WD SE16 Caviar 640GB HDD

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junlee
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My WD6400AAKS is overheating.

Post by junlee » Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:25 am

Just bought this, my model is WD6400AAKS-75A7B0. Power it on and left it on to idle overnite in open air (no case) - not initialized or partitioned.

Its not doing anything but SMART reports the temperature is around 51°C/123°F!

May I ask what SMART reports about your WD640 temperature? Everywhere I see says its designed to be a cool drive.

Have I got a lemon?

MikeC
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Post by MikeC » Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:33 am

The temp you're seeing is typical / normal for almost any drive in open air like that. There's no airflow around it. Try it with any other drives. It'll run easily 10C cooler mounted normally in a typical case because it's usually in the intake airflow path, and it's screwed to the chassis, giving the benefit of cooling by conduction.

bsoft
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Post by bsoft » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:24 pm

I love my WD6400AAKS, but the seeks are pretty clearly audible. Nearly notebook-drive audible, but audible none the less.

AAM didn't seem to help much.

Tez
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Post by Tez » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:33 am

bsoft wrote:I love my WD6400AAKS, but the seeks are pretty clearly audible. Nearly notebook-drive audible, but audible none the less.

AAM didn't seem to help much.
Sounds like you got a bad sample. Like you I could hear seeks with AAM disabled but with it on I cannot hear them at all in a very quiet system.

Raymond
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Post by Raymond » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:28 am

I'm considering this drive or the samsung F1 750GB/1TB. This will be the "data" disk in my system and it will have torrents being downloaded to it almost constantly. This means a lot of seek activity.

Any opinion on which drive will be the quietest with respect to seek noise? The information in the topics and in the review is a little conflicting. When I listen to the MP3's, the WD with active AAM is the quietest when seeking, while in this topic and in the conclusion of the review it's claimed that the samsung are the quietest.

Nick Geraedts
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Post by Nick Geraedts » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:01 am

I have two of the WD6400AAKS hard mounted in my system. The seek noises are minimal at best, especially when you consider that the case is on a carpeted floor and under a desk.

If you were to suspend the WD6400AAKS and increase the AAM to maximum, you should really not notice the seeks at all. Furthermore, most modern torrent clients allow you to set a buffer amount, meaning that the frequency of seeks is greatly reduced.

dhanson865
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Re: My WD6400AAKS is overheating.

Post by dhanson865 » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:38 pm

junlee wrote:Just bought this, my model is WD6400AAKS-75A7B0.

Have I got a lemon?
No, but you did get a different drive than what SPCR reviewed.

Note the text in ( ) is me slightly rephrasing the WD response to make it less confusing. I'm also combining two separate emails from one WD rep into this one quote.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=426132#426132 wrote: Thank you for contacting Western Digital Customer Service and Support.

The -00 is a retail or generic drive, while the -22 and -75 are (drives we made for specific OEMs).

I am sorry, but regardless of the dash number the performance should be similar. Also, we have a lot more then two OEMs (as customers that we sell to), I am only speaking to the (specific) numbers you provided.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Don S.
Western Digital Service and Support
Of course in enthusiast terms these drives are not performing similar. Some are louder, some are slower, some run hotter.

Essentially the retail drive should have similar performance numbers from drive to drive but if you get a drive with a part number other than WD6400AAKS-00A7B0 your power draw/heat, noise, and access times may vary.

So who are these OEMs that are selling WD6400AAKS-xx where xx isn't 00? I'd assume they are one of these companies:

HP/Compaq
Dell
Lenovo
Acer
Toshiba

Hopefully I didn't forget any of the major players

I'm assuming one of them might for example ask for a version with lower cost and higher speed or maybe ask for a version with lower cost and lower noise or even a version with more reliability and faster speed and be willing to pay more.

The problem is I can't get the average online retailer to tell me the full part number and I can't get WD to tell me if my part number is better or worse in each of the possible ways it might be modified. So it's like playing the lottery. I buy a WDxx00KS-xx ticket and hope I've won.

Its worse with WD3200KS-xx because you might get an older 2x160GB platter drive or you might get the newer 1x320GB platter drive. At least with the WD6400KS-xx you get a 2x320GB platter drive no matter what.

Either way it doesn't make me as a consumer any happier about the purchase process.

aSASa
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Post by aSASa » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:49 pm

From another thread I said this in,

dhanson: WD Quote: "Different OEM manufactures have different requirements then a standard (retail) type drive which is why we put a number to the backend of the model number."

Whats so special in that?

Different OEM manufactures.

Meaning, WD doesn't manufacture all the drives.

The response is from an e-mail I sent them specifically about these different models.

dhanson865
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Post by dhanson865 » Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:13 pm

aSASa wrote:From another thread I said this in,

dhanson: WD Quote: "Different OEM manufactures have different requirements then a standard (retail) type drive which is why we put a number to the backend of the model number."

Whats so special in that?

Different OEM manufactures.

