WD Red loud noise when being used and quiet when it's not. is it normal?

[rovopio]

so... i bought my first WD red around 3 weeks ago...
from reviews i assume it should be quieter than WD green. i never have an internal WD green but i have a couple external 3.5" mybook (which is green? CMIIW), so im familiar with it's seeking sound and the fan-like noise it generates.

on my PC, the WD red when being accessed, even when i just use it to create new folder, or just accessing it to enter some folders, it emits a clack clock clack clock sound really loud like a drum.

it's at least twice or three times louder than wd green seeking noise.

initially i thought it was the drive dying. i tried crystaldisk info, and it's reported good. atm i'm doing the extended test with WD datalifeguard diagnostics, still 2 hours remiaining...

1 thing to note... it's very very quiet when not being accessed at all though. when i just use the SSD and not use the WD red at all, it hardly emits any sound. but as soon as i access it, it's clack clack clack clack clack, like marbles falling to the floor.

i tried gaming with it, and when i stand still in an area with no enemy, then no sound, but when i go to new environment, i assume the drive renders or smthn, then its clack clack clack again.

is this common behavior with WD red?

im going to try RMA the drive though i'm quite concern that the local distributor probably won't accept it because smart test on crystaldiskinfo is showing everything is just fine.

is there any test i should conduct before going to local distributor to RMA it?

 

[Elixer]

No, it shouldn't be that loud, but, that depends on what you consider loud.
If it sounds like a drum beating, then no, that is not good.

You can RMA it to WD, but, they will send you a refurbished drive in return.
It is better to send it back to where you got it, and exchange it for another drive that is new.

 

[rovopio]

No, it shouldn't be that loud, but, that depends on what you consider loud.
If it sounds like a drum beating, then no, that is not good.

You can RMA it to WD, but, they will send you a refurbished drive in return.
It is better to send it back to where you got it, and exchange it for another drive that is new.

what sort of test i should do other than checking crystaldiskinfo values to see whether the drives performing normally or not...

 

[It's Not Lupus]

...

 

[FaceToKeyboard]

If I hear a drive going "Clack clack clack", I instantly assume the worst.

I'd replace it ASAP; when I hear a guy say "I hear a 'clack clack clack' sound", I consider that a good reason to consider the drive inoperable.

Good luck!

 

[rovopio]

i tried wd lifeguard extended test and wd lifeguard smart test and crystaldisk info everything reported back as good
any other tests i should do to determine the health of the drive...?

 

[coffeejunkee]

Exactly what model you have? I have 2 2TB reds and they are actually completely silent. I was really surprised when I first started using them, first drives I have used without the familiar crunching sound.

There was another thread around here with a similar problem with 3TB reds.

 

[rovopio]

Exactly what model you have? I have 2 2TB reds and they are actually completely silent. I was really surprised when I first started using them, first drives I have used without the familiar crunching sound.

There was another thread around here with a similar problem with 3TB reds.

mid-december-68EUZN0

bought wd red because i wanted what you have... quietness. im going to change my case fans to noctua's in aw eek, thats when the retailer restock, but its moot point before i can determine what's wrong with this red drive, cuz it's at least as loud or louder than a wd black noise i saw on youtube...

 

[It's Not Lupus]

...

 

[coffeejunkee]

mid-december-68EUZN0

bought wd red because i wanted what you have... quietness. im going to change my case fans to noctua's in aw eek, thats when the retailer restock, but its moot point before i can determine what's wrong with this red drive, cuz it's at least as loud or louder than a wd black noise i saw on youtube...

I have the older 68AX9N0. There still seems to be some variety in number of platters used since people are getting different speeds from similar drives. But 1 platter more shouldn't cause continuous clacking noise.

You could try mailing WD support but you'll probably get the usual generic useless answer. I would probably return it to the store and ask for another drive.

 

[rovopio]

I have the older 68AX9N0. There still seems to be some variety in number of platters used since people are getting different speeds from similar drives. But 1 platter more shouldn't cause continuous clacking noise.

You could try mailing WD support but you'll probably get the usual generic useless answer. I would probably return it to the store and ask for another drive.

if i claim for warranty, do i get a new retail drive or a recertified drive?
i dont think i can go back to the store, they dont have return policy at all

 

[Elixer]

if i claim for warranty, do i get a new retail drive or a recertified drive?
i dont think i can go back to the store, they dont have return policy at all

already said what WD does...

You can RMA it to WD, but, they will send you a refurbished drive in return.
It is better to send it back to where you got it, and exchange it for another drive that is new.

 

[rovopio]

already said what WD does...

first of all... truly apologize for reasking something you've already answered..

alrighty, i took out the drive from the case and put it on top of my motherboard cardboard box to see whether the sound also contributed by the PC case mounting or not.
the tock tock sound is still there even after i took out the wd red from the case but good news... it's significantly lower than when i put it inside my case. it's still louder than my external mybook wd green but it's tolerable.
i have something i'd like to ask though, when i put the drive out, i put it side by side with my external wd green and copy a 100 gb files to both one drive and then the other.

upon scrutinizing the sounds very closely.. it makes me have a couple of questions i'd like to ask... i noticed that there are 2 kinds of noise coming from a hard drive, whirring fan-like sound and the tock tock sound.

the green mybook external emits noticeable whirring fan-like sound continously, however the tock tock sound is very low and at an irregular interval. (like tock... tock tock.. tock tock.... tock...) there's a period of quietness between the tock noise. the red however, if i dont put my ear very closely above the drive, i couldn't hear the wirring fan-like sound, so that part is great. but the tock tock sound when being accessed is at a regular interval (like tock tock tock tock tock tock tock to infinity), whenever i stop accessing the red drive, the tock almost instantly.

it's not loud but since it's at a regular interval it's probably takes a little while to get used to, and it's kind of driving me a little nuts tbh.

so my question is...
1) whenever a hard drive is being access, will it emits tock tock sound non-stop? if i copy 800 gb worth of files to the drive and it takes an hour, will it goes tock tock tock non-stop for an hour?
similarly.. if i edit video / picture files on the drive.. is that considered access? will it tock tock non-stop the whole time as well?

2) is that tock tock sound what drive reviews meant by "seek sound / seeking noise"?

3) lastly... what's that whirring-fan noise i hear regularly from the drive? is that the platter spin noise or is there a small fan inside a drive?

4) is the whirring noise what is called "idle sound"?

cheersss for all the help

 

[Elixer]

Is it possible to actually record the drive, it really is hard to tell what is going on by your description.

 

[rovopio]

Is it possible to actually record the drive, it really is hard to tell what is going on by your description.

i did try. i was trying to record for a good portion of an hour, but i guess my digital camera isnt good enough to capture sound, it's an old camera though. so... yeah