HD Humming

I've never had this happen before, probably because I usually use a desktop, but my HD is humming and if you put your hand on it youcan actually feel it kinda. At the moment I am ripping a movie and downloading a video. Could this be it? And is this normal for lapops? Am I putting too much stress on the HD at one time?

 

It's normal for all hard drives, it's just that in desktops you have so much more material to dampen the vibration. It is a moving part after all, with a very high rotational velocity. On the other hand, hard drives are often louder in desktops for a couple reasons: larger platters, often higher RPM with less spindown, and more material for vibrations to resonate through (especially bad w/ aluminum cases).

I'm sure you're fine, but if the vibration feels chunky you might have a problem, like a poorly mounted drive. What is it, a 7200 RPM?

 

It's a 5400, 120GB.

The vibration isn't chunky, it's pretty steady and consistant.

 

Are you in a really quiet room? How loud is the hum compared with your Optical drive (watching a DVD for example)?

 

Pretty quiet room. It's louder than the optical, certainly vibrates more. Actually, an optical on load might be as loud as it, maybe just less.

 

Yeah, a 5400 RPM really should be pretty quiet. I'd check to make sure it's mounted properly, and since it's bothering you, complain to the manufacturer.

 

Gah, the idea of having to send it back scares me. It's only been that one time that it's made that much noise/vibration. And I've ripped other movies since and nothing yet. How bad do you think this is?

 

Oh, I didn't realize it was just that once. Are you sure it wasn't the optical drive, paired up with an off balanced DVD?

 

I guess it could have been the optical with an unbalenced dvd. The dvd was a storebought one though. I put my head up against it and it seemed like it was the HD. Although I do have some small doubts now.

 

I've seen quite a few pressed discs which are unbalanced. It definitely happens.