Most recently, I already told you about the ways in which you can. In particular, the article talked about a program that is able to control coolers in your system unit. But coolers are still half the trouble. Most users have a lot of noise coming from the hard drive. What's more, some hard drives are so loud that they are the main source of computer noise.
But, in fact, there is nothing wrong with that. After all, a hard disk, also called a hard drive, is a mechanical device in which there are several rotating disks, in fact, which are noisy. Internal drives are similar to regular CDs, but they work completely differently.
Thanks to the magnetic heads inside the hard disk, information is read. During this process, the discs move and generate noise. Some users have hard drives rattling, someone's crackling and even chirping, then you. The noise emitted depends on the hard drive model and the stability of the computer case. If the case of the system unit is cheap, and its walls are thin, then the noise from the hard drive will be transmitted throughout the entire case. Loosely fastened parts will vibrate, creating even more noise.
In order to reduce crackling, you can do the following:
- Replace the old noisy hard drive with a new one, having previously learned about its noise level.
- Use the AAM settings to change the acoustic noise level.
- Check the sound insulation of the housing. Perhaps the problem is in it and after replacing it with a new one, the computer will run quieter.
- Install the hard drive on special sound-insulating pads or use a sound-insulating case for the disc.
- Defragment your hard drive. But not the fact that this procedure will help you. And if after it the hard disk starts to work quieter, then soon the noise will return again.
Reducing Hard Drive Cracking with AAM
Any hard disk has such a function as controlling its noise level using the internal AAM setting. (Automatic Acoustic Management). The principle of this setting is very simple: the speed of movement of the heads is reduced, which allows the hard disk to work much quieter. But, such a setting reduces not only the noise level, but also the speed of the hard drive as a whole.
Here it is already necessary to choose what is more important for you - the speed of the hard drive or the noise from it. Perhaps, after setting up, you will not notice how the speed of the hard disk has dropped, but there will be no crackling during operation.
In order for you to be able to start adjusting the volume of the hard disk, you need to download the program "WinAAM." This program is completely free and it is better to download it from the official site.
The program has a Russian interface and to work, you do not need to install it. Run it directly from the archive and configure it. After opening the program, you will see a window with options for choosing the program operation.
You need to click “continue.” We don't go into the security settings at all, since they won't be able to affect the noisy operation of the hard disk in any way.
When you run the program, you will see that the first line will say “Noise control is not active at the moment.” You will need to select “Quiet / Standard (128)” to set AAM to “quiet”. that the program has a runaway in values from 0 to 255, it is necessary to select the "Quiet / Loud" value, since intermediate options are not displayed at work and noise reduction of the hard drive. It is for this reason that the program contains only one button you need, so as not to break your brains with the choice of a value for the effective operation of the program.
After the value is set, the program will automatically close. It is necessary to start it again and press the "continue" button, and then "check".
After running the program, you will see a window in which there will be all the information about the chaotic movement of the reading head of the hard disk, and you will hear how your hard disk will sound in a new way. I'm sure the hard drive will start working much quieter. For comparison, you can press the "Loud (254)" button and hear the noise with which the hard drive worked before all settings.
By clicking on the same button, you will return all the default settings and the hard drive will continue to work at the same speed.
If this program does not detect your hard drive, then I recommend using "HD Tune" the essence is the same.
Actually, that's all. Now you can independently control the noise level of your hard drive. If the work of the hard drive is accompanied by crackling and various kinds of clicks, then I definitely recommend using any of the programs to make the hard drive work quieter if the noise bothers you. Thank you for being with us!
HDD, it is also a hard drive - makes noise, clicks and creaks. Why and what can be done.
Most of the HDD noise has sound waves in the 1-3 kHz range and consists of noise from two different sources.
This is the noise of a hard drive generated by the rotation of its spindle and the friction of mechanical parts directly inside the hard drive. This noise can only be reduced by modifying the hard drive components.
The noise we hear most is caused by the vibration of the hard drive inside the computer case. It, in turn, consists of vibration from the rotation of the spindle, as well as vibration from the read / write heads, which accelerate and decelerate many times per second.
Clicks in the HDD, for example, are emitted by the positioner at the moment of hitting the limiter. A working hard drive can emit clicks due to the so-called thermal calibration, when the hard drive, in response to an increase in the temperature of the case and component parts, reinitializes the read / write head positioning system.
In addition, the hard drive clicks from a bad, "rattling" or unstable power supply, when the heads go into the parking area and the HDD electronics makes a restart. Another reason why a working screw clicks is to put the hard drive into sleep mode, and if such settings are explicitly specified in the system's energy saving properties, then this effect can appear quite often. It makes sense to mention the offline scanning of the disk surface, as one of the reasons why the HDD clicks. True, in this case, extraneous sounds from the hard drive will be caused by bad sectors (bad blocks) of the hard disk, which offline scanning tries to replace or exclude from the broadcast.
