If you're hearing strange noises coming from your WD100EFAX 10TB drives (Western Digital Red), it's understandable to be concerned. Hard drives are mechanical devices, and while some noise is normal, unusual or loud sounds can indicate a problem—especially on a drive containing important data.
Here’s overview of what might be happening, what’s normal, and what you should do:
Strange Noises from WD100EFAX 10TB Drives: What You Need to Know
The WD100EFAX is a 10TB WD Red NAS hard drive, commonly used in home or small business NAS systems. These drives are designed for 24/7 operation and offer reliability for RAID environments. However, when a drive starts making odd or unexpected noises, it can be a warning sign—or just part of normal operation, depending on the type of sound.
Normal Sounds vs. Problematic Noises
✅ Normal sounds include:
Spinning-up “whirring” noise at startup
Clicking during access: A faint rhythmic clicking is normal when the drive seeks data.
Vibration or hum: Especially when installed in a multi-drive NAS or an enclosure, some vibration is expected.
WD Reds often have a lower spin speed (usually 5400 RPM), and they tend to run quietly compared to enterprise drives—but some operational noise is still expected.
🚨 Unusual or alarming noises:
Loud or repeated clicking (often called the “click of death”): This can indicate the heads are struggling to find or read sectors.
Grinding or scraping: Suggests mechanical failure, such as head crash or spindle issues.
Beeping or high-pitched squeals: Often caused by power supply issues or mechanical problems (e.g., the heads not parking correctly).
Buzzing or “chirping” sounds: Sometimes related to firmware or power instability.
If the noise is new, getting worse, or accompanied by performance issues, it should not be ignored.
Common Causes of Strange Noises
Impending Drive Failure
A drive making persistent clicking or grinding sounds might be failing. Back up the data immediately and run diagnostic tools (like WD Data Lifeguard or SMART checks).
Power Supply Issues
Drives may emit beeping or clicking sounds if they're not receiving stable power—common in USB enclosures with weak adapters or overloaded NAS systems.
Vibration or Resonance
Multiple drives installed close together (especially in a metal chassis) can cause “harmonic resonance” or increased vibration, making drives seem louder or more erratic.
Firmware or Compatibility Issues
Some NAS or enclosure controllers don’t handle certain drive models well, leading to noise or access issues. Make sure firmware (both drive and NAS) is up to date.
What Should You Do?
Back up your data immediately. Strange noises are often a prelude to drive failure.
Run diagnostics. Use WD’s tools to check SMART status or run an extended test.
Listen closely. Is the sound regular (every few seconds), or constant? Is it worse under load?
Try a different environment. If the drive is in a USB enclosure, try moving it to a different one or connecting it internally to rule out the case or power adapter.
Contact WD support if the drive is under warranty and diagnostics suggest failure.
Conclusion
The WD100EFAX is generally a quiet, reliable drive, but strange or new noises should never be ignored. If you’re hearing loud clicking, grinding, or other mechanical noises, treat it as a warning. While some operational sounds are normal, anything out of the ordinary should prompt you to back up your data and run diagnostics immediately. Catching problems early could save you a lot of data loss and downtime.
Let me know what kind of noise you're hearing—if you can describe it more specifically, I can help narrow it down.