Which hard drive makes the least noise? The hard drive is noisy, is this normal? If not, what should I do? What are the causes of excessive noise

Any device, and especially one that has at least some moving parts, makes noise. Moreover, just recently, the noise from some old-style devices was very, very impressive.

The HDD noise parameter is quite important, especially for systems where there was a focus on lower noise levels: quiet coolers for the case and processor, or a quiet water cooling system was installed. But for ordinary users, with mediocre noise reduction performance in their systems, loud hard drives will also not come in handy.

In fact, almost all modern hard drives are manufactured in accordance with certain standards and emit very little noise, but to understand which noise is greater and which is less, you need to plunge a little into the theory of sound and its measurement values.

From the school physics curriculum, almost everyone should remember that the noise level is measured in dB (decibels) - a smaller derivative of the main indicator B (bell). Here are some examples of noise in our environment:

• whisper – 30 dB;
• train noise – 90 dB;
• scream – 70 dB;
• rocket launch - 140-190 dB.

The weakest sound perceived by our ear is about 10 dB, and at a sound of 130 dB painful sensations begin.

All these indicators were given so that you can compare certain household noises with the noise of a hard drive and assess whether the noise is acceptable. The noise of modern hard drives is in the range of 20-35 dB, which is quite significant at the upper limit, although it will most likely be covered by noise from coolers.

The noise emitted by a hard drive is divided into two types: acoustic noise when idling and acoustic noise when searching for data. But still, it is the spindle that makes the main noise when the system starts, but there may also be characteristic sound vibrations during operation.

I would like to note that the above noise figures are maximum, that is HDD produces noise of a similar level only during certain periods of operation; the average noise emitted by a hard drive during operation can be much less.

Different series of hard drives from the same manufacturer may differ in noise levels. As an example, Western Digital Red ultra-quiet hard drives are hard drives that are marketed for 24/7 operation and enhanced reliability. At the same time, we all note the very low noise level, only 22 dB. Also, Green-series discs are considered a quiet series, but there this is done partly at the expense of a donation spindle speed, which there is only 5400 rpm. Noise level in Green-series hard drives, at this moment fluctuates between 22-27 dB.

The more popular and classic series, Western Digital Caviar Blue, is a little noisier. The noise level of these disks ranges from 28-35 dB. I would like to note on my own that I have been using the Blue series for more than one year and have not noticed any strong noise, apparently all such noise is blocked by the severe noise from several coolers.

The noise level of a hard drive is almost always indicated in the product specifications, and you can always check it before purchasing. I’ll note once again that, of course, it’s better to take quieter hard drives, but the classic inexpensive options of the Blue series won’t hurt your ears too much. The main thing is that a couple or three decibels should not become an impetus for choosing a hard drive with a slower spindle (for those who really need all the speed of the drive).

In any case, the choice is always yours. Good luck!

Model question

Hello.

I recently bought a laptop and only after some time I noticed that when I download a file, turn on the laptop, or copy information from disk to disk, the disk starts to crack. The sound is not strong, but extremely unpleasant.

The store said that everything was fine with the disc, that’s how it should be, but doubts remained in my heart...

If I had known that this model was so noisy, I would have chosen another one... Tell me, what can be done to reduce the noise when the disk is loaded?

Hello.

Crack, crack, discord. In general, a hard drive (HDD) is a mechanical device, and any HDD makes noise when operating. True, with one disc it is subtle and practically inaudible, while with another it can be somewhat annoying. In addition, in addition to the “working” noise (which should be there), extraneous noise may appear (indicating a problem): knocking, strong grinding, clicking, etc.

Particular attention should be paid to disk noise in cases where:

1. if the old disk starts making noise, which previously worked without noise (this is an alarming symptom - first of all, immediately remove all important files from the disk);
2. noise appeared in the form of: knocking, strong clicks, grinding, etc. (all this also indicates a problem with the mechanics);
3. if when a crackling sound appears, the computer starts to freeze, Windows does not respond to your clicks;
4. your files periodically cannot be opened or read, and the disk is noisy.

