How to make my HDD quieter?

[MarkizSchnitzel]

I recently built my first ever desktop and I am really satisfied. Except that HDD is kinda ruining my harmony.

This are my specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5-4570S 2.9GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($114.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston Blu 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($87.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Silverstone SG06BB-450-USB3.0 (Black) Mini ITX Desktop Case w/450W Power Supply ($145.00 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On DS-8A9SH-01 DVD/CD Writer ($25.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1052.90



Even during load (Skyrim, high texture pack, ultra settings) the PC is barely audible.

Except the HDD. It is BY FAAAAR the loudest component.
The 3.5" bracket in the Sugo SG06 case does not have dampeners, which is what I also read in some reviews as a point of criticism. Is there something I can do, buy third party dampeners or something and install?

This PC is my bedroom/work room PC and sometimes I keep it on 24/7, so it's important that it's quiet.

Also, what kind of an adapter I need for the slim optical drive? SATA to...? Mini SATA? Micro SATA?

 

[Gunbuster]

These were a thing back in the late 90's. http://www.quietpc.com/quietdrive

Made it quiet, but also cooked drives.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

These were a thing back in the late 90's. http://www.quietpc.com/quietdrive

Made it quiet, but also cooked drives.

No really what I had in mind

Where does the noise come from? I mean, I know it's from the spinning, but what is the way to fight it? Some foamy-stuffy where it sits on the bracket and on the screws or something more exotic? Or is there really no help?

 

[Gunbuster]

Fist what part of the noise bothers you? The spindle motor hum/whine, or the actuator sound on data access?

Are you even using the drive? You could set it to power down after a period of inactivity.

 

[denis280]

I don't see it being so noisy.i like quiet pc to.could be the case.and if the HDD is so noisy well its wrong (RMA)

 

[Charlie98]

I'm not familiar with Silverstone cases or the HDD trays... how do they mount in the tray, and what are the trays made of?

My Fractal Define cases have rubber grommets in steel trays... they are uber quiet. I've also used plastic washers to isolate drives before, although in your case (no pun intended) rubber washers would be better. Doing this might require slightly longer screws, however.

 

[Virgorising]

Do you, as I assume, use yr SDD mainly for boot drive and your WD for storage?

If so, was the WD always noisy/

Before I bid on my new/used WD black, I read complaints online, starting on Newegg, re how deal-breaking, off the chain noisy it was. But mine is quiet like a mouse.

So, could just be your individual WD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822236339

If the drive is still under warranty, I would RMA it. Esp given I so far see no complaints about noise including on Amazon. DOA, yes, but noise, not so much.

 

[Virgorising]

I don't see it being so noisy.i like quiet pc to.could be the case.and if the HDD is so noisy well its wrong (RMA)

:thumbsup:

 

[LoveMachine]

This may not be the solution you are looking for, but having used Blue, Black, and Green WD drives, the Greens are the only ones that I've found to be truly quiet. They are not for use as a boot drive (but you have the SSD for that), but for media/games they are certainly good enough. Slower spinning spindle and better acoustic dampening. It's the only mechanical drive I've been able to tolerate in my HTPC. Both a 1TB Black and 3TB Hitachi were far too loud for HTPC use (and both function perfectly otherwise), and an older Blue drive was OK, but not nearly as quiet as 2 Greens that I've used.

 

[Virgorising]

This may not be the solution you are looking for, but having used Blue, Black, and Green WD drives, the Greens are the only ones that I've found to be truly quiet. They are not for use as a boot drive (but you have the SSD for that), but for media/games they are certainly good enough. Slower spinning spindle and better acoustic dampening. It's the only mechanical drive I've been able to tolerate in my HTPC. Both a 1TB Black and 3TB Hitachi were far too loud for HTPC use (and both function perfectly otherwise), and an older Blue drive was OK, but not nearly as quiet as 2 Greens that I've used.

Hand to HEAVEN, the WD black I am writing from--32 cache not 64--- is the most dead silent mechanical drive I have ever had. And it wasn't new when it got it, tho was in amazing condition.

My take is: back in the day, we could generalize about brands and lines within them. Not so much now. Now, it appears the reality is individual drive indigenous. Very lame, but, I think....true.

If he can RMA his WD....and demand specifically he get a personally tested one as replacement, I think the outcome will be good.

I like dead silent computers, so I, at least, would totally do that.

 

[Charlie98]

This may not be the solution you are looking for, but having used Blue, Black, and Green WD drives, the Greens are the only ones that I've found to be truly quiet. They are not for use as a boot drive (but you have the SSD for that), but for media/games they are certainly good enough. Slower spinning spindle and better acoustic dampening. It's the only mechanical drive I've been able to tolerate in my HTPC. Both a 1TB Black and 3TB Hitachi were far too loud for HTPC use (and both function perfectly otherwise), and an older Blue drive was OK, but not nearly as quiet as 2 Greens that I've used.

I don't really believe that is true... I have 2 Barracudas and a Red in my HTPC and I can't hear them. One of them was in an external enclosure for a while and I couldn't hear it then, either (and it was 3' away from my head.) I have an old Hitachi in the enclosure now... and I can hear it... so I think it's just luck of the draw. Now that I think about it, I have a Green in my closet doing video writing (security) and I can hear that thing write 15' away... Older HDDs seem to make more noise (I had 2 old 80GB Blacks in an external cradle I was erasing... talk about drive noise! ) but, again, that is a generalization, not necessarily a rule.

OP, try to isolate your drive in it's mount... if it continues to make too much noise, RMA it.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

I knew I should have gone with the green series
The drive works fine otherwise, it's not defective. It does not exibit any unusual level of noise. But now that all the other components are inaudible, it's annoying.

 

[LoveMachine]

I don't really believe that is true...

Just relaying personal experience, FWIW.

 

[Virgorising]

I knew I should have gone with the green series
The drive works fine otherwise, it's not defective. It does not exibit any unusual level of noise. But now that all the other components are inaudible, it's annoying.

Again, I and others here as well, have posted that now, it may not be the series, it is more the individual drive. Again, the WD Black I am writing form again, is the quietest mechanical drive I have ever had. And accounts of some being deal breaking noisy are on both Newegg and Amazon.

No need to apologize for finding the noise annoying/distracting.... I would as well!!!!

 

[Charlie98]

Just relaying personal experience, FWIW.

As am I... :biggrin:

I knew I should have gone with the green series

Meh... I'm not sold on green drives just yet... and I have one.

 

[Steltek]

At one time, you could use the following utility to turn on acoustic managment on WD drives (I haven't used it in a good while, so I don't know if that is still the case or not):

http://hddscan.com/download/HDDScan-3.3.zip

Unzip the contents to a folder and run the HDDScan utility. Select your WD Blue drive in the pulldown, then click on the drive icon. Under the Features menu, select the IDE Features option. It will then either tell you that acoustic management is not supported on the drive, it is supported but is turned off, or it is supported and is turned on. If it is supported and turned off, you should be able to turn it on. You'll loose some performance, but it should run quieter.

 

[Tsavo]

I knew I should have gone with the green series
The drive works fine otherwise, it's not defective. It does not exibit any unusual level of noise. But now that all the other components are inaudible, it's annoying.

Greens aren't necessarily quieter.

I have a few of the Blues you have, and they are all inaudible.

I have a an older blue that now makes humming noises. I stuck it on 2 sheets of dense foam padding. It's now back to being inaudible.

 

[JBT]

My SSD is inaudible.

 

[Virgorising]

My SSD is inaudible.

Also vulnerable to sudden death syndrome. Jus sayin.()

Again, my WD black is also inaudible.