
"I was born lazy. I am no lazier now than I was forty years
ago, but that is because I reached the limit forty years ago.
You can't go beyond possibility." -- Mark Twain
lynx <none@nothere.com> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote
>> lynx <none@nothere.com> wrote
>>> John McGaw wrote
>>>> lynx wrote
>>>>> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding
>>>>> noise with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS
>>>>> 250gb SATA drive. (info here:-
>>>>> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
>>>>> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with
>>>>> regards latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and
>>>>> fired it up, I noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about
>>>>> hard drive activity, as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but
>>>>> rather just the noise caused by the rotation of the platters. It
>>>>> produced a humming type noise, and vibration was quite noticeable.
>>>>> It even caused the computer case to vibrate slightly, which in
>>>>> turn made it's own noise. (modern cases are made of such lightweight
>>>>> material that they vibrate and generate noise more often than
>>>>> not). So I took the drive out, and just holding it in my hand to confirm
>>>>> that it was the drive causing the noise, and how much noise, I
>>>>> could feel the vibration. I have other seagate drives (older
>>>>> models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as much as this
>>>>> one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped, after a few
>>>>> seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for a
>>>>> second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive,
>>>>> or if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
>>>>> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet'
>>>>> operation. But maybe that refers to just the read/write function).
>>>>> I can't take it back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get
>>>>> some info first. I wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just
>>>>> referred me to a warranty page. Also, if it is faulty, and I'm
>>>>> able to swap it, would I perhaps be
>>>>> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
>>>>> quieter drive?
>>>> I suspect that you may have caught a bad one. I've got a system
>>>> running with 5 400gB Seagate drives (4 PATA and 1 SATA) and it is
>>>> quite silent even the drive access chatter is audible over the very
>>>> quiet Seasonic power supply only if the case side or front covers
>>>> are removed. The Seagate has a five year warranty -- I'd suggest
>>>> that you swap it out right now while the memory of the sound is
>>>> fresh in memory.
>>> I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
>>> drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least-
>> He's feeding you a line in utterly mindless bullshit.
> I was very sus about what he said.
>> The storagereview measurements show nothing like that.
>>> and that the level of noise that I was experiencing was quite
>>> normal, and is due mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's
>>> drives that are now made in China,
>> Only Seagate does that.
> So I might be better off with Western Digital then?
I prefer Samsung myself. Main downside is that currently its 400G max.
>>> and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s.
>> Mindlessly silly, that is completely irrelevant if the
>> drive is just spinning as it was when you tested it.
> That's what I thought.
>>> He said he was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>> He might get a surprise when he trys the drive you currently have.
lynx wrote:
> G'day all. I'm hoping that someone can shed some light regarding noise
> with a Seagate drive. I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
> drive. (info here:-
> http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html
> ) This drive is supposed to be pretty much the bees knees with regards
> latest technology, but when I put it in the system, and fired it up, I
> noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive activity, as
> I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just the noise
> caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a humming type
> noise, and vibration was quite noticeable. It even caused the computer
> case to vibrate slightly, which in turn made it's own noise. (modern
> cases are made of such lightweight material that they vibrate and
> generate noise more often than not). So I took the drive out, and just
> holding it in my hand to confirm that it was the drive causing the
> noise, and how much noise, I could feel the vibration. I have other
> seagate drives (older models), and they are not as noisy, or vibrate as
> much as this one. Also when I powered it off, and the spinning stopped,
> after a few seconds there was a faint scraping or rattle like sound for
> a second or two. So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or
> if it's faulty? (It would seem strange to me if it is normal,
> considering how much Seagate boast about it's 'whisper-quiet' operation.
> But maybe that refers to just the read/write function). I can't take it
> back until next weekend, but I was hoping to get some info first. I
> wrote to Seagate but they were no help- just referred me to a warranty page.
>
> Also, if it is faulty, and I'm able to swap it, would I perhaps be
> better off with another make, such as Western Digital? Are they a
> quieter drive?
>
Seagate is generally a good drive, yours is faulty, but you shouldn't
fear a same model replacement.
>
> I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
> drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
> level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
> mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
> in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
> was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>
Yours is beyond "loud" into the realm of "defective", he probably has
no idea just HOW bad your case is, until he hears it himself. It sounds
as if the platter is badly warped. And the SCRAPING noise, would
confirm this. You shoud *never* hear scraping, it's the read head
hitting a warped platter. I wouldn't trust that drive for anything but
a paperweight.
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:21:10 GMT, lynx <none@nothere.com>
wrote:
>I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
>drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
>level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
>mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
>in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
>was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
I advise you to find another dealer, one that does not pull
things out of his arse.
While some drives are marginally quieter than others, the
difference is slight- NOT the difference between what you
are describing and any other brand of drive. You could buy
a WD instead, or Samsung, or another Seagate and expect a
reasonable noise level.
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:12:24 GMT, lynx <none@nothere.com>
wrote:
>Yes, I agree with that. But how would I know the lot number? The label
>lists a date code, and site code.
I don't recall on Seagates, compare the labels on the
packaging for closely incremented number sequence.
More to the point, I'd simply avoid buying or exchanging for
another of the exact same make/model from the same seller,
if it's avoidable.
