SSD

I put an SSD in mine. Silent, and no vibration.

G-Shock conflict

You'd think that getting the model with the additional 'G-Shock' protection technology would be an upgrade/improvement... It potentially would be if Apple didn't already have anti-shock protection built into their Macbooks. For whatever reason, this issue didn't present with the Momentus 7200.2 models, I don't know on the 7200.3 models, but in testing - definite issues with the 7200.4s that have the optional G-Shock feature.

The conflict seems to result in the drive spinning down/parking and restarting in a much higher frequency than normal. The spin up can make a kind of low tone squeal that might sound like the beep that's being reported - I am not aware of us noting any actual tonal beep. In any event - in addition to impacting performance while waiting for the drive to complete this unnecessary cycle in the middle of activity, it also inflicts substantial wear and tear on the drive - start/stop cycles are one of the hardest wear and tear actions on a drive and excess start/stop leads to drive failure.

We had initially listed the ST9500420ASG model with the G-Shock feature in addition to the standard ST9500420AS version, but before any orders shipped testing had concluded and we pulled the product (with respect to our primary customer audience) and notified customers as to why this is not the right drive for a MacBook/MacBook Pro.

If you have a PC laptop that doesn't have what Apple built in standard for anti-shock, this accomplishes effectively the same thing via the drive.

ST9500420ASG

I had a ST9500420ASG put in my MacBook Pro 17” 2.6 GHz over 2 months ago and haven’t noticed any problems...

CVB

Captain Obvious

"This issue could possibly affect users editing video, or those whose computer use requires sequential reading and writing."

Duh! Which would be everybody.

Its Obvious Seagate sucks

I rather spend more money and buy a Solid State Drive then use a Seagate or at least try to use Western Digital!

no problems here

no problems on this hitachi.
have the hitachi 7200 300GB drive. came standard option on a machine bought december '08.
model number: Hitachi HTS723232L9SA62
no problems.

Re: capt obvious

How is that everyone? Most people's work with computers is probably with random reads and writes, not large sequential ones.

On another news story

MacBook Pros report problems with owners.

From what I see at an AppleStore anymore it has become a giant waiting room for the Genius Bar, not because there are problems with the computer, but because all these people that jumped on the bandwagon have no clue what they are doing.

ST9500420ASG

Installed this drive (ST9500420ASG 500GB 7200) in my 2007 2.4GHz 15" MacBook Pro about two months ago. No noises or problems so far...
Fast and quiet.

I definitively have it...

I have a MBP 2009, 15'' with the 500G 7200 rpm drive, and I get a lot of those chirp and beeps, and system hiccup.
Apple is unresponsive to that, to say the meast, very disapointed for a 3000$ laptop (and my first mac)

I definitively have it

I have a MBP 2009, 15'' with the 500G 7200 rpm drive, and I get a lot of those chirp and beeps, and system hiccup.
Apple is unresponsive to that, to say the least, very disappointed for a 3000$ laptop (and my first mac)

disabling sms works

just disabling apples shock protection works perfect for me.
i even created a raid 0 in with 2 seagages

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1934

OWC

but in testing - definite issues with the 7200.4s that have the optional G-Shock feature.

OWC

If it’s “definite” then why I have I definitely experienced no problems? As mentioned earlier, I had upgraded to this drive (ST9500420ASG) over 2 months ago on a MacBook Pro 2.6GHz (2008). If one reads through the Apple Forums most now claim that it’s only the Seagate Apple OEM drives (ST9500420ASG) - not Seagate Generic Drives... OWC which drives did you test?

CVB

Not New

Ok, this is interesting, because I have a first-gen MBP 17" that I ordered with the BTO 100GB 7200RPM drive. The drive that came in it was a Seagate ST910021AS.

And I've been noting what sounds an awful lot like this problem from day one; a very soft little "ker-chick-plink" that sounds like the drive parking and unparking its heads (not spinning down) that corresponds to a ~0.5-1 second hiccup in the UI or playing video.

I never bothered to have Apple look at it since I don't do much in the way of heavy stream-based data, and the few times I have done video capture it hasn't happened (in fact, in my case, it doesn't seem to happen once a major transfer is underway).

I'd always wondered if it was some sort of issue specific to Seagate drives (though I note this is with the computer sitting flat on a table). Maybe so, though disabling the SMS as per the linked KBase document didn't help.

7200 RPM too hot

I know a director at Seagate that insists that you should never put a 7200 RPM drive in any laptop because they simply run too hot and the risk of damage to the drive or other components is too high. How this applies to mystery sounds and system hiccups I don't know; but, as Clint Eastwood once said in a movie, "A man's got to know his limitations." And a user has to know the limitations of his tools as well.

SG 7200 not worth it

I recently upgraded my MBP hard drive to a 500 GB Seagate 7200 RPM drive (without the G-shock protection) and its not worth the extra $35.00. Get the WD Scorpio Blue 500 GB. Its cooler, quieter, less vibration, more reliable, and has more consistent performance all around.

Hitachi 300 GB 5400 rpm

I have a Mac Book Pro 13 inch with an Hitachi 300 GB 5400 rpm HDD. I am having this same issue. Today I took it to the Apple Genius Bar and after they ran basic HDD diagnosis they said they know of no issues and I should simply back up often wait till it dies and bring it back! This is my first MAC and this disappointments me tremendously!

Hitachi 5400 rpm 300 GB

I have a Mac Book Pro 13 inch with an Hitachi 300 GB 5400 rpm HDD. I am having this same issue. Today I took it to the Apple Genius Bar and after they ran basic HDD diagnosis they said they know of no issues and I should simply back up often wait till it dies and bring it back! This is my first MAC and this disappointments me tremendously!

Hitachi 5400 rpm 300 GB

I have a Mac Book Pro 13 inch with an Hitachi 300 GB 5400 rpm HDD. I am having this same issue. Today I took it to the Apple Genius Bar and after they ran basic HDD diagnosis they said they know of no issues and I should simply back up often wait till it dies and bring it back! This is my first MAC and this disappointments me tremendously!

It's True

I bought a new Mac Book Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 500 GB HD, 4 GB RAM, 6 days ago and was simply loving it until I heard this continuous chirp (cricket-like, and annoying!). This is not a myth or rumor. It happens about 3 per minute. I called Apple and they told me that they know about this issue and that they don't have a solution yet. I was given the option to exchange it at the store where I made my purchase. I got a new one, and as I was setting it up, the chirp manifested itself again! Big disappointment! My first Mac, too. It is just too distracting since I work in quiet environments and do voice recordings.