Hard drive scratching noise occasionally - should I be concerned?

Hello. So I've just bought my new MacBook Pro 13inch (2011 with an i5).

Just a bit of a concern I guess. Whenever I set the laptop down, then pick it up (at an average pace), or set me right arm down onto the laptop to start typing with a tiny bit of force, I get hear a noise for a second that sound likes the needle of the HDD scratching the disc. I'm a bit concerned, because it's happening often enough. I'm not being forceful or anything with it, just simply picking it up and using it on my lap.

Anyone else getting this? Over a few months time (if this noise I'm hearing is actually doing damage) this could pose issues. If the laptop cannot be moved about on a day to day basis without destroying its HDD by scratching it then I don't know what I'm going to do.

Please don't flame me as if I'm some lad throwing his laptop around. That I am not and I am being very gently with it since I first heard this noise. I only bought it two days ago.

 

Could it be the normal clicking noise a MBP drive makes when momentarily parking the heads if the motion sensor is triggered?

I mean, I don't know what noise a head makes when touching a platter, but in theory a properly operating MBP should park the heads long before a jostling would have the heads impacting or scratching the platters.

It doesn't take much movement for the head parking to take place.

 

The noise only happens when moving the laptop. So for example, if I now suddenly moved it into the air and back to my lap again quite promptly it makes the noise. It sounds exactly like a CD drive with a CD in it that is being rattled about a big. The needle hits the CD: same sound.

Maybe I'm over-reacting a bit. Just sorta phased me, seems a little too delicate I guess. Can't image what it could be doing to the HDD over a length of time. I'm guessing its because the HDD sits so close to my right hand, hence why there isn't a gap between the two. Still, anyone else have a similar issue?

 

Sounds to me like the free-fall sensor is kicking in and parking your HD to keep it from getting damaged.

I would not recommend doing this on purpose (as I would assume damage could occur over time) but should not be something to worry about.

I may be wrong ( I do not know your exact model of HD) but is the most likely culprit.

D.

 

I have never heard the heads moving on the patters. They are so smooth and quiet your not going to hear them. You are probably hearing the heads park due to the motion detector as previously stated. Noting to be concern about.

 

Ok. I'll take your word for it No harm being too cautious.

I don't know much about the internal structure of HDD's, but do all/most internal HDD's come with these motion detectors? Or is it a Mac specific feature? I was thinking of maybe replacing the drive with a larger one in future.

 

The manufacturers put the motion detectors in not Mac. So whether is it Seagate, Western, Hitachi, Toshiba, or whoever I left off, they all have it. It's there to protect the disc.