>>So I'd be more hesitant to buy exact same drive from same
>>place but not Seagate nor that model in general, but then WD
>>drives are reasonable too.
>>
>
>I asked the dealer about Western Digital drives noise wise compared to
>Seagate, and he said they were about the same. He is a small dealer, so
>it's most likely that another drive would be from the same lot.
>Unfortunately I have to travel a fair distance to reach him, so if I get
>another, regardless of make, and it's just as noisy, that will be annoying.
I can't make that call for you, but there's always mail
delivery?
>
>
>> Sometimes it's just the
>>handling, maybe somebody dropped that one in the back room
>>and didn't want to set it aside as potentially damaged
>>goods.
>>
>>
>
>That was my thought also. Seagate clearly warn about shock in excess of
>350Gs.
I wouldn't want a drive subjected to half that, wouldn't
want one I knew was dropped at all for example.
On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:18:42 GMT, lynx <none@nothere.com>
wrote:
>Maybe I'll run this one for a while then, and see if it 'settles down' a
>bit. Might be just because it's new, and the bearings are tight. But my
>thought is that vibration is most likely caused by the platters or motor
>not being perfectly balanced, if indeed they're balanced at all. Reminds
>me of getting an engine crankshaft balanced to prevent vibration.
There should be no break-in period necessary, if the
mechanical parts wore (broke in) that fast, it would also be
a sign it could go out of operational tolerances too soon
also.
>>I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
>>drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
>>level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
>>mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
>>in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
>>was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>>
>>
>>
>Yours is beyond "loud" into the realm of "defective", he probably has
>no idea just HOW bad your case is, until he hears it himself. It sounds
>as if the platter is badly warped. And the SCRAPING noise, would
>confirm this. You shoud *never* hear scraping, it's the read head
>hitting a warped platter. I wouldn't trust that drive for anything but
>a paperweight.
>
>
>
> I have just purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb
> but when I put it in the system, and fired it up,
> I noticed how noisy it was. I'm not talking about hard drive
> activity, as I haven't even installed a OS on it yet, but rather just
> the noise caused by the rotation of the platters. It produced a
> humming type noise, and vibration was quite noticeable.
> So I'm wondering if this is normal for this drive, or if it's faulty?
> I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
> drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
> level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
> mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
> in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
> was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
Why should SATA drives vibrate more than PATA drives when they're
mechanically identical to each other? What's the name of that dealer?
Because frauds and idiots like that should be exposed.
I think that you were simply sold a worse than average sample because
I've bought Seagates since the Barracuda IV series, and none vibrated
much at all. I recently had a chance to compare PATA and SATA Seagate
400GB series 7200.9 and 7200.10 drives being tested together, and they
were all quiet and hardly vibrated, with no noticeable differences
between the PATA and SATA versions or between those made in Thailand
and those from China. I was interested in these because the 400GB PATA
7200.9 I recently bought (made in China) ran a few degrees hotter than
my 120GB and 160GB series 7200.7 drives, but apparently that's normal.
MY only HDs that vibrated noticeably were all PATA: 120GB Western
Digital (Thailand or Malaysia), 250GB Samsung (unknown origin, in a
Buffalo USB drive), and a 200GB Hitachi (Thailand).
paulmd@efn.org wrote:
> >
> > I spoke to the dealer yesterday, and his comment was that all SATA
> > drives are noisy- or noisier than PATA drives at least- and that the
> > level of noise that I was experiencing was quite normal, and is due
> > mainly to two factors: poor quality of today's drives that are now made
> > in China, and the much faster data transfer rate of 3Gb/s. He said he
> > was nevertheless happy to replace the drive to allay my fears.
>
> Yours is beyond "loud" into the realm of "defective", he probably has
> no idea just HOW bad your case is, until he hears it himself. It sounds
> as if the platter is badly warped. And the SCRAPING noise, would
> confirm this. You shoud *never* hear scraping, it's the read head
> hitting a warped platter. I wouldn't trust that drive for anything but
> a paperweight.
Wouldn't a drive as bad as that shut down or not be recognized by the
computer?
Isn't vibration more likely to be caused by platters that are
off-center rather than warped? And I've heard scraping noises from HDs
when they turn on or shut down.
"lynx" <none@nothere.com> wrote in
message
news:C7INg.27963$rP1.540@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Swampfox wrote:
>
>
>>"lynx" <none@nothere.com> wrote in
>>message
>>news:X1cNg.27272$rP1.11017@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>
>>>G'day all. I'm hoping that someone
>>>can shed some light regarding noise
>>>with a Seagate drive. I have just
>>>purchased a ST3250820AS 250gb SATA
>>>drive. (info here:-
>>>http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,761,00.html )
>>>This drive is supposed to be pretty
>>>much the bees knees with regards
>>>latest technology, but when I put it
>>>in the system, and fired it up, I
>>>noticed how noisy it was. I'm not
>>>talking about hard drive activity, as
>>>I haven't even installed a OS on it
>>>yet, but rather just the noise caused
>>>by the rotation of the platters. It
>>>produced a humming type noise, and
&g
Re: Seagate Hard Drive question.. 