All of the above symptoms indicate possible hardware problems with the disk (in most cases), and without replacing it with a new disk, the noise cannot be eliminated. Therefore, I recommend that after the backup, look at the SMART readings, check the disk for bad blocks, etc. I have one small instruction on disk checking on my blog, link below.

How to check a hard drive for errors and bad sectors (bad blocks). How to work with the Victoria program in DOS and Windows -

If your new drive is noisy - then most likely everything is fine with him, and this is his operating noise (although no one rules out defective or failure of the new disk either). Most often, the problem is that when the user bought a disk (laptop, computer) in a store (where there is a lot of extraneous noise, music is playing, etc.), he simply did not pay attention to the noise of the disk (and even in the store, the disk, like As a rule, you don’t load it too much). And in the house, in the silence of the night, I appreciated all the characteristics of my device.

But since a computer is a technically complex product, it is easy to exchange it in the store for another (as can be done with other products). In many cases you may be refused (there must be a more compelling reason, for example, a malfunction). Later in the article I will give recommendations on how to eliminate such “working” noise.

Addition!

When purchasing a new HDD: please note that the device specifications usually always indicate the noise level of the drive. This parameter is measured in dB.

Of course, the lower it is, the quieter the disk. Comparison plate (to find out how and what) with the noise level given below.

To help!

How to choose a hard drive (HDD): 6 points worth paying attention to -

1) Change your old HDD to an SSD drive (or another HDD)

The first tip involves material costs. Ideally, to completely eliminate the noise, you need to change the disk. Now SSD drives are gaining popularity - they do not have mechanics, like HDDs, and therefore they are a priori silent during operation (completely silent!).

In addition, they have several more advantages:

1. the operating speed is several times higher (this is the main advantage!), thanks to this, your applications, games, Windows will load an order of magnitude faster;
2. consume less energy (for example, a laptop will work 10-15% longer without recharging);
3. they are not so afraid of shaking and vibration (again, a plus for laptops);
4. They don't get hot like HDDs.

However, these discs have one drawback: higher cost. But it pays off with interest! You can find out the difference in operating speed between an SSD and a HDD drive from one of my articles, the link to it is below.

How to check disk speed: HDD, SSD. Test to determine the difference in speed between SSD and HDD, is it worth switching to solid state drive -

2) Check if there is an application that loads the disk to 100%!

If the disk does not always annoy you with noise, but only at times of heavy load (this can be indicated, for example, by the LED indicator of the hard disk’s operation), then try to find out which application is loading it, and then disable it.

Very often, the disk can be loaded with applications that you don’t need. For example, when booting Windows uTorrent is loaded with several hundred torrents: until they are all checked, it may take 5-10 minutes! And all this time the disk will be heavily loaded.

The simplest and quick way to find out about applications that load the disk is to open the task manager (for Windows 8, 10), and open the resource monitor (this is for Windows 7). Once you recognize an application that is actively working with the disk, try closing it.

To call the task manager- press the button combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

In Windows 8, 10 - open the tab "Performance" and see if the disk is loaded. If loaded, then in the tab "Processes" you can find the program (which loads it) and close it.

Windows 8-10 - performance (disk load 0%)

In Windows 7, in the task manager you need to open the tab "Performance" , then click on the button "Resource Monitor" .

In Resource Monitor, open the tab "Disk": pay attention to the sections "Processes with disk activity" And "Disk Operation" .

3) Reduce the speed of positioning the block with heads (Automatic Acoustic Management)

Hard drives have certain options that are usually not mentioned anywhere (we are talking about Automatic Acoustic Management now, often abbreviated A.A.M.). This option allows you to reduce the speed of movement of the heads, and this in turn has a positive effect on the noise level (although, in addition, the speed of the disk decreases somewhat, but it is not noticeable to the eye).

You can change this setting in special utilities, I recommend the following: quietHDD, HDDScan. I will consider working in both utilities.

quietHDD

A very small utility designed to reduce the acoustic noise of AAM and the power consumption mode of APM hard drive. Working with it is simple and fast, an example is below:

Multifunctional program for working with SSD and HDD drives. Allows you to view SMART, check the disk for bad sectors, find out the operating temperature of the media, manage acoustic noise, energy, etc.

