Hi, I have purchased a second hand MAXTOR STM3320820AS SATA 300 8MB buffer...
The thing I am concerned about is the level of noise coming from the drive during reading and writing ops..
The drive sounds more like a typewriter than a HDD.
The drive is clearly audible outside the case over any noise emitted by the 9800 gt gpu fan, cpu fan and cooling fans.
the problem is this system is for sale as an entry level gaming machine and I do not want to sell anything which is sub-standard or not genuinely in good condition.
I have a fair amount of experience across most areas of PC building and repairs but I have never had a potential problem with an actual HDD before that relates to noise, so I need a stronger opinion from some one who has a more solid background in HDD mechanics.
My initial interpretation would be the heads are out of alignment or worn or etc etc etc but really I would only be guessing.
I always end up using Seagate drives, of which none make any significant noise and are pretty silent.
Maybe Maxtor drives are renowned for being exceptionally noisy??
the drive is loud enough to be disturbing and anyone who bought the system would unavoidably notice it immediately and query it with me.
If it's normal for a Maxtor drive, that's fine, I will tell them that is the case.
If it's a sign that the drive is excessively worn and poses any sort of question as to the reliability of the drive in the short/medium term then I will have to ask for a refund and return the drive...
Thanks for your help.