Modern Western Digital WD2500JB 250GB drive...quiet?

[Illah]

I know that WD drives are known to be loud (I own several) but, noise issues aside, I feel they're the best and most reliable drives hands down. Not only that, but I have found a really good price on a 250GB drive. I need lots of storage for video work.

So, my question is are the modern WD's quieter than the older versions? One of my WD's is quiet enough, the other is stupidly loud. The WD site claims 28db idle (I don't care so much about seek noise) and I already have custom enclosures which should take that down quite a bit. Assuming my enclosures can drop acoustic noise by 6dB, at 22dB that's pretty quiet...but we all know how the reported 28dB may not actually be 28dB

Thanks!

--Illah

[halcyon]

Much discussed. Use the search. In short: opinions vary, although some think year 2005 models from Caviar SE line are reasonably quiet.

[Shining Arcanine]

I know that WD drives are known to be loud (I own several) but, noise issues aside, I feel they're the best and most reliable drives hands down. Not only that, but I have found a really good price on a 250GB drive. I need lots of storage for video work.

So, my question is are the modern WD's quieter than the older versions? One of my WD's is quiet enough, the other is stupidly loud. The WD site claims 28db idle (I don't care so much about seek noise) and I already have custom enclosures which should take that down quite a bit. Assuming my enclosures can drop acoustic noise by 6dB, at 22dB that's pretty quiet...but we all know how the reported 28dB may not actually be 28dB

Thanks!

--Illah

I have a Western Digital 320GB Caviar Hard drive and it is very quiet. If your 250GB hard drive is made as of this year you should have one of the quietest drives on the market.

[Edward Ng]

From what I can tell, the, "blacktop," Caviars are the new FDB models. If I'm wrong here, somebody call me out.

[m0002a]

From what I can tell, the, "blacktop," Caviars are the new FDB models. If I'm wrong here, somebody call me out.

I don't really know, but even with the retail packaging, you can see the manufacturing date on the drive label through the clear plastic package.

[Illah]

So what if the drive was made Nov 2004? From my reading this is before the whisperdrive, but are these as loud as those made a couple years ago?

--Illah

[m0002a]

So what if the drive was made Nov 2004? From my reading this is before the whisperdrive, but are these as loud as those made a couple years ago?

I don't think there is any specific date for all WD drives. It depends on which drive (the 320 GB switched to FDB first and then others a bit later). The conversion to FDB was supposedly completed by about Jan 2005 for all WD drives

[Coolin]

From what I can tell, the, "blacktop," Caviars are the new FDB models. If I'm wrong here, somebody call me out.

My blacktop 250GB Western Digital is horrible. So horrible that I ripped it out and have it sitting on my desk instead of trying to do something futile like suspending it. (This one was purchased late December 2004, perhaps the new ones are better, but it's pretty risky. Depends if the store has cleared out their old stock yet.)

[m0002a]

My blacktop 250GB Western Digital is horrible. So horrible that I ripped it out and have it sitting on my desk instead of trying to do something futile like suspending it. (This one was purchased late December 2004, perhaps the new ones are better, but it's pretty risky. Depends if the store has cleared out their old stock yet.)

I would contact WD support and report it as a problem, and see if you can get a replacement drive.

[Shining Arcanine]

So what if the drive was made Nov 2004? From my reading this is before the whisperdrive, but are these as loud as those made a couple years ago?

--Illah

In early 2004 Western Digital was supposed to have switched hard drive production over to FDB motors so no, it shouldn't be as loud but I wouldn't expect it to be as quiet as the new Caviars either.

[Illah]

I stopped being cheap and just went to the local shop and checked some drives out. I got a new WD SE 250GB model made in Feb 05 and it is QUIET. It's quieter than my fans at 7V.

--Illah