It's like being a Lovecraft character

August 8, 2011 5:40 PM

My Apple Time Capsule makes noise; it always has but now it's become an issue. It's 5 months out of warranty and I'm looking for options before I trek down to the Genius Bar and beg for help.

TL;DR It makes a distinctive hissy/screamy-whisper noise that's eroding my sanity and I'd like to make it stop.

It's a refurbished 1TB dual-band unit purchased online from Apple in April of 2010 (model FB765LL/A) and it's worked flawlessly except for The Noise. To me it sounds like drive noise but what do I know?
It has always made The Noise but I've started spending a lot more time at home and it's started to drive me insane.
There are 2 laptops that write backups to it once a day, one of them (mine) is online most of the day, the other one only in the mornings and evenings.
There are a few USB peripherals attached to it, but I've tried removing them and nothing changes. I've also tried changing where it lives so it has different ventilation to no avail.
It has never crashed or sent an error message.

(My spouse hears it too but it doesn't bother her).

Any thoughts?

posted by dolface to computers & internet (4 answers total)

I don't think there's anything in a Time Capsule that could make noise other than the hard disk.

I don't like it when a hard disk that is not supposed to make noise makes noise. I take that as a sign of unreliability.

I don't know how hard it is to replace the hard disk in a Time Capsule. You could do it yourself, or take the thing to the Genius Bar. But if you're relying on this for your backup, I wouldn't trust a device with a whine.
posted by alms at 7:15 PM on August 8, 2011

To me it sounds like drive noise but what do I know?

If it sounds like drive noise, or alternatively the drive motor failing (Sorry, no sounds) generally that requires a replacement of the drive. Drive replacement isn't that tough, the GB shouldn't charge you much at all. I have no idea if they have rates on that.

A fan failing or an electrical problem usually sounds different. Can be higher pitched, sometimes results in the unit itself being overly warm or hot to the touch. That you probably can't fix by yourself.

From my own experience, due to the way the TM app itself handles backups ends up shortening your drive's life. However, that is just anecdotal, and YMMV. If you can't trust your backups, what can you trust?
posted by Sphinx at 7:17 PM on August 8, 2011

Your drive is for-sure dying. You gotta replace it asap.

Good news: this is super easy. I've replaced my TC drive twice. Here's how you do it.

Consider a Western Digital Green Drive to replace it.
posted by Murray M at 7:34 PM on August 8, 2011

YMMV, but a friend of mine had a Time Capsule fail, and was told by the Genius bar that it was covered for as long as he had a Macbook with AppleCare. They replaced the Time Capsule for free.
posted by oranger at 10:44 AM on August 9, 2011