I just picked up a 27" iMac with the 1 T HD. I can hear the hard drive any time the computer is "working". Took the first one back to the Apple store and exchanged it, thinking I had a defective machine. The replacement makes the same noise.
Anyone else having this issue? Are these things supposed to be this noisy?
Hi,
I know that HD making noise, but my HD is making some taping noise like "pak... pak pak.... pak pak.... pak pak".
it can be silent but some times it's starting with the "pak pak" for no reason. even when the computer is't running nothing.
I just chat with seagate:
take a look.. (I hope apple will look it)
Please wait while we find an agent to assist you...
Hello. How may I help you?
Abraham Tzur: Hi..
Erika M.: hello
Abraham Tzur: I talked to you or someone else 3 days ago
Abraham Tzur: sorry for the spelling
Abraham Tzur: ENG is not my mother Lang
Abraham Tzur: look
Abraham Tzur: I have new iMac with a SG drive
Abraham Tzur: and this drive is not stop clicking
Erika M.: ok, will I cannot find a case under your name so you will have to explain it again
Abraham Tzur: this clicing is dangerus?
Abraham Tzur: OK
Erika M.: when does it click? while it works (accessing data)?
Abraham Tzur: yes/
Abraham Tzur: but
Abraham Tzur: its also when it not work
Abraham Tzur: it's like "pak pak... pak pak...)
Abraham Tzur: it is not loud
Abraham Tzur: but is there/
Abraham Tzur: it's not every time
Abraham Tzur: the other tec supporter told me that it's a aggressive movment of the arm
Erika M.: ok, let me check the firmware on this
Abraham Tzur: and the HD is doing recallibration
Abraham Tzur: ok
Abraham Tzur: model:
Abraham Tzur: ST31000528AS
Abraham Tzur: s.n: 6VP449SW
Erika M.: here is the problem:
Erika M.: we know of the clicking
Erika M.: and have a firmware update for those drives to make it stop
Erika M.: however
Erika M.: your drive is an Apple OEM
Abraham Tzur: ok so what this problem is?
Erika M.: so you need to contact Apple because we cannot make sure the firmware is compatible- and this can hurt the drive
Abraham Tzur: all the HD making this clicking?
Erika M.: not all
Erika M.: but a good number before this was detected
Abraham Tzur: it is dangerus for the HD?
Abraham Tzur: so, you have an update but it's not suit to Apple computer?
Erika M.: correct because they modified the firmware
Erika M.: it no longer has ours
Erika M.: but apple modified firmware
Abraham Tzur: OK..
Erika M.: however, the clicking itslef on these drives is not detrimental
Hey guys, yesterday i bought a brand new iMac 21'5 with 500Gb SG hd and it was making the same pak pak noise ever couple of seconds, but i did an apple software upgrade and now it works just fine, no sound no anything.... so maybe they found a fix or something... i don't know
Hi everyone. I have this same problem with the 1TB Seagate ST31000528AS on my 2010 21.5/ i3 3.2. Quite annoying considering i bought and then quickly returned a practically silent (but very yellow screened) refurb 2009 27" i5.
So, I'm now deciding whether to get it replaced or wait it out for a firmware update (any chance?!)/ hope that with use it gets quieter. I hope the latter as attempting to do work in silence for Uni is a bit of a pain while trying to tune out these erratic clicks!
In response to the above post - tried a software update, I'm all up to date yet clicking away.
Hi,
My software is up to date but it making this PAK PAK noise over and over again,
I just checked the Disk Activity in the Activity Monitor and I see that every time that I hear the clicking there is an activity in the graph.
I hope that Apple will do something with that because it seems to be not healthy to the HD.
P.S, as you see in my post above SG has an update to stop this clicking, I hope that Apple will do the same soon.
mine is doing this too - brand new imac from last week but im typing this on my laptop as the noise from the imac makes it too annoying to use. Its my first mac and sooo not impressed. I got it from the education store any idea how i complain? how do i tell what hard drive it is?
phoned them up and complained - they said to take it to apple shop but its miles away and I do not have a car so someones coming to collect it - fingers crossed
I just bought 27inch i3 today with the grumbling hd sound right in the middle of the screen. I have owned the g3, g4,g5,duo core and now the i3 imac. Have to say this purchase was the most I have paid and the biggest disappointment because of that sound. I will have to get over it and turn up the tunes;)
when it started..
first thing i noticed when it was booting up for the very 1st time was a grumbling noise coming from the middle of the imac almost where there is a vent above the power input.... 😟
I can't believe apple is selling this model "flagship" device with a known problem. I guess for now I will play pandora in the background and get used to it. Nothing seems to be technically wrong with the machine.
I can only hope apple makes corrects this with HD firmware.
I to had this problem with my new 27" iMac that I purchased here in the U.K about two weeks ago, I kept getting this very low deep rumble of my 1TB Seagate hard drive which at the beginning was fine but after I started doing work on the computer it drove me mad.
Anyway I took it back to Apple today to complain and I exchanged the iMac for a brand new model. I now have the Western Digital version of the Hard drive (WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0) which although still makes some typical hard drive noises is more than acceptable than the previous seagate version.
I had amazing customer service and they even offered me a few options to resolve the issue with any of them failing a full refund.
ive just brought a 27" imac 1TB and it's dead silent,. got my ext HD plugged in also,. but i dont and havn't heard a sound at any stage with mine,.had it for a week,.
Use disc utility, that will tell you, my 21.5" i5 makes the same noise, its just a louder version of seek and write compared with the WD drive, It does not bother me, I have a good screen, no whistle noise, so I'm not worried about it, I have apple care and by changing it for something that it does anyway I could risk more issues. Just enjoy your mac, you will tune out from the noise in a few days anyway. Its not a drive fault, its the sound they make.
Goto your Apple icon on the top Left of your screen, click about this mac and then more info, then scroll down to Serial-ATA and copy paste the Model number into google, Anything starting with a WDC is a Western Digital and Seagates begin with a ST.
Seriously you shouldn't worry about the noise it makes, its just Seagates don't have Acoustic Management in them and are naturally noisy these days. But if you cant live with the sound take it back like I did and hope you get a wester digital. It really is the best thing I did as my mac now has a pleasant minimal Hard Dive sound.
If you want to eradicate all sound from your IMac then I suggest taking it back getting your money back and ordering the one with the SSD (Solid state drive) you'll get less storage space but it'll be 100% silent.