In our case, you need to run the program, then select the hard drive (if you have several of them in the system), and open the "Features/IDE Features" option.

HDDScan - IDE Features

Further in the section Automatic Acoustic Management- set the value between 128 and 254 (by the way, the program recommends 254, but it is not always optimal). In general, for the minimum noise level - set the value to 128 and press the button SET(install). Thus, you can adjust and find your optimal option.

Note: Please note that not all drives support this option. In some cases, HDDScan will not allow you to change values ​​in Automatic Acoustic Management.

Automatic Acoustic Management

4) Fix drive securely in the block, eliminate vibrations, install soft gaskets

This advice applies to a regular PC, but if you have a laptop, then your hard drive is almost certainly securely and tightly fixed in the case by the manufacturer (and you don’t have to read this advice).

5) Check for errors and defragment

Well, the last thing I wanted to advise is to check for errors and defragment the disk. Cracking - this, of course, will not directly reduce it, but it will make your disk more responsive, and the operating speed will increase (which will have a positive, albeit small, effect on the noise level).

To check your disk for errors and defragment it, open "My computer" ("This computer", "Computer" - depending on the Windows versions ) . Then select required disk and open it properties(see screenshot below).

By the way, defragmentation and cleaning the disk of debris can be done in auto mode, for this there is special utilities. See below for a link to the utilities I recommend.

To help!

The Best Programs to Optimize Windows -

Quite recently, I already told you about the ways in which you can... In particular, the article talked about a program that can control coolers in your system unit. But coolers are half the problem. Most users experience a lot of noise coming from their hard drive. Moreover, some hard drives are so loud that they become the main cause of computer noise.

But, in fact, there is nothing wrong with this. After all, a hard drive, also called a hard drive, is a mechanical device in which there are several rotating disks, which, in fact, make noise. Internal drives are similar to regular CDs, but they operate on a completely different principle.

Thanks to the magnetic heads inside the hard drive, information is read. During this process, the discs move and create noise. For some users, hard drives rattle, for others they crackle and even creak, then you should. The noise produced depends on the hard drive model and the stability of the computer case. If the body system unit cheap, and its walls are thin, then the noise from the hard drive will be transmitted throughout the entire case. Poorly secured parts will vibrate, creating even more noise.

To reduce the crackling noise, you can do the following:

• Replace the old noisy hard drive with a new one, having first learned about its noise level.
• Use the AAM settings to change the acoustic noise level.
• Check the sound insulation of the housing. Perhaps this is the problem and after replacing it with a new one, the computer will run quieter.
• Install the hard drive on special soundproofing pads or use a soundproofing case for the drive.
• Defragment your hard drive. But it is not a fact that this procedure will help you. And if after this the hard drive starts to work quieter, then soon the noise will return again.

Reducing hard drive crackling using AAM

Any hard drive 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 drive to operate much quieter. But this setting reduces not only the noise level, but also the speed of the hard drive as a whole.

Here you need 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 drive has dropped, but there will be no more crackling noise during operation.

In order for you to be able to start adjusting the volume of your hard drive, you need to download the “WinAAM” program. This program is completely free and it is better to download it from the official website.

The program has a Russian interface and to work, you do not need to install it. You launch it directly from the archive and configure it. Once you open the program, you will see a window with options for choosing how the program works.

You need to click the “continue” button. We don’t go into the security settings at all, since they will in no way affect the noisy work hard disk.

When you run the program, you will see that the first line will say “noise control is not active at this time.” You will need to select “Quiet/Standard (128)” to set the “quiet” AAM value. Although Since the program has a range of values ​​from 0 to 255, you need to select the “Quiet/Loud” value, since intermediate options are not displayed on the operation 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 rack your brains with choosing a value for efficient work programs.

Once the value is set, the program will close automatically. You need to run it again and click the “continue” button, and then “check”.

After the program runs, you will see a window that will contain all the information about the chaotic movement of the hard drive's read head, and you will hear how your hard drive 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 how noisy the hard drive was working with before all the settings.