Meaning, WD doesn't manufacture all the drives.

The response is from an e-mail I sent them specifically about these different models.
I think you are confusing ODM with OEM or just confusing Western Digital's relationship in the chain.

Dell is an OEM, they don't make hard drives they buy them.

Western Digital is an ODM they make hard drives and sell them.

I think you seriously need to look at the wording of my entire post and the rewording of the western digital response and see that I'm saying the opposite of what you are saying.

If you really think WD doesn't make their own hard drives tell me the name of a company that sells hard drives to WD?

aSASa
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Post by aSASa » Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:37 pm

You're not understanding me. I'm thinking of its as a EVGA/XFX/Saphire/Diamond etc to Ati/Nvidia sort of things. WD tells these other manufacturers what to make, and they make it and sell it to WD. Maybe its just different factories.

dhanson865
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Post by dhanson865 » Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:48 pm

aSASa wrote:You're not understanding me. I'm thinking of its as a EVGA/XFX/Saphire/Diamond etc to Ati/Nvidia sort of things. WD tells these other manufacturers what to make, and they make it and sell it to WD. Maybe its just different factories.
No I fully understand what you are saying, I'm just disagreeing with you.

Video cards definitely have a lot of faces on the same core product. Power Supplies see the same sort of rebranding. I'm saying that hard drives aren't made that way or sold that way.

Further I'm saying you assumed the OEM was the one who makes the drive.

I'm then going on to say that the OEM is the one buying the drive. The OEM being Dell or another company like them that sell PCs as a whole.

Western digital is not buying hard drives from anyone else that I know of.

PC manufacturers do buy drives from Western Digital. It is this relationship that your response from WD was referring to when they said non 00 values of xx mean the drive is related to an OEM.

You thought the relation was to the manufacturer. I'm saying the OEM is the buyer not the seller in that transaction.

aSASa
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Post by aSASa » Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:58 pm

dhanson865 wrote:
aSASa wrote:You're not understanding me. I'm thinking of its as a EVGA/XFX/Saphire/Diamond etc to Ati/Nvidia sort of things. WD tells these other manufacturers what to make, and they make it and sell it to WD. Maybe its just different factories.
No I fully understand what you are saying, I'm just disagreeing with you.

Video cards definitely have a lot of faces on the same core product. Power Supplies see the same sort of rebranding. I'm saying that hard drives aren't made that way or sold that way.

Further I'm saying you assumed the OEM was the one who makes the drive.

I'm then going on to say that the OEM is the one buying the drive. The OEM being Dell or another company like them that sell PCs as a whole.

Western digital is not buying hard drives from anyone else that I know of.

PC manufacturers do buy drives from Western Digital. It is this relationship that your response from WD was referring to when they said non 00 values of xx mean the drive is related to an OEM.

You thought the relation was to the manufacturer. I'm saying the OEM is the buyer not the seller in that transaction.
Ohh, gotcha. Sorry. Still a tad confusing in one way though: How are the "Dell/HP/Etc" drives making it to newegg and other internet sites? What do they mean by the OEM people have different requirements?

psyopper
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Post by psyopper » Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:14 pm

aSASa wrote: Ohh, gotcha. Sorry. Still a tad confusing in one way though: How are the "Dell/HP/Etc" drives making it to newegg and other internet sites? What do they mean by the OEM people have different requirements?
1. Dell orders, say, 1000 drives with certian specifications (a little faster, hotter is OK please).

2. WD makes 1250 drives with this specification with a planned failure rate.

4, WD tests their 1250 drives and 1200 pass.

5. 1000 drives ship to Dell

6. The 200 remaining drives go to the next retailer order as OEM drives with a part number that reflects the original order/specification.

aSASa
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Post by aSASa » Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:37 pm

Thanks for explaining. Gotta wonder what WD is changing on those drives though :/. AKA, how would they make it a tad faster? Simply spin 5% faster, in return making it 5% faster and 5% hotter? Doubt that. More cache? Na.. hmm.. so many questions ;).

rpsgc
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Post by rpsgc » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:43 am

-00, -25 and -75 drives? Mine is a -65 :shock:

dhanson865
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Post by dhanson865 » Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:50 am

aSASa wrote:Thanks for explaining. Gotta wonder what WD is changing on those drives though :/. AKA, how would they make it a tad faster? Simply spin 5% faster, in return making it 5% faster and 5% hotter? Doubt that. More cache? Na.. hmm.. so many questions ;).
I honestly don't know what they are changing but I can make some guesses\

1. AAM settings and other firmware settings that affect speed and sound. A drive can be tuned to be better for server use, single user use, RAID use etc by changing the firmware.

