The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/djslakor on 2024-12-29 18:59:39.

I’ve noticed this on both a 12TB and 16TB version of the external WD Elements.

I set windows to not power off the drives since it tends to do so far too quickly, and the constant spin up likely puts too much wear and tear on the drives. I’ve heard it’s better to just keep them running.

I’ve noticed if I leave the drives running for a day or two, they exhibit an intermittent humming sound that lasts 1-2s and occurs once or twice a minute.

I assume it’s not a drive defect since I observe it in multiple drives under the same conditions.

Anyone else notice that? Is it something to be concerned about, or just normal operation?