Is this unusual....

Hostile_18 · 25 Apr 2024 at 18:21

For two hard drives. Same make, capacity and retailer, ordered within the same week to have different sound profiles?

One is completely silent at idle, the other has a constant buzzing. Not the best start to my NAS, but I had so much confidence with the first drive been almost silent apart from the very odd clicking.

5abr3 · 25 Apr 2024 at 18:56

Are they from different batches?

Also which NAS are you using? If you have hot swap trays they sometimes rattle, especially if they are tool-less

Hostile_18 · 25 Apr 2024 at 19:04

So with Seagate drives they class the warranty from date it leaves factory rather than date of sale and its up to the customer to change it. The one that works perfectly bought at the start of the week looked like it had been at the retailer at least a year longer, than this new one that was ordered the next day. So highly likely it is from different batchs, is there a way to know for sure?

Defintely not a rattle, its the unit itself thats buzzing. Its not terrible, but it is audiable compared to my completely silent first one (apart from when working hard). I have the Evo XL I tried a different cage and still the same.

Do hard drives generally make a low hum at idle and I was just lucky with my first one I got this week or vice versa?

5abr3 · 25 Apr 2024 at 19:14

If the production dates are thay far apart then they are going to be different batches.

As far as idle noise goes: mine (all WD gold) only make a notable noise during seek so you might want to check what power settings you have applied to that drive; though I'd be surprised if one is set to keep spinning and the other isn't.

I did have a slight buzzing noise but that turned out to be the switch sat on top of the NAS and a stip of foam tape on its base solved that.

Hostile_18 · 25 Apr 2024 at 19:19

5abr3 said:
If the production dates are thay far apart then they are going to be different batches.

As far as idle noise goes: mine (all WD gold) only make a notable noise during seek so you might want to check what power settings you have applied to that drive; though I'd be surprised if one is set to keep spinning and the other isn't.

I did have a slight buzzing noise but that turned out to be the switch sat on top of the NAS and a stip of foam tape on its base solved that.

Thank you for the information. I'll try a few different things, but its no bother sending that one back.

I can go from 18tb to 20tb for an extra £20 looking around, so that helps make my decision! lol.

Hostile_18 · 26 Apr 2024 at 19:18

I got another 18tb from the sme place and that also had a buzzing. Got a 20tb version and that was silent like the first 18tb drive. Seems to be a bit of a lottery. At 50% success rate so far! lol.

Philtor · 26 Apr 2024 at 19:55

Seagate you say? Im surprised it works at all

Quartz · 26 Apr 2024 at 20:26

Hostile_18 said:
looked like it had been at the retailer at least a year longer,

Just reject it. It's likely a return.

Hostile_18 · 26 Apr 2024 at 20:32

Quartz said:
Just reject it. It's likely a return.

But thats the one thats working well lol. It had no hours on the smart data and was in a sealed bag.

Exo 18tb - Being at the retailer a year and a half - Perfect.
Exo 18tb - Recent - Buzzing at idle. (Returned)
Exo 18tb - Recent - Buzzing at idle. (Returned)
Exo 20tb - Perfect.

Got another 20tb coming tomorrow.