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iMac Intel 27" EMC 2309 (Late 2009, Core 2 Duo 3.06 or 3.33 GHz) ID iMac10,1, EMC 2374 (Late 2009, Core i5 2.66 GHz or Core i7 2.8 GHz) ID iMac11,1

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Grumbling, Rumbling Seagate 1 TB Drive

This drive almost constantly makes grumbling, rumbling noises, as if it were reading and writing. The obvious suspect—Spotlight indexing—is not the issue. An Apple Certified technician said that the drive isn't failing. User forums have quite a number of people reporting this problem.

But given that the 27" requires that replacement drives be from the same manufacturer as the original, it seems likely that a new drive from Seagate won't be any better.

Do you have suggestions, other than asking Apple for a new machine and hoping it won't come with a Seagate drive?

Thanks.

Update: The machine is about 3-4 weeks old, and Spotlight finished indexing after the first hour. (I used Migration Assistant to bring over my data, etc, from my old machine.)

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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If spotlight is indexing the drive now, it will do the same to the new drive, so really, just let the iMac sit there for a while, it will finish indexing, and that should do the trick.

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Did this ever go away?

I just bought a new machine and it does the same..albeit very quietly,

but certainly audible.

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Afraid not. And Spotlight had nothing to do with it.

I sort of got used to it--sort of. Hope it goes well for you.

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The drive that you put in does not have to be a Seagate. It can be a WD, Samsung, Toshiba, Hitachi or anything. I would recommend Seagate or WD though as in my opinion, they are the best in the market.

In fact, any SATA drive works, I have installed a 2.5" SSD into mine!.

Anyway back on topic. You can install quieter drives such as Western Digital's AV-GP line of drives. Also you can get their GP line of desktop drives and they are much quieter. If you don't mind paying a lot, and and this is what I use (along with the SSD), its the RE4-GP, they are server grade HDDs and are secured on both ends to reduce noise and vibration.

PS: does toshiba make HDDs anymore?!

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2 Comments:

This may not be true anymore. Apple is recommending the same brand of drives due to the heat sensors. This is something new.

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Oh right, I made a question about that before, and I just left the thermal sensor unplugged (SSD has no such port). But with this news, WD and other competitors might incorporate this soon if not already. Another way to get around the thermal sensor is by shorting it, and the computer will think its a normal temp (48C) but if you leave it unplugged, it registers as 128C

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Thank you for your answers and any future ones.

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Sorry Arnie, I forgot to ask you if the sounds ever decreased in

intensity over the time you have had the unit.

Thanks.

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Arnie Keller will be eternally grateful.
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