By clicking on the same button, you will return everything standard settings and the hard drive will continue to operate at the same speed.

If this program will 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 operation of the hard drive is accompanied by crackling noises and various kinds of clicks, then I definitely recommend using any of the programs to make the hard drive work more quietly if the noise bothers you. Thank you for being with us!

A hard drive, also known as a “hard drive,” is an important component of any computer. It is installed not only operating system, but also important documents and files (music, video, photos) are stored. Like any other component, it wears out and breaks down over time. And the main symptom of this is the appearance of noise and humming of the hard drive. In this case, the first thing to do is to help avoid sudden breakdown.

However, this may not always be the reason. Increased noise levels also occur in new drives of some brands and models, and this is their normal operating condition.

Below we will look at several options for reducing hard drive noise: manually and programmatically.

A.A.M.

Newer HDDs support special function « Automatic Acoustic Management", with its help you can adjust the speed of movement of the read heads, thereby reducing the noise of the laptop hard drive.

Default this function is disabled, so to enable it we use a utility called “WinAAM”, it is free and very lightweight. You can find and download it on the Internet.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that after setting the quiet mode, the speed of the drive also decreases. However, this is very difficult to notice by eye.

CrystalDiskInfo

If for some reason the previous program did not suit you or did not help, the hard drive is still noisy under load and because of this, then I recommend using this utility. With its help, we will configure the AAM function more flexibly. But she has others too useful features, for example, you can view detailed HDD parameters, current status and check for errors.

So what to do:

After which the hard drive will start working with the new settings in quiet mode.

There may be several reasons why CrystalDiskInfo may appear:

• The HDD is old and the utility simply does not support it
• Physical or logical malfunction

How to diagnose the HDD was discussed at the beginning of the article.

Defragmentation

Another method that can help you if the hard drive of a laptop or computer makes a lot of noise or buzzes during operation. As mentioned above, this is due to the moving mechanical heads, or rather their speed.

To do this, we will reduce the distance they need to travel to get to the desired section of the disk and read information from it. This is done quite simply, using regular defragmentation. It will arrange clusters with information in order, reduce the distance between them, thereby increasing the speed of access to them. Simply put, it will be easier for the hard drive to read the necessary information, the load on it will decrease, and subsequently the noise and hum of the hard drive will decrease.

But you can also use the utility built into the system:

This way we will get rid of the humming and buzzing of the drive.

Manual method

If you have desktop computer, and not a laptop, you can use one of the methods suggested below.

Now you know what to do when the hard drive starts making foreign sounds during operation (noise, buzzing and humming) and you can solve this problem yourself using the methods discussed above.

Sources of noise

Unless you have built a silent system that uses passively cooled components, it will produce a certain level of noise. Hard drives and optical drives are built on rotating platters and disks, and the heads must be constantly positioned, which creates noise due to vibration. CPU and video card coolers, as well as case fans, create noise due to the rotation and movement of air. Again, vibration is also a significant source of noise as the fans spin quickly to blow air through hot components.

Noise detection

The problem with noise is that the human ear senses spectrum frequencies differently, and there are also individual perception characteristics. Therefore, your ears may not notice a certain noise that irritates me at all. Although the perception of noise is subjective, it can be objectively measured in decibels, which reflect the sound level (sound pressure) relative to some standard. Sound pressure at 0 dB corresponds to silence, and the decibel scale shows sound pressure at a particular level. The decibel scale is logarithmic, that is, a difference of 10 dB corresponds to a difference of 10 times.

Noise protection

There are two main ways to reduce noise levels. The first is that the noise source can be installed in a soundproof housing, which reduces the noise level thanks to special materials that reflect and dampen sound waves. Secondly, noise sources can be installed in such a way that they do not come into contact with other materials to which vibration from the source can be transmitted.

The first product in our review is the 3RSystem computer case, which uses a special mounting system hard drives, separating them from the body and preventing increased vibration. The second product is equipment for hard drive from GrowUp Japan.