What to do?
Simply put, there are two ways to reduce the volume of sounds emitted by a hard drive - to fix them in the case using soft mounts that prevent vibration transmission from the hard drive to the case, and to use the Automatic Acoustic Management function.
"Squeak" - is it the rattling of the propeller during operation or a constant hum? If the second, then most likely a resonance. Tighten or tighten the hard drive mount. And if there are two of them? The screws work silently one at a time, but together in the same case - there is a hum. We advise you to turn one of the screws upside down so that the rotation is in different directions. Turned over. The sound has decreased% by 80. That means it.
Not everyone knows that the user can change the characteristics of the hard drive using the acoustic control function, which allows you to modify the access patterns and change the default (fast) hard drive mode to quiet mode.
Launch a utility like HD Tune Pro, enable AAM (Automatic Acoustic Management) and put it in quiet mode.
Download the Victoria program and use it to adjust the noise level of the hard drive (the noise is reduced by reducing the spindle speed).
All UltraATA / 100 and Serial ATA hard drives have Automatic Acoustic Management (AAM), but you need special software to access it and change its settings.
Sounds with a frequency from 1 kHz to 3 kHz are characterized by the greatest susceptibility, therefore, noise reduction at these frequencies is more effective than at other frequencies. This is where acoustic control technology is based.
Most of the sound waves in the 1 to 3 kHz range are made up of noise from two different sources. Firstly, this is the noise of the hard drive generated by the rotation of its spindle and the friction of mechanical parts directly inside the hard drive. This noise can only be reduced by modifying the hard drive components. But most of all, we hear the noise caused by the vibration of the hard drive inside the computer case. It, in turn, consists of vibration from the rotation of the spindle, as well as vibration from the read / write heads, which accelerate and decelerate many times per second.
The fastest way to move the heads is to accelerate them to the middle of the path towards the new track and then brake them for the rest of the path (the so-called two-position search). There are many options for modifying this operation, ranging from modifying the acceleration and deceleration and the required switching power supply. The addition of a Native Command Queuing that analyzes and reorders all incoming commands to find the most efficient order of read and write requests helps reduce head movements, which can reduce access times and reduce noise.
Now let's move on to analyzing the situation when the hard drive knocks due to a malfunction. As a rule, in this case, the positioning system, for one reason or another, is not able to receive signals from the hard disk heads indicating that the head "sees" the servo marking. In this case, the Winchester creaks, whistles, knocks or makes other sounds exciting the soul. The actuator moves the head block over the entire available range, hence the entire set. The HDD also knocks if a failure occurs during the firmware loading process and it hangs, preventing the processor from controlling the giblets of the screw. In all cases when a hard disk knocks, qualified diagnostics are needed to determine the causes and develop an action strategy for the implementation of successful data recovery from a knocking hard drive.
Winchester squeaks or HDD makes noise.
Winchester is a storage device that is used in most modern computers and laptops as a storage device. However, users prefer to copy valuable data to other media or duplicate in the cloud in case the hard drive fails. One of the first signs of a breakdown is a bursting hard drive. What if this happens? The causes of vibration and how to eliminate them are described below.
What is noise level?
Noise level is a phenomenon that can be described as the sound emitted by a mechanical structure during operation. This vibration includes two components: spindle (aerodynamic) noise and positioning noise. In total, the sound level reproduced by the hard disk drive should be equal to twenty-six decibels. If the noise of a component is not blocked by the operation of coolers and is clearly audible, this is a reason to think whether everything is in order with the device.
How do I identify the source of the cod?
The hard drive does not always crack when it signals its deplorable state. A certain level of noise may well be the operating mode of the device, but if the situation with annoying sound becomes problematic, then you should still disassemble the system unit. To get to the insides, you need to unscrew the mounting bolts and remove the housing cover.
At the time of repair work, you need to take care of your safety. Better to be careful with electrical wires. When disassembling the computer, it will not be superfluous to completely disconnect the device and ground it.
What are the causes of excessive noise?
To determine the nature of the problem, you need to start the processor and listen for sounds. Perhaps the reason for the excessive noise level is not at all that the hard drive is bursting. It all depends on the features of the assembly of the computer and the quality of its components. The source of the reproduced sound can be a powerful video card fan or a cooler, which is simply dirty. If this was the problem, then it is worth removing dust from the fan.
