iMac hard drive clicks

ehird · 01-06-2007, 04:33 AM

Okay, I got my iMac in December, and recently the harddrive (i think it's that, it's relatively near the apple logo) does "clCLICK..clCLICK" (CLICK not being that loud, but it's loader than the cl). It then dies down.

I've heard things like

"Your hard drive starts making that horrible clicking noise that signals an imminent meltdown"

"Unfortunately, the internal clicking sound is almost always a mechanical failure in the hard drive. The click is it trying to realign its heads, hoping for a better read. But if it keeps clicking, it's not succeeding."

Is this really true? :'(

It happens mostly when waking it from sleep in the morning.

DeltaMac · 01-06-2007, 08:59 AM

You might just be hearing the normal disk access noises. Some hard drives are naturally more noisy. Quiet clicking that you can hear in a relatively quiet room may be completely normal. Do you hear those noises later, while you are using the Mac? Keep in mind that the hard drive shuts completely off when asleep, and there's quite a bit of activity when you first wake up. Those 'busy' sounds can be unnerving, but normal. If you hear them from across the room, then that might not be normal.
Open your Applications folder, then Utilities folder, then open Disk Utility. Click on the hard drive in the list on the left. Don't select the hard drive name, such as Macintosh HD, or something you might have named. Select the manufacturers line, such as W-D-something, or drive capacity info line. You'll see it.
The info area at the bottom of the window will show an item 'S.M.A.R.T. status'. That should read 'verified'. If it is red, and not black, and says 'failing', then you have a failing hard drive. Back up your data while you still can, and have the hard drive replaced. If you see 'verified', then click on your hard drive name (Macintosh HD, or whatever) then click on the Verify Disk button. You will see several tests that run, then 'volume passed verification'. You're probably OK.
If you don't like the noise from the drive, complain to Apple. Keep in mind that no hard drive is 'noiseless', they all make noise to varying degrees. Noise, and other symtoms, such as lots of the rotating wheel, long pauses, long delays when dropping any menu. Those can be the result of a hard drive with problems. Do you have any other problems???

ehird · 01-06-2007, 09:31 AM

oh, it is quite quiet - i can hear it in my seat though. Occasionally after a while it'll click a few times later but yeah, it's only for the first few minutes. I'll check my disk now. (hey, where'd quicksilver go... hm... it's closed... *opens*)

yep, it's Verified.

Nope, no other problems, but it didn't happen for the first week or so.

It's probably just harddrive noise, my computers are always doing one thing or another all the time :P

01-06-2007, 04:33 AM	#1
ehird Triple-A Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 56	iMac hard drive clicks Okay, I got my iMac in December, and recently the harddrive (i think it's that, it's relatively near the apple logo) does "clCLICK..clCLICK" (CLICK not being that loud, but it's loader than the cl). It then dies down. I've heard things like "Your hard drive starts making that horrible clicking noise that signals an imminent meltdown" "Unfortunately, the internal clicking sound is almost always a mechanical failure in the hard drive. The click is it trying to realign its heads, hoping for a better read. But if it keeps clicking, it's not succeeding." Is this really true? :'( It happens mostly when waking it from sleep in the morning.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

01-06-2007, 08:59 AM	#2
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	You might just be hearing the normal disk access noises. Some hard drives are naturally more noisy. Quiet clicking that you can hear in a relatively quiet room may be completely normal. Do you hear those noises later, while you are using the Mac? Keep in mind that the hard drive shuts completely off when asleep, and there's quite a bit of activity when you first wake up. Those 'busy' sounds can be unnerving, but normal. If you hear them from across the room, then that might not be normal. Open your Applications folder, then Utilities folder, then open Disk Utility. Click on the hard drive in the list on the left. Don't select the hard drive name, such as Macintosh HD, or something you might have named. Select the manufacturers line, such as W-D-something, or drive capacity info line. You'll see it. The info area at the bottom of the window will show an item 'S.M.A.R.T. status'. That should read 'verified'. If it is red, and not black, and says 'failing', then you have a failing hard drive. Back up your data while you still can, and have the hard drive replaced. If you see 'verified', then click on your hard drive name (Macintosh HD, or whatever) then click on the Verify Disk button. You will see several tests that run, then 'volume passed verification'. You're probably OK. If you don't like the noise from the drive, complain to Apple. Keep in mind that no hard drive is 'noiseless', they all make noise to varying degrees. Noise, and other symtoms, such as lots of the rotating wheel, long pauses, long delays when dropping any menu. Those can be the result of a hard drive with problems. Do you have any other problems???

01-06-2007, 09:31 AM	#3
ehird Triple-A Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 56	oh, it is quite quiet - i can hear it in my seat though. Occasionally after a while it'll click a few times later but yeah, it's only for the first few minutes. I'll check my disk now. (hey, where'd quicksilver go... hm... it's closed... opens) yep, it's Verified. Nope, no other problems, but it didn't happen for the first week or so. It's probably just harddrive noise, my computers are always doing one thing or another all the time :P