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    Is your new Hybrid Harddrive clicking?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by Duchesne, Aug 18, 2007.

  1. Duchesne

    Duchesne Notebook Geek

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    Hi, my new harddrive for my SZ650 (SeagateĀ® MomentusĀ® 5400 PSD hybrid drive) is clicking when idle. This sound can only be heard in a quiet room, and the computer needs to be idle (i.e. not accessing the harddrive). The noise sounds like the sound windows makes when pushing a link in internet explorer. It happens when going from an idle state and then accessing the harddrive. It seems to be an issue with the head of the tips of the hardrive resting in idle and then coming to activity when called. The noise is not heard when the HD is continuously in use.

    I would like to know from other users if this is normal (or if mine is defective). To test, simply turn on your computer, wait 10-15 minutes for computer to be really idle. Then right click the desktop choose personalization, then desktop background and start changing the backgrounds in windows wallpapers. I hear a click noise when first pushing "personalize", then when clicking desktop backgrounds, and then if I change the background picture often enough I hear the clicking noise again. But any browsing through folders or pictures results in this noise also.

    Please let me know. Thanks
     
  2. JabbaJabba

    JabbaJabba ThinkPad Facilitator

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    Unfortunately I cannot help you.

    But I was curious about the performance of your Hybrid drive. If convenient, could you post a screenshot from HD tune or maybe Sisoft Sandra?
     
  3. Duchesne

    Duchesne Notebook Geek

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    Sure, I ran HDtune, but Im not sure how accurate the results are. The burst rate is smaller than the maximum rate, which indicates some config error, but I don't know how to configure it properly.
     
  4. JabbaJabba

    JabbaJabba ThinkPad Facilitator

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    Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, the results look a bit odd, but then again this is the first benchmark result I have seen of a Hybrid drive. I was contemplating getting one myself instead of the 7K200 Hitachi drive which supposedly is quite a performer. It all depends on battery life savings and performance though.

    I assume you are running Vista?
     
  5. bio9628007

    bio9628007 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Same!
    Sounds like the hd has some bad sector.
     
  6. Duchesne

    Duchesne Notebook Geek

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    After doing some research (google), it seems this is common to many different harddrives. It is unclear if this will reduce performance or lifetime (of the HD) but I will not worry unless the noise becomes more frequent or the drive becomes slower.
     
  7. Duchesne

    Duchesne Notebook Geek

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    Can anyone else confirm that they do or don't have this sound when acessing the drive from idle? I thought it was just a normal sound, but I called Seagate tech support and they told me it could lead to damage in the long run and should get it replaced... I really don't feel like sending this to Sony for fixing.
     
  8. sebenlim

    sebenlim Notebook Enthusiast

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    my sz has same sound but it happens when it opens 3-4 hours later.
    my ex-laptop has same thing(sz270p)

    after restart it desappears and I think it is normal sound.(I know it is weard and sound like bad sector)