The likelihood of unwanted vibration also depends on the type of enclosure. If the system unit has thick enough walls, it will not let in any extraneous sounds and will provide proper comfort, the thin-walled case, on the contrary, will resonate the noises emitted. But what if the hard drive in the computer is still cracking, and not other components?
Why does the hard drive make an excessive sound?
The essence of the problem lies in the very fact that it is the special magnetic components that produce noise during rotation. In a sense, this is a perfectly normal workflow. But why does the hard drive crack if no unusual noises have been observed before? It is an uncharacteristic sound that may indicate a malfunction in the hard drive.
In addition, any device has its own lifespan. With prolonged use of the part, the hard drive wears out, which is accompanied by a characteristic crack. In this case, it is necessary to copy all data from the computer as soon as possible and replace the broken part. However, there are also less drastic measures.
How to test a hard drive?
One of the first aid methods for bad sectors of the hard disk is to block them with the help of special programs. If your hard drive is cracking, then, firstly, you can try to use two types of complexes:
- Acronis. The most common of this kind of program, which has a number of necessary functions. The main one is creating a backup copy from damaged storage media.
- Victoria. Using the program, you can check the hard drive. If problem areas are found during testing, Victoria will remember them and automatically block them.
How to reduce the noise level using programs?
You can try to reduce the noise level of the hard disk using software methods. In this case, AAM or HDDscan programs come in handy.
The first program, the essence of which is to control the speed of the hard disk, will automatically make the necessary settings. It is quite possible that if the hard drive is cracking, then you just need to slow down the mode of its speeds, because the faster the magnetic elements rotate, the louder the device works. A noticeable disadvantage of this program is that it may not recognize the storage medium.
The second program - HDDscan - gets rid of this drawback. The principle of operation of HDDscan is absolutely the same as that of AAM, but an additional advantage is the ability to test the hard drive and select SMART parameters.
How to manually reduce the noise level?
Mechanical noise reduction is advisable only for a stationary computer, with laptops only the software method should be used.
There are quite a few options for manually fixing the problem. Often a hard drive cracks during operation, not only because of its malfunction, but the reason may be that its case is poorly attached. Make sure that all elements of the fastening structure are in the grooves, and the bolts are not loosened. For additional sealing of the connections between the parts of the hard drive and the computer, insulating gaskets are used, that is, the joints can simply be glued with insulating tape, which will contribute to the fact that the mounting basket of the hard drive will not have direct contact. This method is quite effective in combating excessive cracking.
Another way to deal with intrusive sound is to change the location of the structural elements or the hard drive itself. This can only be done if this movement allows the volume of the body. The main goal in this case is to achieve the least contact between the hard drive and the case. So, you should ensure the most reliable static position of the hard disk.
There are craftsmen who achieve the location of the hard drive, even for which strong and thick wires or wires are used. With the help of such improvised materials, it is possible to achieve a complete absence of vibration transmission to metal parts.
The design and technological methods to reduce vibrations include the use of noise-absorbing devices that help eliminate the consequences, but not the cause of the hard drive crackling. These measures are in any case only temporary. If the problem is really critical, it is better to secure the information and make a complete replacement of the hard drive.
Hello, friends! What to do, if the hard drive is noisy (crackling)? If there was no cod before, but now it has appeared, then it is better to immediately save important data, since this is not a good sign. Then, diagnose the HDD with a special program from the manufacturer. I tell and show how to do this. If there was a crackling or noise before, you just did not pay attention to it, then it is normal. For example, when I calmed down, at the beginning, I could not hear the hard drive. But, over time, as 2 fans remained in the system (in and in the standard cooling system), these sounds became clearer and began to annoy. We will consider how to reduce them in this article.
As we said in the article, there are two sources of noise from the HDD:
- From rotating magnetic disks
- From the impact of the block with heads on the travel stop
There is nothing we can do about the noise from the rotation of the disks. Unless, just buy it. But with the blows of the block of heads, as with the source of the main noise, it is possible and necessary to fight. Also, vibrations arise from the shock and if they are not damped, then the situation will worsen.
There are several options for solving our problem.
- Secure your hard drive firmly in
- Make vibration-damping HDD mounts in the case
The first option is perfect for those who have high-quality cases made of good, thick steel. The second option should work for everyone. In my case, with a cheap case, hanging the hard drive on 4 pieces worked great. It was necessary to remove the sled in which the HDD was attached to the basket and free up space for hanging. Who has no place, i.e. the hard drive is bolted to the case, you can try to put it vertically and hang it in the same way. Some people hang the hard drive under the optical drive. There are more places there and it is more convenient to hang up, but there is not very much with cooling. Therefore, I recommend hanging it directly in the hard drive cage.
