The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M17x R4 - Ticking noise when playing cds / dvds

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by ~white_rabbit~, Sep 12, 2012.

  1. ~white_rabbit~

    ~white_rabbit~ Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Just purchased the M17x R4 three days ago.
    Not sure why but the optical drive is making ticking noises when playing CDs/DVDs. I have tried all my discs and it still makes the same ticking noise.

    Upon inserting, there's the usual spin-up sound. When the music starts playing though, the drive will "tick tick...", pause, "tick tick...", pause, etc. What makes it even more strange is when I pause the music, the drive will "tick" nonstop. Un-pause, and the "tick" pause "tick" rhythm comes back. The ticking isn't loud as I had to mute the speaker to hear it, but it is very noticeable when the laptop is the only thing running / making noise in my room.

    I'm unfamiliar with the slot loading optical drive as my previous laptop had the traditional disc tray. Searching through this forum, I only found noises related to booting up the laptop.

    Could anyone please tell me if this "ticking" noise normal? Also, is it usual to have to insert the disc almost all the way into the slot for the drive to actually pull it in? (roughly 3/4" is still sticking out when the drive accepts the disc)
     
    ~white_rabbit~, Sep 12, 2012
    #1
  2. Alienware-Natalia_J

    Alienware-Natalia_J Company Representative

    Reputations:
    672
    Messages:
    423
    Likes Received:
    18
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I don't think it is normal, it probably needs to be replaced. Send us an e-mail to [email protected] with your name, phone number and best time to reach you. Include on that e-mail the link to this thread, a brief explanation of the issue and my name and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
     
    Alienware-Natalia_J, Sep 12, 2012
    #2
  3. ~white_rabbit~

    ~white_rabbit~ Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    OK. Thank you Natalia!
     
    ~white_rabbit~, Sep 12, 2012
    #3
  4. ~white_rabbit~

    ~white_rabbit~ Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    ~white_rabbit~, Sep 16, 2012
    #4
  5. Alienware-Natalia_J

    Alienware-Natalia_J Company Representative

    Reputations:
    672
    Messages:
    423
    Likes Received:
    18
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Hi, did you send the e-mail? if you did, what day did you send it? ...I'm sorry I can't seem to find it :S

    And yeah, I can clearly hear the noise.
     
    Alienware-Natalia_J, Sep 20, 2012
    #5
  6. Klk450

    Klk450 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    55
    Trophy Points:
    41
    My no more than 2 month old AW r4 also does this ticking/clicking noise whenever i restart the laptop, it also does it when i open iTunes or any type of music player... is this something i should be worried about?
     
    Klk450, Sep 20, 2012
    #6
  7. mikecacho

    mikecacho Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    447
    Messages:
    603
    Likes Received:
    118
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Klk450 yours is normal as the optics drive initiates during the start of some programs, almost as if its just checking for cd/dvd, as mine does it to.
     
    mikecacho, Sep 20, 2012
    #7