New noisy Seagate drive - is this normal?

ALS57 · 15 Mar 2023 at 11:53

Hi All

I've just installed a new 4TB Seagate BarraCuda ST4000DM004, 3.5" HDD, SATA III - 6Gb/s, 5400rpm, 256MB Cache as a user file storage drive. The "C" drive is a 1TB SSD.

The 4TB Seagate is very noisy and not like a bunch of other Seagate drives I have now or have had in the past.

Here's a sound clip:

https://alansnell.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seagate_drive.mp4

Can you please advise if this is normal before I try to RMA?

Many thanks

Al

ALS57 · 16 Mar 2023 at 18:01

I guess it's normal!
Doesn't sound like any other Seagate drives I've had before

dessimpson · 16 Mar 2023 at 18:05

I had 4 x 10Tb Seagate Ironwolf in my NAS. Super noisy drives.
2 gave up about a week after the warranty ran out!

mrk · 16 Mar 2023 at 22:07

I would not be happy with that noise, normal or not. Can you return it and get an actually quiet drive like a WD Red or something? I used to have 3x WD Reds (2TB + 2x 4TB) when I had HDDs for storage and they were all quiet. The variable spindle speed on the Red range is really intelligent.

ALS57 · 17 Mar 2023 at 09:08

Thanks dessimpson and mrk, I will return the drive. Cheers Al

ALS57 · 17 Mar 2023 at 11:17

mrk said:
I would not be happy with that noise, normal or not. Can you return it and get an actually quiet drive like a WD Red or something? I used to have 3x WD Reds (2TB + 2x 4TB) when I had HDDs for storage and they were all quiet. The variable spindle speed on the Red range is really intelligent.

mrk, can I ask. Any issues running a WD red NAS drive as a single volume backup drive in a desktop PC such as our Dell XP8950? Would it be a more reliable drive and better option than the WD blue?

mrk · 17 Mar 2023 at 11:35

ALS57 said:
mrk, can I ask. Any issues running a WD red NAS drive as a single volume backup drive in a desktop PC such as our Dell XP8950? Would it be a more reliable drive and better option than the WD blue?

Hi, never had problems with WD Reds, they are NAS drives but function perfectly as solo desktop drives too. Arguably better as built for always on and resilience etc. I had mine set up both inside the PC and on a USB dock for monthly backup runs. Had WD Blue before, they are slower so yes Red would be better from my experience.

ALS57 · 17 Mar 2023 at 11:38

Thankyou, much appreciated
The 4TB red plus are £89 at the moment

Blackjack Davy · 31 Mar 2023 at 17:36

ALS57 said:
mrk, can I ask. Any issues running a WD red NAS drive as a single volume backup drive in a desktop PC such as our Dell XP8950? Would it be a more reliable drive and better option than the WD blue?

A bit late of a reply but yes I've had WD greens and blues and they don't last a few years at best the Red I've got now is still going strong

ALS57 · 1 Apr 2023 at 10:13

After further investigation, if you sit the drive loose on top of the PC case plugged in it's totally silent. Put it back in the blue plastic caddy in either of the two 3.5 bays it makes the clunking sound. In one of the bays it's a bit quieter so it's obviously sesonating through the case somehow

Philtor · 2 Apr 2023 at 18:42

Seagate you say? Im surprised it works at all, never mind the noise

doodah · 1 Feb 2024 at 19:54

Think I've just found this out. Had a 16TB EXOS in my HTPC for a year or so, never really noticed the noise in our last place - plus the HTPC wasn't as close to our bedroom as it is now.

The noise levels are definitely audible, my wife isn't impressed lol.