Western Digital Purple Drive "Preventative Wear Levelling" thumping sound

[Schrodinger's Cat]

I just installed a brand new 18TB WD Purple drive in my Blue Iris PC, and it's somewhat noisy. The noise is a mechanical thump or something between a thump and a click that happens every 3-10 seconds (the drive is writing nonstop 24 hours a day 6 camera feeds direct-to-disk). I believe this might be the "preventative wear leveling" sound I hear discussed with disdain around various forums and YT videos.

The thing that's concerning me is the previous drive that I swapped out, a 4TB WD Purple manufactured in March 2020, never made this sound in its 4 year career of non-stop recording. I haven't been able to find info about when this may have started or what products in the lineup had it back in 2020.

Does anybody know if maybe the smaller drives didn't do this? Or maybe the older drives didn't do it if it's a newer feature?

I'm still within the return window and would like to make sure I didn't get a dud before that clock runs out.

Thanks.

 

[ludshed]

I’ve been outdated in the IT world but in my time if ever heard a clicking noise from a hard drive I would back it up as quickly as possible.

 

[tigerwillow1]

I have a 10TB WD drive that constantly does seeks on its own, making a clicking noise. Was that way from new, and has been running for a couple of years now.

 

[samplenhold]

Is this what it sounds like?

 

[bigredfish]

Many WD purple drives from 2 to 8 TB and never experienced that.

 

[tigerwillow1]

Is this what it sounds like?

Hard to say. My NVR isn't easily accessible to listen now. As I remember mine sounds more like a click than what's in the video, but the interval between the noises is about the same. I'd describe the noises in the video as swish and thump.

 

[Schrodinger's Cat]

Is this what it sounds like?

Yes, pretty much. It's definitely not something I'd call a click. More like a thud or quick mini thump, as tigerwillow1 described.

I'm also starting to read that PWL clicking only happens at idle. Well my drive is never at idle it's writing 24/7, so that doesn't add up and the jury is still out on why I never heard it with the 4TB. I might just exchange this one to be safe while I still can.

 

[Teken]

Yes, pretty much. It's definitely not something I'd call a click. More like a thud or quick mini thump, as tigerwillow1 described.

I'm also starting to read that PWL clicking only happens at idle. Well my drive is never at idle it's writing 24/7, so that doesn't add up and the jury is still out on why I never heard it with the 4TB. I might just exchange this one to be safe while I still can.

Just some quick feedback and suggestions. Review the system events in Windows for bad sectors or re-allocations. Almost every HDD / SSD / NVMe drive incorporates some kind of SMART diagnostic information that can be obtained using the command line.

Better yet download a free copy of Crystal Disk Info or any diagnostic software free / paid.

It will tell you with 100% accuracy and facts about the current state and health of the target drive.

SMART detection and monitoring using third party monitoring software is paramount to use and deploy. As you’ll be made aware and informed about pending issues.

Lastly, it goes without saying reading reviews about a particular drive is important. As you’ll learn (IF) such a drive is noisy by default vs it’s showing problems that will impact you later down the line.

 

[Gimmons]

…and then return it.