How loud is the hard drive supposed to be?

dr. john zoidberg

The 40GB Toshiba hard drive in my 12" DVI PowerBook seems to be significantly louder than the one in my iBook Dual USB/500. It's not LOUD, but it's much more noticeable, and the "clicks" are more distinct. Is there a problem, and how can I tell?



How loud is your hard drive?



Apple 's tech note says anything lower than 39dB is fine. How can I measure that?

curiousuburb

Measure Sound Pressure Level with a dB Meter



(though the model listed isn't rated below 50dB... the concept and explanations are sound)



other SPL Meters are more sensitive