27" i5 iMac (Mid 2010) Hard Drive Grinding Noise

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Mid 2010 27" iMac 2.8GHz i5, 4GB, 1TB HDD, 1GB Radeon HD 5750
So my 27" i5 (Mid 2010) iMac's 1TB HD is making noises from when it starts up until I shut it off. It sounds like a stomach grumbling, like computers did in the early 90's. The noise happens even when doing extremely light work on the computer such as checking email.

I got my first iMac replaced for this exact grinding noise. Now my replacement is making the noise. My G4 and G5 iMacs are both considerably less loud than this brand new $2000 machine. I find it completely unacceptable and really distracting. Anyone else have this problem?

My hard drive model number is: WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0
 
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Have you contacted Apple on this problem yet?
 
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I have. Usually they tell me that it is "normal" for hard drives to make noises. Which is true of course. However, this is not your average ticking. I go to college full time with no Apple store close to me. My iMac is the life-blood of my education. I can't go without it for even a day considering most of my assignments are posted online.

For that reason, I had it "repaired" the first time over my Christmas break,which wound up turning into a month long debacle because Apple didn't have this part and that part. After weeks of waiting, I demanded a replacement.

I am mostly looking to find someone with a 27" iMac without this noise and find out their HD model number. I've heard its only certain HDs that do this in the new iMacs.
 

IWT


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I have an i7, 27 inch iMac with 1 TB HD and, checking now, it has exactly the same model number as yours.

Noises are difficult to describe or quantify and ignored by some whilst others are driven crazy.

If it helps at all, I can only say is that I have never heard any noise from my HD since new last year.

Sorry can't assist more.

Ian
 
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Mine is a i7 2TB model with a HDD made by Hitachi, so it won't be of much use but I can say mine has never made a noise like that, only softly "clicking" when it's working hard, like transferring a large file to the external. But a friend of mine has a 2010 i5 with the 1TB HDD, I will ask him later today if it's ever made a noise like that.
 
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I have the Samsung hd103sj 1tb in mine. Quiet have never herd it.
 
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I am having the same exact problem! I bought my iMac, 27in, i3 in September 2010 and up until recently, it was running extremely fast and perfect. Lately, it's been slower and just the last couple weeks I noticed the really obnoxious grinding noise, just like a stomach gurgling, whenever I do anything on the computer, not just intensive things.

Any time something changes and I notice big differences with the computer, I always want to try and solve them. I hope this isn't a massive issue because like most people, I depend on my computer for work.

My hard drive model number is: ST31000528AS
 
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Hi,

I have an iMac 27" i7 with the standard 1TB drive, the grumble noise most people describe i also have and can say this is perfectly normal, there is no fault with this drive, now the noise i refer to is a grumble and only can be heard when the hard drive is in use. Please note that not every iMac will act the same nor make the exact same sounds, they are all different. The noise i hear does not concern me as the mac is super fast and works just as it should. There is tests you can perform if you feel something is wrong.
 
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Hi,

I have an iMac 27" i7 with the standard 1TB drive, the grumble noise most people describe i also have and can say this is perfectly normal, there is no fault with this drive, now the noise i refer to is a grumble and only can be heard when the hard drive is in use. Please note that not every iMac will act the same nor make the exact same sounds, they are all different. The noise i hear does not concern me as the mac is super fast and works just as it should. There is tests you can perform if you feel something is wrong.

Hi Harvey. I read what you said about not being concerned about the noise. I'm not really concerned, because I've heard the sound before, but it was only once in a while when the computer was working very hard on something, and even then, I would only hear it occasionally. What bothers me is I hear the noise all the time now, no matter what the computer is doing, and even when I'm not using it and it's just sitting there. It becomes annoying and disruptive because all I notice is the sound and not what I'm doing. This can't just be normal because I have other macs that are extremely quiet, even when working hard.
 
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hungry iMac very annoying

I just hate the grinding/growling noise from my iMac. I thought it was the security software scan making the noise - but it continues even after the scan is finished. I have resorted to playing music to cover the sound up. Surely there is a way to make it not so annoying.:Shouting:
 

Raz0rEdge

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Loud noises from the harddrive should not be ignored as it could be an indication of potential failure..

I have a Late 2009 27" i7 iMac with a Seagate ST31000528ASQ 1TB harddrive. Every time I hear the HD it is the subtle "tumbling" sound that a hard drive makes as it's accessing data. It shouldn't be much louder than that.

The loudest part of my iMac are the fans and that IS something I would consider covering with music..:)
 

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