Is this normal...?

Is it a whirring?

If so, that's normal. It's the hard drive spinning up to access new information. Especially when you change menus or start a new file playing, it will need to load the new file into it's memory. That's why it's nice to have playlists, even the ON-THE_GO playlist, set up for what you want to listen/watch. Because with playlists, or when shuffling, the iPod seeks ahead and loads the new file before it starts playing it.

No, if the assumption [hard drive noise] is correct there is no software fix. This is a normal mechanical noise that all hard drives make. Don't be concerned with it!

krazykid4994 wrote:
I hear the hardrive than there's the crinkling noise and goes away when the stuff loads.

...Normal?

PLEASE ANSWER THIS!

Yes.

A firmware update won't prevent hard drive noise from the iPod which is what you are hearing.

Every time the iPod loads info to the hd it spins up, hence the noise. When the hd spins down, the noise ceases.

When you have headphones on, you won't hear the hard drive noise, correct? So what's the problem with it now?

Your computer hard drive makes the same identical noises. They just aren't that noticeable because of the computer case.