3RSystem L-1100 T.REX case with spring-mounted HDD

The first product we chose for this article is not a specific soundproofing product. Here is a computer case that has been designed with an emphasis on sound isolation of hard drives, as well as overall noise reduction. L-1100 T.REX from the Korean company 3RSystem is a “mid-tower” ATX with dimensions of 420 x 200 x 450 mm (height, width, depth).

On the outside, the black case with a shiny front panel looks like any other mid-tower, but on the inside, everything is different. The front features four 5.25" drive bays, power and reset buttons, and four USB port 2.0, one eSATA port and one audio port. Inside the case there is an additional 3.5" compartment, a mounting rack for three 3.5" hard drives, mechanically separated from the case.

Soundproofing inside

3RSystem installed special sound-absorbing material on all large surfaces inside the T.REX case, which helped reduce the noise level of the computer as a whole. The top and bottom of the case, front and rear panels are soundproofed. The photo above shows the individual sound deadening elements - 3RSystem sent them to us separately for special demonstration. The same materials are installed into the housing during assembly at the factory. Both side panels can be removed for installation of components or service, and the remaining holes include: back panel I/O, rear 120mm fan, front 120mm fan, and power supply bay.

Sound insulation effectively reduces the noise of the case as a whole, CPU coolers and video cards are much quieter. However, we wanted to test the noise reduction from hard drives in such a case, so let's move on to them.

Spring HDD mounting system 3RSystem

The hard drive carrier can be removed from the side of the case without the need to remove or modify any other components; the stand simply slides out to the side. 3RSystem used special spring hangers that ensured the isolation of the hard drives from the case. The screws used to secure hard drives are not screwed directly into the case stand, but into a part of the spring mounting. In addition, 3RSystem has added a set of rubber gaskets that also insulate hard disks from the rack and spring mounts.

Mounting hard drives through spring mounts, rather than directly into the drive rack, eliminates the widespread passive cooling of hard drives that transfer heat to the rack. 3RSystem has added a 120mm fan at the front to keep the hard drives cool and ensure adequate ventilation. We measured the surface temperature of the test hard drive, which was 10°C higher than the Smart Drive results (see below). Smart Drive equipment reduces noise, but only uses passive cooling.

Smart Drive Neo is a very effective anti-noise device for hard drives that eliminates noise and vibration. Smart Drive Neo released Japanese company called GUP(abbreviation for "Grow Up Japan"). Here is equipment that reduces the noise of a hard drive by physically isolating it using spring fasteners, as well as placing the hard drive in a closed case. GUP calls the tool "HDD silencer". The sound insulation works very well, but at first we began to doubt the thermal characteristics of the installed hard drive. Fortunately, the product did not disappoint us; It combines noise suppression with efficient tool cooling thanks to its aluminum top panel.

Smart Drive Neo is only suitable for 3.5" hard drives because top panel Smart Drive Neo needs to touch the hard drive. When touched, reliable heat dissipation is ensured, which we tested on a 74GB 10,000 rpm WD Raptor WD740 hard drive, one of the hottest 3.5" hard drives.

Inside the Smart Drive Neo we found SATA power and data connectors, and the hard drive itself is not simply screwed to the Smart Drive hardware. GUP has developed a special spring mount that reduces vibration noise. As you can see in the photo below, the mounting mechanism is based on four springs holding two metal bridges. The hard drive must be installed on these bridges, after which the springs will dampen the vibration of the drive - it really is almost not felt when using the equipment. The spring mechanism actually serves two purposes as it not only eliminates most of the vibrations but also ensures contact with the tooling panel for better cooling.

For tests we used a Western Digital WD740 Raptor hard drive, which, as we mentioned earlier, is one of the hottest 3.5" hard drives. Although this model is already outdated, it still suits our tests quite well: if the 3RSystem case and GUP equipment can cool the drive well, then they can handle almost any other hard drive.

Noise level measurements

We measured noise levels in three different configurations.

1. Acoustic measurements of a custom WD740 Raptor hard drive. We mounted the hard drive on four pieces of Styrofoam to prevent vibration from being transferred to the test table.

