Hard drive in my iMac Core Duo

Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
it's a WDC160GB (included with the machine) and even if i'm just reading a webpage and not actually opening anything or doing anything 'computer intense', sometimes i can hear the hard drive moving and making noises similar to that of when i'm opening or close or whatever-ing on my computer (read/write noise, really). is this normal? to get bursts of hard drive activity 'noise' even when you arent doing anything particularly active? thanks.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
168
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Your Mac's Specs
1.25Ghz Mini, 512MB, 40GB
That would be the automated system cleanup/maintenance that works in the background, don't worry its normal.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
688
Reaction score
26
Points
28
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 17" Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz 512 MB Ram 128 vRAM 60GB HD
Relax your iMac is fine. Sometimes mine does that too.

You worry too much. If you think something's honestly wrong with your iMac, return it and get something else.
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
Nah I'm just checking. And I don't think it's being overly paranoid (perhaps a bit though) to be curious about a 1299+ investment
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
688
Reaction score
26
Points
28
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 17" Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz 512 MB Ram 128 vRAM 60GB HD
I know it's a lot of money, but if you get a PC for that price, you will punch yourself for it in a year. I had an HP laptop that was $1500 and needed servicing within a year, and I had a Dell XPS I hated so much I returned it after about two to three weeks of use.
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
hah, same boat. I got a 1500 dollar laptop for 932 (Dell inspiron 9300, with major discount) for x-mas. I sold it in january and waited for the longest time deciding between imac or the macbook to come out.
 
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
2,078
Reaction score
155
Points
63
Yeah I was kinda paranoid about the srface of my imac becoming filthy and my keyboard going gray from white, but it's the initial "it shouldn't spoil" feeling.

My iMac does that too, it's the maintnenace scripts running, it does this because it partially optimizes the drives, and thus OSX doesn't need defrag. So enjoy the sound everytime you hear it... :p
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
6,188
Reaction score
254
Points
83
Location
New Jersey
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
lol its true.. just optimizing the disk.
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
took it to the store because I was concerned, and after the guy ran diagnostics, he said that the hard drive was in fact 'screwy'. It'll be around 3-5 days before I get it back, but better fixed than not.
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
the new hard drive is in and it sounds so much quieter, the other one was definitely defective.

only 3 day turnaround time from when i dropped it off at the apple store, that's quite good and re-assuring to know that my applecare plan might actually come in handy if i need repairs again once it's out of the standard warranty.
 
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
2,078
Reaction score
155
Points
63
Hmm well we might have misjudged. IT's hard to judge a sound if you can't hear it, though. So sorry for it, good job by taking it to Apple.
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
That's fine, i'm sure there is the most infinitesemal sound coming from the hard drive every once in a while (that every one keeps confirming), but i haven't even heard it with this new western digital drive. :)

very content
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
688
Reaction score
26
Points
28
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 17" Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz 512 MB Ram 128 vRAM 60GB HD
wow... you can slap me now if you want to. yeah, again good call bringing it in to apple...
 
OP
T
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
275
Reaction score
1
Points
18
BlindingLights said:
wow... you can slap me now if you want to. yeah, again good call bringing it in to apple...

Long time no post, but the new hard drive seems to be making similar noises (although not as extreme as it were with the previous hard drive). Perhaps this is just a Western Digital thing, or not?

how often do you guys hear this 'processing noise'? Every minute or so, or what?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top