Those. the main task is to prevent vibrations from the hard drive from getting to. If you chose the first option (to firmly screw the HDD to the case), then it would be appropriate to calculate the places where the resonance occurs and glue them with electrical tape. I didn’t get it myself, but I read a lot and it didn’t seem to work out badly. Usually these are the attachment points for the side covers.
The third option, which we will consider in detail, is the use of AAM
Using Automatic Acoustic Management to Reduce HDD Noise
Automatic Acoustic Management - automatic control of drive noise.
In addition to this function, hard drive manufacturers use special shock-absorbing pads that effectively suppress crackling. This is not always enough for everyone. And if not enough, you need to use AAM. This function controls the positioning speed of the head block. You can set a numerical value from 128 to 254. The higher the number, the higher the speed and, accordingly, the more vibration and, as a result, noise.
There are many programs for managing AAM. Of the simplest I can recommend WinAAM. There you can only set two positions 128 or 254. That is, either quietly and slowly, or loudly and quickly.
We will use the HDDScan program, which allows you to set any value from 128 to 254, and thus you can flexibly adjust the noise level from your own.
You can download the program from the official website
Run HDDScan.exe
The main window of the program looks like this
The button in the center opens the main menu of the program. Select Features> IDE Features (if you have a SCSI hard drive - SCSI Features)
In the window that opens, we are interested in the Automatic Acoustic Management section. Here you can see the current value of Current - 128 and the recommended value - Recommended - 254. recommend setting for maximum performance.
You can set the desired value by entering a number in the Current field or by setting it using the slider. To make the settings take effect, press Set.
Everything. Now you can select any value for the optimal balance of speed and silence.
Some hard drives do not support Automatic Acoustic Management
There is also the Advanced Power Management function, which allows you to save energy by reducing the engine speed or stopping completely at the time of inactivity. It turns out that you can still control the speed of movement of the magnetic plates, at least at the time of downtime. But this is not verified information. If someone used it, please write down the results. Everyone will be interested.
Conclusion
To reduce noise and crackling from the hard drive, manufacturers use special shock-absorbing pads. They certainly help, but I want more. Therefore, there are two ways:
- Prevent vibrations from the hard drive from jumping over to, (and if they get there by anyone, prevent them from resonating)
- Use Automatic Acoustic Management
The first method feels like the efficiency is colossal. It seems that the hard drive is working in a pillow and the crackling sound from it is heard only if you listen strongly. Naturally, the greatest effect can be achieved using both methods. In my case, for the sake of silence, I would gladly sacrifice performance.
While working at the computer, many users noticed noise. It can be created by both a cooler, a video card, and a hard drive. However, the noise from the hard drive is different from the other sounds that come from the system unit or the bottom of the laptop. Hard disk noise is more like crackling. It appears when you copy large files or play a game. If earlier your PC worked stably and there was no extraneous noise, and now the hard drive is bursting, it is worth copying all the important information from it and checking it.
Getting rid of the crackling of the hard drive
If your hard drive is cracking, there are two ways to fix this problem:
- Decrease in the speed of positioning the heads (as they crack);
- Secure fixation of the hard drive inside the system unit.
Each hard drive has an option such as Automatic Acoustic Management. It is responsible for the rotation speed of the magnetic heads of the hard drive. It is impossible to change its parameters and reduce the speed of data reading with the usual settings. Special software required. You can find many of these on the Internet. The quietHDD software is popular. However, it is worth warning that by reducing the speed of rotation of the heads, the speed of reading information decreases. The disc starts to run slower. This is a negative factor. Here you have to choose: speed or working hard drive.
We remove the crackle of the hard drive using quietHDD in the following way. Download and run the utility on behalf of the Administrator.
Open the "AAM Settings" tab. Move the sliders to the minimum position, decrease from 256 to 128 revolutions. After we click "Accept" and "Ok".
In order not to launch this utility every time before using programs and applications, it is worth adding it to the system startup.
If you are the owner of a PC, not a laptop, the hard drive must be securely fixed in the system unit. This can be done in three ways:
- Fastening with bolts. Often, the hard drive is attached with only two bolts, although there are more connectors. In the "slide" the disc "feels" freely and, because of this, creates a crackle and noise. It is worth stretching the device and securing the hard drive more securely to all the bolts.
- Use of spacers. Soft rubberized pads dampen noise and vibration. You can buy them or cut them yourself and install them in the place where the disk touches the system unit. However, the material should not be too large so as not to obstruct the ventilation of the disc.
- Fastening with twisted pair. Usually 3-4 small pieces of wire are used for this purpose and fastened as if the disk was located in a slide. However, in this case it will be difficult to move the body. There is a risk of damage to the device.
Using the above methods, you can fix the hard disk so that it does not create noise or crackle.
