HD bay buzzing/rumbling noise
I got a 24 inch model with stock 360 western digital HD. Periodically when I wake the system I periodically get this buzzing/rumbling noise coming from the back centre (where the HD and HD fan are located). I can't fully pin down the pattern of it's occurrence but here are a few things I have noticed.
-It usually clears up around 15 minutes of the computer running
-If I hold the case and apply gentle upward pressure against the case the noise goes away, when I let go the noise will usually come back. The noise seems related to the hinge where the foot is connected to the computer.
-I can get this noise to appear when I hold the case and pull the left (my left from the front) hand side towards me while the monitor is at a moderate viewing angle (a position between 90 degrees and being tilted fully upwards).
-I deliberately waited for the HD to spin down. Then tried the trick above, the noise did not reappear. The noise seems to be caused by the HD and not the HD fan.
Conclusion:
The noise is caused by the HD bay and is related to the hinge between the foot and computer. I can only conclude there is something loose causing vibration.
My question to you is: is anyone familiar with this problem? For time reasons I can't deal with this immediately for a couple of months. Can I let this problem slide for the time being or is there a higher risk that the HD might fail? Also, would there be any ideas on how long this would take to repair under applecare?