Brand New MacBook Pro making clicking noise whenever unibody is touched

I have the EXACT same problem, also on a brand new MBP. For what it's worth, I took my MBP to the Genius Bar today and they told me it's just the way the HD works. I had two noises that concerned me: the clicking when I touched the top of the unit as you described and a hum or whirrr when I tilt the machine while it's on. The Genius noted my case but said it's normal. Doesn't FEEL normal but that's what they told me.

You hearing the hard disk park it's heads every time the system detects a shock, some hard disk's have a much louder click than the others. The Seagate that I pulled out of my new Macbook pro 13 did this, the new Hitachi I put in is dead silent.

Doesn't the head get parked only when the system detects 0 gravities (i.e. "free-fall")?

My 2010 15" MBP came with the Seagate 7200.4 500 GB 7200 rpm (ST9500420ASG) and it does sound a bit different (the "clicking" noise) than some others I've had. Nothing objectionable though... for the most part I can hardly notice it.

PJR III wrote:
I had two noises that concerned me: the clicking when I touched the top of the unit as you described and a hum or whirrr when I tilt the machine while it's on.

Another couple thoughts on discerning normal vs. abnormal noises...

If your hard drive is making a rather loud *very noticeable* clicking noise as compared to the way it's usually sounds it's probably about to fail. Time to start backing up!

If you notice an extra hum or whirr when you tilt your machine when it's on note that a spun up hard drive (or optical drive for that matter) acts like a gyroscope so if you tilt it it's going to provide some resistance and part of that action will result in some extra noise (whirr) and perhaps vibration (hum).

The only bad drive I've ever received out of the box produced a very marked and abnormal amount of vibration.

Hope you all are enjoying your new MBP's. Mine is the finest machine I've ever used by a country mile! Darn near flawless.

I have the exact same problem on my brand new i7 MBP 15. The clicks are very high in pitch and sharp, and startling like something is breaking, and happen frequently. They seem to happen quite for no apparent reason other than, you know, I click the trackpad-button or something. The clicks seem to be coming from the left side... possibly lower left but I can't be certain. (It does agree with your ethernet impression.)

It does not feel acceptable at all-- I'd be very surprised if Apple thinks this is "normal."

The timing is totally random. I can't seem to really cause it on demand.

Anecdotally, it seems to only happen when running on my lap. I can't find anything in my keys or wallet that affects the computers, so I'm not sure if this is related.

And NO, it's absolutely positively NOT freefall detection that's causing this. You can verify this by simulating freefall (safely!). Hold the computer firmly, and lower it somewhat quickly by several inches. You get a very different, soft click that's not whatsoever alarming. This softer "parking" click also comes from a different place in the computer, on the right hand side.

I recently played with a 15" i7 and when it was on my lap or at 45º (while couching) It was making the sound when clicking the trackpad.

I tried investigating he sound and saw that there was a little play with underneath the i7 metal cover which when i applied pressure it make a little squeak. Seems like if it's not on a flat hard surface some stress is applied to the body and creates a squeak sound like tiny metal sheets clicking together.

Probably just a tiny defect in design or assembly that makes the trackpad dodgy on non-flat-hard situation. Well that seems to be my case anyway.

Hi,

I have the same problem and same as my 2 other firends. I took mine MBP in to Apple and they told me is normal. The sound is coming out when a plastic bracket hitting the bottom. The bracket cannot be tightened as this would damage the motherboard.

So we all have to leave with it.

I have an answer to your problem Ryan. http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11464770#11464770