Velociraptor shakey shake shake

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KuJaX

[H]F Junkie
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I recently purchased a Western Digital 150GB Velociraptor from Amazon. When I got it I noticed that it made kind of a weird noise when I took it out of the anti static bag. The noise isnt a clicking noise, but rather like you had a little bag of pellets and when you shook it they would knock against each other. It isn't loud and you have to sort of shake the drive, but it would make a strange noise as of things were knocking on another thing. Out of fear I ordered another one to plan on RMA this one and the new drive that was sent is the exact same way.

What in the world? Is this normal? What is that noise that I hear? I find it hard to believe that 2 out of 2 are defective right out of the anti static bag.
 
i dont know the drives, but from what you are describing it sure sounds like ball bearings in the spindle, there is always an air gap in these sorts of bearings, and when they spin up they float to where they are supposed to be, but rattle when not in motion.

of course, if these drives have fluid bearings, then who knows, have you tried them to see if they work at all?
 
Thor said:
i dont know the drives, but from what you are describing it sure sounds like ball bearings in the spindle, there is always an air gap in these sorts of bearings, and when they spin up they float to where they are supposed to be, but rattle when not in motion.

of course, if these drives have fluid bearings, then who knows, have you tried them to see if they work at all?
Click to expand...

I put one of them in (the one I initially opened) and it works just fine. I also ran the Western Digital data life guard diagnostics extended test on it and it came out fine. But still, I wasn't aware that there was anything that could make that type of a noise in a hard drive. Maybe the velociraptor is different? Anyone know?

Could it really be that 2 out of 2 are bad or will be bad, even if initially tested with their software not to be bad?

Keep in mind, while the drive was in the system and on, it didn't make the noise. It is only when it is in your hand and you shake it a little bit.
 
You could email WD support and see if they say that's normal...I'm tempted to remove my 300GB VR and try this but I don't like to make a habit of shaking my hard drives unnecessarily, lol.
 
imyourzero said:
You could email WD support and see if they say that's normal...I'm tempted to remove my 300GB VR and try this but I don't like to make a habit of shaking my hard drives unnecessarily, lol.
Click to expand...

I dare you too.

You don't have to shake it hard at all. Just like you can hear it while you put it into the case and it will make that suddle sound. Then if you shake it a little bit, it is like shaking a bag of small items.

Western Digital's customer service (phone anyway) is outsourced and they dont actually know the product first-hand. Atleast the few times I have had to call.
 
Drives sometimes have anti humidity pouches inside. The sound you hear, could be that pouch as some of them have little beads in them for soaking up humidity.

Does it sound more like metal sound or more like sand or plastic beads in a bag?
 
Most of the new drives have fluid dynamic bearings now meaning no balls in the bearing. I suppose the heads could move a bit in their parked position but I rather doubt it. Other than the humidity packet mentioned I can't think of anything in there that is going to move.
 
The humidity packet was not making the noise. It was the drive itself. Meaning, when you go to put it into the case, you could hear what sounds like plastic balls (like the humidity bags) if I had to describe it.
 
Most 2.5" drives I have seen make this rattling noise. Never have figured out why, but the all do. Nothing to worry about.
 
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