"chirp" every 5-10 seconds

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lady Margaret Thatcher
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Lady Margaret Thatcher

My system is starting to make this "chirping" sound every 5-10
seconds. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I'm assuming that one of my
four drives is the source of this noise.

Aside from bearing noise, what are other possible sources of this
noise? These drives are all SCSI U160 or 320. More importantly, how
urgent is it that I identify and replace the noisy drive?

Thanks.
 
Lady said:
My system is starting to make this "chirping" sound every 5-10
seconds. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I'm assuming that one of my
four drives is the source of this noise.

Aside from bearing noise, what are other possible sources of this
noise? These drives are all SCSI U160 or 320. More importantly, how
urgent is it that I identify and replace the noisy drive?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's the drives? My first guess would be a fan, and
my second guess would be system (e.g. temp) monitoring software.
 
Lady Margaret Thatcher Was_at_10_Downing_Street@bad_for_the_UK.org wrote
My system is starting to make this "chirping" sound every 5-10 seconds.
Click to expand...

That's where the budgie ended up.
I haven't confirmed it yet, but I'm assuming that
one of my four drives is the source of this noise.
Click to expand...

Yeah, can be the drive.
Aside from bearing noise,
Click to expand...

You dont usually get that with bearings.
what are other possible sources of this noise?
Click to expand...

It can be the drive recalibrating.
These drives are all SCSI U160 or 320. More importantly,
how urgent is it that I identify and replace the noisy drive?
Click to expand...

Unplug the power cable from each drive
in turn and see which on stops that noise.

It would be interesting to see what happens if you pause
the boot by hitting the Pause key at boot time too.
 
Previously Lady Margaret Thatcher said:
My system is starting to make this "chirping" sound every 5-10
seconds. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I'm assuming that one of my
four drives is the source of this noise.
Click to expand...
Aside from bearing noise, what are other possible sources of this
noise? These drives are all SCSI U160 or 320. More importantly, how
urgent is it that I identify and replace the noisy drive?
Click to expand...

This is denifnitely not bearing noise. It may be a recalibration,
if it is the disks. In this case you may have insufficient cooling
or a disk may be failing.

I would say the urgency depends on how current you last
back-up is. In doubt, it is very urgent.

Arno
 
Lady said:
My system is starting to make this "chirping" sound every 5-10
seconds. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I'm assuming that one of my
four drives is the source of this noise.
Click to expand...

Could be a recalibration noise - ibm/hitachi are known to have a
characteristic chirping sound every 5-10 minutes.

If its every 5-10 *seconds*, then maybe the drive is too hot,
or about to expire ...
Aside from bearing noise, what are other possible sources of this
noise? These drives are all SCSI U160 or 320. More importantly, how
urgent is it that I identify and replace the noisy drive?
Click to expand...

Maybe its just a noisy seek noise, but I`d be surprised...
 
Lady Margaret Thatcher Was_at_10_Downing_Street@bad_for_the_UK.org wrote
Click to expand...
You dont usually get that with bearings.


It can be the drive recalibrating.
Click to expand...

Oh, but why would a drive suddenly start doing re-cals much more
frequently than before? ?
Unplug the power cable from each drive
in turn and see which on stops that noise.
Click to expand...

I did that, and for a while the noise stopped. Then (with the
"offending drive" unpowered,) I started hearing that same chirping
noise again. So either I'm having terrible luck with my drives, or
maybe I didn't identify the right drive the first time, or maybe it's
not the drive.

I'd rather replace a fan than a drive! :)
It would be interesting to see what happens if you pause
the boot by hitting the Pause key at boot time too.
Click to expand...

Some of my drives have delayed spin-up, yet I heard that chirp as soon
as i turned on my system. more and more, I'm thinking that the drives
aren't the problem.

Thanks.
 
Oh, but why would a drive suddenly start doing
re-cals much more frequently than before? ?
Click to expand...

Because its getting much to hot now, say due to a fan failure,
or the drive is dying, or the power supply is sagging, etc etc etc.
I did that, and for a while the noise stopped. Then (with the
"offending drive" unpowered,) I started hearing that same chirping
noise again. So either I'm having terrible luck with my drives, or
maybe I didn't identify the right drive the first time, or maybe it's
not the drive.
Click to expand...
I'd rather replace a fan than a drive! :)
Click to expand...

Sure, and the obvious test is to unplug all the drives and
see if the chirp ever shows up with them all unplugged.

Its rather unlikely to be a fan tho with a regular chirp every 5-10 secs.
Some of my drives have delayed spin-up, yet I heard
that chirp as soon as i turned on my system. more and
more, I'm thinking that the drives aren't the problem.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sounds likely. But its rare for a fan to sound like that.

It can be something in the speakers instead of a drive
or fan, but you wont get that if the system hasnt
booted and is paused during the POST phase.

Have you looked for a canary trapped inside the case ?
 
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