ddaniel@lindy.Stanford.EDU (D. Daniel Sternbergh) (07/26/90)
We have a ci the hard disk of which occasionally makes a whirring
sound, like one would expect the hard disk to make when spinning, only
disturbingly loud. It is intermittent, more frequent shortly after
start-up, and dims perceptibly when the hard disk is actually being
accessed (i.e. when the light is on).
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does this sound like something I
should be really concerned about? Any idea what might be causing it?
Many thanks,
== Daniel == Daniel Sternbergh
ddaniel@lindy.stanford.edu
{decwrl|sun}!lindy.stanford.edu!ddaniel
BITNET: ddaniel%lindy@stanfordjim@jagmac2.gsfc.nasa.gov (Jim Jagielski) (07/26/90)
In article <10635@lindy.Stanford.EDU> ddaniel@lindy.UUCP (D. Daniel Sternbergh) writes: >We have a ci the hard disk of which occasionally makes a whirring >sound, like one would expect the hard disk to make when spinning, only >disturbingly loud. It is intermittent, more frequent shortly after >start-up, and dims perceptibly when the hard disk is actually being >accessed (i.e. when the light is on). > Di you know if you have one of the updated or repaired Apple Quantum's? When my Apple 80 was fixed (by replacing the PROM), it also started this, since the PROM tells the drive mechanism to do some seeks when idle and also to increase start-up torque. At times, it was VERY loud and it wasn't like this before the PROM upgrade. I had the dealer replace the drive (this new one also has the new PROM), and now no problem. Tech. support theorized that the drive mechanism couldn't handle the additional strain (mainly of the increased start-up torque) and was crapping out. Maybe,.... just check your drive. AND BACK IT UP! -- ======================================================================= #include <std/disclaimer.h> =:^) Jim Jagielski NASA/GSFC, Code 711.1 jim@jagmac2.gsfc.nasa.gov Greenbelt, MD 20771 "Kilimanjaro is a pretty tricky climb. Most of it's up, until you reach the very, very top, and then it tends to slope away rather sharply."
cckweiss@castor (07/26/90)
The drive in my ci does the same thing. I've got a Storage Dimensions (read Quantam) 105 MB internal. I've just been assuming that it's doing the occasional ROM directed seek to keep the lube on the head assembly from gunking up ala 80 MB Quantam. Now wasn't THAT an elegant fix for a fundamental design/manufacturing flaw... Anyone know what's really going on? I mean with these drives, not the world in general. Ken Weiss cckweiss@castor.ucdavis.edu
ins_apw@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Philip Wong) (07/27/90)
I've got my ci w/the apple 40MB HD (quantum I guess) and have the same problem. There doesn't seem to be a specific time that this happens. Usually it just starts after I start doing something--meaning that id doesn't just start whiring after 1 hour of idleness. And you can stop it by accessing the drive--ie opening a folder or something. It is definitely louder than usual and seems like it is just spinning without accessing. It does slow down every once and a while--as if it was maybe doing something like erasing my HD. I don't have any auto-optimize or any auto catalog (like on location) or any auto anything running, so what's the deal? ins_apw@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
derek@leah.Albany.Edu (Derek L. / MacLover) (07/27/90)
From ddaniel@lindy.UUCP (D. Daniel Sternbergh) come these immortal words: >We have a ci the hard disk of which occasionally makes a whirring >sound, like one would expect the hard disk to make when spinning, only >disturbingly loud. It is intermittent, more frequent shortly after >start-up, and dims perceptibly when the hard disk is actually being >accessed (i.e. when the light is on). >Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does this sound like something I >should be really concerned about? Any idea what might be causing it? Yep, this occurs occasionally on one of the IIcis in my office... it is not very loud but annoying, and usually happens soon after startup or not at all, and with any program. I've assumed it has to do with getting the drive warmed up. It only happens when the normal access has ceased, and performing any disk-accessing activity will stop it (and it usually won't happen again that session). I was going to check it out but it's low on my priority list at the moment (of course, reading usenet is not!). :-) > == Daniel == Daniel Sternbergh Derek L. -- + + One Mac is worth exactly 2.317 PCs (based on current price indices) + + Disclaimer: I was asleep. ---}=-------------------------` ++ All the busy little creatures / Chasing out their destinies --Peart ++
starta@tosh.UUCP (John Starta) (07/30/90)
ddaniel@lindy.Stanford.EDU (D. Daniel Sternbergh) writes: > We have a ci the hard disk of which occasionally makes a whirring > sound, like one would expect the hard disk to make when spinning, only > disturbingly loud. It is intermittent, more frequent shortly after > start-up, and dims perceptibly when the hard disk is actually being > accessed (i.e. when the light is on). It sounds like we have very similar problems only mine didn't do it when I first bought the drive. It seems that over a period of four months it has gotten worse, or I have too much time on my hands and am beginning to notice it more. The latter I doubt. Also, mine is doing what sounds like mysterious random seeks for no apparent reason. The length of time varies on the random seeks from five seconds to upto two minutes and the activity light isn't on during the seeks. One other thing I that have noticed is that it seems to slow down the actual reads and writes being made to the disk. Especially with high disk useage applications like mail or the like. > Does this sound like something I should be really concerned about? Any > idea what might be causing it? I don't know. I am returning mine and see if this one is just bad or if this is something that I have to look forward to. I hope not. John