Resonating HDD in Haf-X

R.C.Anderson · 7 Feb 2011 at 21:13

Has anyone else had this problem? I recently just bought a HAF-X to hold my new Sandybridge build, however I'm having a problem that the HDDs seem to resonate the case, which is rather annoying. I couldn't notice it when I first built the machine, as the fans were louder, however after getting a fan controller, it's quite noticeable (as the fans are practically silent).

Does anyone else have this problem, and know of any way to sort it? it's kind of a pulsing, about every second. I plan on upgrading to a SSD for my main drive when I can see what the new drives are like that are coming soon, however I can't afford to replace all my data drives with SSDs

It's really annoyed me, as for a case this expensive, I would have expected better, as I don't even think I had it in my last case (although the fans were a lot louder in that, so it would have been harder to hear.

Tweaker · 7 Feb 2011 at 21:38

My brothers HAF 932 had the same problem, you could try cutting strips of rubber and wedging them under the drive and at the contact points with the case.

How many hard drives to you have running?

R.C.Anderson · 8 Feb 2011 at 00:24

All the drives are mounted in the HDD bays, which all have rubber anti-vibration mounts, so I'm not sure how much difference it'll make. I'm running 4 HDDs, totaling about 2.2TB, although I'm thinking of replacing some of my older drives for a new 2TB (or similar) when I get the SSD.

I keep meaning to remove all the HDDs, and check I've mounted them all correctly again, but don't have the time at the moment, might give it a go tomorrow though, hopefully I'll be able to sort something, or atleast I'll be able to find out which drive it is, and hopefully be able to sort that one atleast

EniGmA1981 · 8 Feb 2011 at 05:44

Search "shock cord mod" - that's the best way to mount HDDs in the HAF... I've done it and it eliminates the noise completely!!

R.C.Anderson · 8 Feb 2011 at 18:09

Had a little play today, and it seems to completely disappear when I have the side off the case, which I don't get, as I would have thought it would have stayed. Doesn't seem to make any difference if I put pressure on the side panels, it doesn't make any difference either, so it's not the side panels vibrating either. Also, it doesn't seem t change at all if I run any HDD benchmarks on any of my drives. So I now don't think it's actually got anything to do with the HDDs, but I've no idea what else it might be, so I'm tempted to get some cord off eBay, as it costs less than £5, so could be worth giving it a go anyway.

EDIT: What size cord did you use for yours? I can't decide what size I should get, I was thinking maybe 5mm stuff, and mount it horizontally, or should I go for thinner stuff, so it's more flexible, and absorb the vibrations more?

shane242 · 8 Feb 2011 at 19:04

i had a simlar issue with my HAF X sounding simlar.. it turns out it was the 200mm side fan, with it off its silent until i lean the side pannel down with the outside edge closest to the ground then it starts to vibrate the entire pannel, reguardless of fan speed it always seems to make the same level of sound (odd?).

It's currently setup in the top as im waiting for a new LED fan for the side to come at which point i will have to find a solution..

Maybe this could also be the problem you are having with it going silent with side off and no diffrence in hardrive speeds?

R.C.Anderson · 8 Feb 2011 at 21:06

shane242 said:
i had a simlar issue with my HAF X sounding simlar.. it turns out it was the 200mm side fan, with it off its silent until i lean the side pannel down with the outside edge closest to the ground then it starts to vibrate the entire pannel, reguardless of fan speed it always seems to make the same level of sound (odd?).

It's currently setup in the top as im waiting for a new LED fan for the side to come at which point i will have to find a solution..

Maybe this could also be the problem you are having with it going silent with side off and no diffrence in hardrive speeds?

Thanks, might give a go and unplugging the fan, and see if it makes a difference, but definatly seems weird if it is that, with the noise staying the same, whatever the fan speed.

RandomNoob · 9 Feb 2011 at 20:35

R.C.Anderson said:
Had a little play today, and it seems to completely disappear when I have the side off the case, which I don't get, as I would have thought it would have stayed. Doesn't seem to make any difference if I put pressure on the side panels, it doesn't make any difference either, so it's not the side panels vibrating either. Also, it doesn't seem t change at all if I run any HDD benchmarks on any of my drives. So I now don't think it's actually got anything to do with the HDDs, but I've no idea what else it might be, so I'm tempted to get some cord off eBay, as it costs less than £5, so could be worth giving it a go anyway.

EDIT: What size cord did you use for yours? I can't decide what size I should get, I was thinking maybe 5mm stuff, and mount it horizontally, or should I go for thinner stuff, so it's more flexible, and absorb the vibrations more?

Mine did the same. With the side of the case removed it would stop making the noise. I swapped around my hdd bays and that seems to have done the trick, i think it depends a lot on how many hdd's you have and whether you have them in the lower or upper bays.

Scougar · 11 Feb 2011 at 09:11

Try attaching something heavy to the side of the case, so it stops the resonating noise. (Inside I mean). That or put some foam on it.

EniGmA1981 · 11 Feb 2011 at 10:58

Put some duck tape over the 'rail' that the front of the side panel hooks over, that should make it a tighter fit, as well as making it a softer material rather than metal on metal...

Going to do this to my 932 as soon as I remember to buy some bloody tape LOL