HDD squeaks... but not all the time

  • Thread starter Thread starter Q
  • Start date Start date
Q

Q

I have a P2 machine which I'm using for digital video recording. It's
been getting that use for about 6 months now, and recently I noticed a
problem that's got me thinking.

The machine is basically a CPU and a keyboard with a network card
(currently at 10 Mbps). It sits there, recording programmed shows and
doing some other minor tasks all day. When I want to review a
recording, I simply access through the network and read the videos off
the recorder (client is a P4/Win2K, server is the P2/Linux).

The files I read are .AVI. I load the file, the machine sits there
while the header data comes in through the network (takes about 10
seconds), and then I watch the video.

About a week ago the hard disk on the recording machine (Western
Digital 13.6 Gb) started making a squeaking/shrieking noise, but only
during the header read. During the rest of the day it's perfectly
quiet. I say load, and the machine starts to squeak for 10 seconds,
and goes quiet. After that I can watch the video, fast forward,
rewind, I can even copy the file through the network to the other
machines without getting the squeaking noise. I can close the
connection, copy the file using explorer or play with it
(copy/move/etc) on the recording machine and it makes no sound.

So far I've been unable to get the drive to make the noise under any
other circumstances. It's only when I load a video file, through the
network, and the operation involves reading the header part. Anything
other than that generates no noises out of the ordinary.

I figured the noise might be coming from somewhere else (RF in the
sound card/speaker, fan, vibrating components, etc), but upon opening
up the CPU sure enough the source was the HDD. I've tried running
diagnostics on the drives, and no errors come up. I've got no
explanation for it currently. However I did set my machine to auto
backup just in case =)

Any ideas?
 
Q said:
I have a P2 machine which I'm using for digital video recording. It's
been getting that use for about 6 months now, and recently I noticed a
problem that's got me thinking.

The machine is basically a CPU and a keyboard with a network card
(currently at 10 Mbps). It sits there, recording programmed shows and
doing some other minor tasks all day. When I want to review a
recording, I simply access through the network and read the videos off
the recorder (client is a P4/Win2K, server is the P2/Linux).

The files I read are .AVI. I load the file, the machine sits there
while the header data comes in through the network (takes about 10
seconds), and then I watch the video.

About a week ago the hard disk on the recording machine (Western
Digital 13.6 Gb) started making a squeaking/shrieking noise, but only
during the header read. During the rest of the day it's perfectly
quiet. I say load, and the machine starts to squeak for 10 seconds,
and goes quiet. After that I can watch the video, fast forward,
rewind, I can even copy the file through the network to the other
machines without getting the squeaking noise. I can close the
connection, copy the file using explorer or play with it
(copy/move/etc) on the recording machine and it makes no sound.

So far I've been unable to get the drive to make the noise under any
other circumstances. It's only when I load a video file, through the
network, and the operation involves reading the header part. Anything
other than that generates no noises out of the ordinary.
Click to expand...
I figured the noise might be coming from somewhere else (RF in
the sound card/speaker, fan, vibrating components, etc), but upon
opening up the CPU sure enough the source was the HDD.
Click to expand...

Most likely its just a particular sequence of operations with the
header that produces some noise from the head movement system.

Try changing the AAM setting and see if that makes any difference.
Try setting to quiet initially. Hitachi's Feature Tool can change that.

The main alternative is that the drive is recalibrating when its
reading the particular bit of the drive involved in that operation,
but thats not normally described as squeaking with that drive.
I've tried running diagnostics on the drives, and no errors come up.
Click to expand...

What do the SMART values say ? WD's WDDLG shows thos.
 
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