2. Those bottom rib designs. less ribs make it cheaper but louder.

3. The amount of spare sectors (Say one company says they'd be willing to lose another 500MB in usable space to have less returns to failed drives)

4. nothing. As in they don't make the drive any differently but they mark what OEM bought it by the -xx number and use that for tracking warranty policies.

dhanson865
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Post by dhanson865 » Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:51 am

rpsgc wrote:-00, -25 and -75 drives? Mine is a -65 :shock:
Well the WD rep did imply that there were other models, he only responded to the specific models he was asked about.

dhanson865
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Post by dhanson865 » Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:54 am

psyopper wrote:
aSASa wrote: Ohh, gotcha. Sorry. Still a tad confusing in one way though: How are the "Dell/HP/Etc" drives making it to newegg and other internet sites? What do they mean by the OEM people have different requirements?
1. Dell orders, say, 1000 drives with certian specifications (a little faster, hotter is OK please).

2. WD makes 1250 drives with this specification with a planned failure rate.

4, WD tests their 1250 drives and 1200 pass.

5. 1000 drives ship to Dell

6. The 200 remaining drives go to the next retailer order as OEM drives with a part number that reflects the original order/specification.
Or dell orders all 1200 to get a better volume discount and later decides to sell 200 off to another retailer just to dump them and maybe make a slight profit or slight loss on the extra drives.

Lt_Dan
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Post by Lt_Dan » Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:15 am

i bought a 6400AAKS in the past - it broke somehow.
got it replaced.
now i notice - the sticker on it is different then before (and also different then the one posted in the review) - it is blue and has Caviar blue written on it.
not sure about the noise character so far.
what are the differences (if at all)?

also, AAM only activates artificially (using programs like HDtune etc.)?
if not, at what conditions does it start?
is it worth updating the firmware now? does it erase the data on the drive?

donpipo
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Post by donpipo » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:30 am

Hi guys,

I'd like to share some experience with about 640 GB Caviar Blue I own.
I've bought a WD6400AAKS-00A7B0 based on SPCR review and other reviews greatly approving this drive for both its perfomance and low noise.
I have been fairly pleased, until I bought another one (based on my good experience with the first one).
Today I've got my first 640GB replaced in advance by WD: new drive is another "B2".

Image Image

The first one I've got carry the revision -00A7B0 and was made in Malaysia.
Both new drives carry the new revision number -00A7B2 and are made in Maylasia, and made in Thailand for the replacement by WD.
In this order on above pictures.

-00A7B0:
This drive confirms the review. It is close to silent.
Seeks are almost inaudible, sounding muffled.
Case closed it's discreet if not unnoticeable.
I've had only one but now it's broken, on its way back to WD...
Image Image

-00A7B2 Malaysia:
Visually identical to "B0", only PCB differs, upper casing is engraved P20.
Compared with the abovementioned, idle noise seems louder, same motor hum but with higher pitched added noise.
Seeks are rather sharp and "clicky" sounding much metallic and intrusive.
I can hear it clearly case closed. :x
Image Image

-00A7B2 Thailand:
This drive carries a different motor (same as pictured in review?) and vibrates a lot, much much than other ones.
Bottom casing shows also minor difference. Same PCB as "B2". same upper casing as "B0" (engraved A1).
Once suspended, idle noise seems on par with "B2" from Malaysia.
Seeks are sharper than "B0" but not "clicky" sounding as previous "B2".
Case closed it's still audible but discreet.
I'm much happier with this "B2" but still regretting the pleasant "B0".
Image Image

All impressions given drives hold in hand and elastic-suspended in case.

Based on only 3 samples I own, -00A7B2 drives cannot be directly compared to -00A7B0, each drive exhibiting different noise character.
My assumption:
Upper casing *can* be a clue.
Manufacturing plant *can* be a clue?

I've found the "B2" immediately noisier than the first WD6400AAKS I've had, making me regret it, and that's the purpose of this post!

Perhaps I've got two lemons! :shock:

Hope this helps!

Cheers,
Alex.

Post edited according to MikeC Comment!
Some details added, impressions, pictures and numbers...
Last edited by donpipo on Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:16 pm, edited 7 times in total.

MikeC
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Post by MikeC » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:16 am

donpipo --

Your info is interesting but useless as you haven't indicated which sound goes with which version. It seems like you're saying the 00A7B2 made in Thailand are worse? Please clarify.

Also, a sampling of 3 is not conclusive in any way. The possibilities:
1. the revision itself may reflect the sound quality
2. the production batch may reflect the sound quality
3. you got two lemons

I sincerely doubt it's a case of Malaysia vs Thailand. The production facilities, HDD components, etc are all controlled by WD. If there is a qualitative difference, it has nothing to do with the country of mfg; I suppose it could be differences in the plant of mfg.

donpipo
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Post by donpipo » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:46 pm

Sorry, after re-reading, it's clear that I wasn't clear! I've edited my post.

Yes, three samples aren't able to allow direct conclusion.
I'll take numbers and pictures of the drives and add them to my post later.

As this drive has become very popular, I'm sure there'll be someone else to share his experience with this drive and revisions!

donpipo
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Post by donpipo » Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:14 pm

Details added, feelings corrected :)

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