2. We installed the WD740 in the middle bay of the hard drive rack of the 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX case and measured the noise from the same distance and at the same angle as in the case of a separate hard drive, but from outside the closed L-1100 case. To cool the hard drive, we used both case fans, but did not install a power supply.

3. We installed the WD740 hard drive in the Smart Drive Neo snap-in and ran the same tests as with a separate hard drive.

All noise measurements were carried out at a distance of 70 cm to the left of the hard drive, regardless of what obstacles were present: the case wall or the HDD equipment.

Temperature measurements

We measured the temperature of the drive located on the test bench, inside the 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX case and inside the equipment. First we ran the IOmeter database test, which usually loads the hard drive quite efficiently. After a period of 45 minutes we used Everest 4.6 to read the temperature sensor SMART hard disk.

As mentioned above, the temperature of the WD740 hard drive was measured using the SMART function, which displays the required values ​​in utilities such as Everest 4.6. Hard drive temperature was measured after 45 minutes of heavy hard drive I/O activity. As you can see, the GUP Smart Drive Neo does a better job of cooling the WD Raptor's 10,000 RPM hard drive, even though it's completely enclosed.

The noise level in idle mode was measured after several minutes of inactivity, but the motor spindle continued to rotate. The difference is more noticeable than the numbers indicate, as the remaining noise is noticeably lower after installing the WD740 inside either product.

The noise level during the IOMeter database test varied quite a bit. When working on an open test bench, the hard drive produced up to 55 dB, which is very noticeable. This level of noise was considered annoying by most of our engineers. After installation in the 3RSystem case, the noise level of the hard drive dropped to 42 dB, which is very close to the noise level in idle mode! It is quite clear that the spring fastening mechanism together with the soundproofing material inside the case do an excellent job. Experienced users will not even realize that the system uses a fast 10,000 rpm hard drive; subjectively, the noise level was as low as that of a laptop hard drive.

However, the GUP Smart Drive Neo equipment performed even better, reducing the noise level to 40 dB during random hard drive activity. If you install the drive in GUP's HDD Silencer, you will effectively eliminate almost all noise above the idle level. The difference between the 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX case and the GUP Smart Drive Neo HDD Silencer equipment is noticeable, but only for those users who do not want to hear the hard drive operating at all.

Conclusion

While hard drive noise hasn't been a major concern in recent years due to notable advancements and optimizations in this area, both of the products reviewed here do an excellent job of reducing hard drive noise during idle and occasional load conditions. The 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX chassis and the GUP Smart Drive Neo HDD Silencer reduce activity noise to near idle noise levels. At the same time, there is no need to worry about cooling and temperature, since both products are suitable even for high-speed hard drives at 10,000 rpm.

The Korean company 3RSystem offers the L-1100 T.REX case - a high-quality “mid-tower” for regular PCs. The case is equipped with soundproofing pads on all internal surfaces, and the hard drive rack uses spring mounts. Both solutions provide a noticeable reduction in hard drive noise. Two 120mm case fans ensure that the hard drives do not overheat.

However, the Smart Drive Neo HDD Silencer equipment from the Japanese company GUP did an even better job of reducing the noise level and cooling the WD740 we used for review. To be honest, we did not expect to get such a convincing result, since the hard drive is in a closed case, that is, there is no air circulation. However, the metal bridges with spring fastenings on which you place the hard drive not only mechanically isolate it from the Smart Drive equipment, but also guarantee strong contact between the drive and the top cover of the equipment, which acts as a radiator. But in the international market, we were able to find the Smart Drive Neo for an impressive $80, so you really have to be a fan of quiet computers.

For regular users who simply want to make sure that the computer makes no more noise than it needs to operate, it is better to look for computer cases with spring mounts or similar mechanisms that do not allow the vibration of the hard drives to be transferred to the case. Applying soundproofing material, as is done in the L-1100 T.REX case, also does not hurt.

The equipment will be most interesting for noise-sensitive users or for those who wish to minimize noise in various applications. A silent HTPC may not be fast enough, but with the Smart Drive Neo you'll get pretty close to complete silence if you build the system in a sound-isolating case like the L-1100.