Hard drive noise when idle and your device isn't writing or retrieving a bunch of files can be a cause for concern. But when the acoustic signature changes, it can be as effective as an alarm clock. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries. WD hard drive makes "thump" sound every few seconds Any ideas on how to fix this? Do this one last if all fails as it requires the most disassembly of parts: If you still get the noise, the drive has failed and should be replaced. The simplest case is when you hear the disk spin up, then two hard clicks during system boot followed by an error message on screen or the system automatically shutting down. If your computer is making a rattling noise, the disk might be the issue. If yes, what you should do before all the precious data is gone is also introduced here. Hard drive making clicking noise is caused by many reasons, as shown below: Vera is an editor of the MiniTool Team since 2016 who has more than 5 years writing experiences in the field of technical articles. Go to Start. Your guide to what all your computer's buzzing, grinding, or rattling noises might actually mean. In her spare times, she likes shopping, playing games and reading some articles. Lets look at each: Reason 1: Firstly, the buzzing or grinding noise could be because of the CPU FAN. A drive cant live longer by constant move and lost reading/writing track each 5sec because this is happen too during sequential read/write ! Ive also heard coil whine on a lot of power adaptersif you move your laptop or monitors power brick further away, it may not be as annoying. Does it sound like an electrical buzz? My disk: WD 4 TB Gold This seems to occur with the drive in the NAS, but also in a PC, but only when idle state. Also, refer to the below Microsoft Help Article written by one of our esteemed MVPs. This can be very irritating and you may start wondering about the reason for the hard drive noise. Step 3: Then, this recovery software is scanning your hard drive. Normally, the faster the drive motor spins, the higher-pitched the resulting sound will be, and there is a greater chance of a low hum. WD hard drive makes "thump" sound every few seconds. Avoid placing a device in a confined space, make sure the fan is not obstructed, and that there is natural airflow., If the sound seems to be caused by excessive vibrations, check how solid the enclosure is and if there might be any screws or bolts that could be tightened. I used my screwdriver to rotate the platter, and pushed the head back in place with my finger. If youre using your laptop in bed, make sure to put a tray or something solid under ityour clothes, skin, or blankets might be preventing the system from cooling off, making the fans work harder and louder. To fix power issues, you can try one of the following: The same diagnostic tools listed above also work with external drives. For example, in gaming PCs, coil whine commonly comes from the graphics card when its doing a lot of work, in which case you can decrease your graphics settings or turn on VSync to lighten the load. 5. Try fixing noises from an external hard drive by plugging the power adapter directly into the wall instead of a power strip, using a shorter USB cable, using USB 2.0+ ports, or connecting the hard drive to a USB port on the back of the computer instead of the front. Unplugged drive to confirm the drive is the source of the noise. Stop Your PC from Making Random USB Noises - Make Tech Easier Use the Lyve Cloud portal to configure and manage your object storage and services. Instead, you don't even know what rpm the drive has for sure, SMR is used ONLY to save the manufacturer some money with peasants that use 6TB or less, and it's pure luck whether your drive will sound pleasant enough to sit next to. 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I havent been able to test them with some Western Digital utility as theyre NAS drives. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It's not the metallic clunking (yet!) and our MiniTool Affiliate Program provides channel owners an efficient and absolutely free way to promote MiniTool Products to their subscribers & readers and earn up to 70% commissions. However, if you have a failed backup or do not have the backup at all. Your best option is still to resort to a professional, but if you want to try your luck with a DIY solution and you have a drive with enough free space to hold everything you could possibly recover from your failed drive, you can crack it open yourself. I ran the test, it came back as "PASS". Just power off your computer, unplug the power and data cables from your hard drive and boot up the computer. The reseller discount is up to 80% off. Select View all on the top left corner. What should you do when your hard drive is making noise? Award-winning disk management utility tool for everyone. Hereis what you should do and you can also try one way to keep your data safe.Click to Tweet. How to fix a beeping/buzzing hard drive - Nicolas Bouliane If possible, keep only the problem drive connected to the system and remove all others. There are computers designed to run all the fans simultaneously and at the maximum speed initially. How to get Activation key of Stellar Photo Recovery Software? iPhone v. Android: Which Is Best For You? He also serves as network & server administrator and performs computer maintenance and repair for numerous clients. If youre hearing this, theres a very good chance your machine just needs some cooling adjustment. These are all kinds of buzzing that could suggest other causes for the sound, but more importantly, different ways to fix it. Running a Windows 10 Lenovo laptop. [quotemsg=12409871,0,1410082]if you have any concerns about unusual noises from a WD hard drive you can test it with. So, as soon as your rule out power issues with your drive, diagnostic should be your next course of action. In either case, "a short distance" is key. Your fans may also need lubrication, so a small drop of sewing machine oil in the bearing of an old fan can make it run like new again. If the device is poweredbyUSB, or another interface, test with adifferent cable,a differentport,or on another computeras it might mean the interface cable is faulty.For other kinds of beeps and their meanings, check the specificdrivemodels User Guide., IMPORTANT:If a drive is making a grinding sound during use, this could mean that physical damage is being caused to the drives platters bycontinueduse.If you absolutely need any data on the drive,contactDataRecovery Servicesimmediately before troubleshooting., Make sureyouveidentifiedthe correct hard drive or computer part.