02-25-2010, 06:51 PM

I hope someone can give me some type of advice as to what it this might be and or the repercussions could be. Not everytime, but sometimes when I move my macbook pro, I hear a clicking that clicks once. It seems to come from to the right of my trackpad in the area where there is nothingexcept the unibody. I keep my computer on a little table with wheels so I can move it around my room with some ease and often when I roll it, I hear the click. but also I hear it when I pick it up or put it down. Now I have only noticed that this happens when the computer is ON and OPEN. Someone told me it sounds like it might be my harddrive. If someone could could give me an idea of what this might be caused from and if any damage is or could occur.

02-25-2010, 07:05 PM

Yup, it sounds like a hard drive click. It's pretty sensitive to little bumps, especially if it's really going. It you've got a CD/DVD in, that could also be making the noise, but it sure sounds like a hard drive to me. It probably won't harm your computer thanks to the Sudden Motion Sensor, but you should try to keep it to a minimum.

02-25-2010, 08:14 PM

No....I hardly ever have a dvd or cd in so I know it isnt that. Plus it happens when I have nothing in the cd drive. I do try to keep the movement to a min. and it isnt as though everytime I move it it clicks but when it does click it is a bit unnerving because I can not afford my mac to crash. finically or otherwise

02-25-2010, 08:58 PM

To me it sounds like the hard drive clicking. I have seen this issue happen on many macbooks, that's why I use an SSD it is much safer for data. You might want to back up your files just to be safe. Even though the problem sounds minor and Macbook Pro's do come with a hard drive sensor.

02-25-2010, 09:05 PM

If it's only happening as you describe it, it's not surprising, but see if this happens when you move it very gently without jarring it and keeping it level.
I move mine a lot when using it, however I am very gentle and make sure not to jar it while I do, and I never get a clicking sound, if anything, just a reading sound.
As 1-Mac suggested, be sure to back up the HD, infact, use CCC or SuperDuper to clone your drive so you can still boot the Mac if the internal HD fails.

02-25-2010, 09:19 PM

My wife's laptop has a clicking sound also, but it is the fan. If it's on and clicking, slowly put it up on its side and if the clicking gets louder and more often then it's probably the fan.

02-25-2010, 10:03 PM

Right well....I move it plenty and no click. but sometimes a click. Also if the table it is setting on is bumped I will sometimes hear the click. When I do move it I try to move it and set it down as gently as I can, there has been times though where I was moving it gently and it still clicked. Does this cause damage to my harddrive everytime it does click even though it has the sensor? Could someone tell me more about backing up my hard drive.

02-25-2010, 10:16 PM

You have time machine option.... which is built into the OS
See Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics.
CCC and SuperDuper as linked in my previous post are the best backup options.
The reason being is that they provide you with an exact duplicate of your HD, and it is a bootable HD.
What this means is that if your HD fails, you are still able to boot your Mac from the external HD, and use it until you replace your internal HD.
It also makes replacing the new HD fast and easy, as you can just clone back to the new internal from the external HD.
If you have a firewire ext HD, then your clone will run at high speed, but just a USB ext HD will run a lot slower, but still run.
I use an ext HD with 3 partitions.
1 for time machine backups.
1 for a CCC clone.
1 for a bootable copy of my install disc (so I can keep my original install disc as new in storage).
Idealy you would have seperate ext HD for time machine, and clone. This is just a double failsafe.

As for moving/bumping etc the machine while in use to the extent that it causes a click, this is not going to kill the drive immediately, but certainly will cause it to wear faster over time.

02-26-2010, 11:09 AM

In my experience the clicking is the first sign a hard drive is about to bite the farm. I've had it happen more times than I can count over the years and in every case the hard drive was on its last leg.

A fan noise is usually more than a click, they tend to make noises only when first turned on or when you tilt the machine and tends to be more than a single click.

The only other time I hear clicks and it isn't from a dying hard drive has been when a power supply to a hard drive isn't robust enough. Usually with an external pocket drive and in those cases the click is usually more than just a single one and will clear up when you us a shorter USB cable to power them.

Do yourself a favor and back everything up just in case.

02-26-2010, 12:26 PM

Yep if it doesn't make even more noise when putting it up on its side then it's probably the hard drive going bad on you. Back that thing up and take it into apple to be diagnosed.

02-26-2010, 01:08 PM

Don't forget the sudden movement sensor locks the harddrive in place when its spinning. so the clicking you could be hearing is either the harddrive stopping from being jarred or the hard drive on its way out.

02-26-2010, 02:17 PM

As rippingviper said, it could be a over-sensitive sudden movement sensor. If it is triggered, it will instantly park the hard drive and you will hear a "click". If you hear more than one click, of feel abnormal vibrations I would be more concerned. Like everyone said, back up just to be safe and maybe call Apple or go by a store with it. If it is a sensor they should be able to tell you.

03-04-2010, 08:02 AM

I only hear the click when I move it, and it is not everytime I move it. Say I am moving it and have to for whatever reason suddenly move it to the left or right I will hear a single click, but also sometimes when I am putting it down on the table I will hear the click. This doesnt happen always and I try to be as gentle as possible with it when moving it or putting it down. If my HD was on its way out, would I notice any difference on how my computer runs? would it freeze on me or anything like that ?

03-04-2010, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Drucifer66

I only hear the click when I move it, and it is not everytime I move it. Say I am moving it and have to for whatever reason suddenly move it to the left or right I will hear a single click, but also sometimes when I am putting it down on the table I will hear the click. This doesnt happen always and I try to be as gentle as possible with it when moving it or putting it down. If my HD was on its way out, would I notice any difference on how my computer runs? would it freeze on me or anything like that ?

I just did this to my uMBP and mine clicks too whenever I move it. I wouldn't be to worried about. Just the hard drive stopping. I game pretty hardcore on this thing and push it and I don't see any freezes or crashes. of course I don't pick it up and walk around with it often with it open either... Anyway. Don't worry so much. If your really that concerned call Apple about it.