Musical Maxtor

[mathew_wpwong]

Dear All

I just want to tell I've got the same prolem

Cheer!

[cyberbach]

I have an 80GB Diamond Max Maxtor that I mounted into an external USB2 case with fan. This has been my primary archive drive for my digital picture albums as well as extensive mp3 files. I've used this drive in this configuration for over a year with tremendous results until yesterday when upon boot up, I kept hearing this little song... actually my 5 year old son was the one that heard it. I called my friend Brian (my computer guru) and left him a message on his cell phone of the sound that was coming from the drive. He e-mailed me today, said he googled "maxtor beeping" and found this thread. I just got done with my "tapping session" and the drive is now functioning fine. I am going to burn everything to DVD and probably replace the drive, but this sure saved an awful lot of irreplaceable family pictures. Just a note, I had to "tap" with a little more authority to affect the fix. I had the drive in my left hand "singing" and I "thumped it" with the heel of my right hand, lightly the first time, then a little harder the second and then I felt it spin up and my system immediately recognized the drive. Thanks so much for the all the help this thread has provided, you guys are the greatest! Cyberbach

[TM12]

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse I read this thread. I'm on my second 120gb drive in two days, both BRAND NEW. Both fail the Powermax diagnostics for partition read and SMART. Low level format fails and even though it says it can and did fix the errors it finds in the extended scan test, when you repeat the test, it fails again. Before I realized I had a problem, it took approx. three hours for the MaxBlast software to copy 15gb of data from my old to new drive. And then stranger still, I can't logon to Windows unless I have the old drive connected too???? Says "A problem is preventing Windows from accurately checking the license for this computer, 0x80090006." As long as the old drive is connected I can see and access all of the data I copied to the new drive but it's a nogo in standalone. I should have put more weight on the number of negative reviews I read at Newegg but I wanted a quiet drive.

I'm definitely glad for everyone that was able to save their data and benefit from this thread. I've benefitted greatly and appreciate all the info. Tomorrow the drives go back and no more Maxtor for me.

[closedgl]

hi guys.
my maxtors (diamond max 9: 120 & 200 gb) are connected to SIL068 controller and 200Gb start singing today too. the funny thing is that when SIL scans for drives it displays CALYPSO as secondaruy master (which is failed) thought recognises primary master (120Gb) ok under its ID: something like 6Y120P0.
Unfortunately warranty is gone on 01/21/2004 (
but it seems logical for manufactures of anything to shorten lifespan of the goods to make as buy things in shorter periods huh huh.

[the who]

Hey Scott, does the drive still work that you opened?

[Smarky]

Hey guys!

Another one that came here from Google. Yes! another one with the same problem! My beeping is simular but a little different.

But I have a Maxtor OneTouch 250 External Firewire and USB 2 drive! that is about 2 months old.

I remember the evening before I noticed that I had shut down my PC and left the drive on, it's in my room so I could hear the quiet humming. So I turned it off via the power switch. The next time I try to turn it on I get this beeping sound and the computer won't see it. Any ideas what i could try for it? I contacted Maxtor support and they are just getting me an RMA number rather than proving any form of help. The case has a "Warranty Void if removed" sticker on it

It's annoying because this is my backup drive, I guess the good news is that a lot of the stuff is backups but also i just copied a lot of files over to it to clear space on my main drives the night before. How unlucky is that. Suggestions?

[ScottW]

To followup, no, the beeping drive that I opened no longer works. IMO, once you get the beeping sound, it's best to just RMA the thing.

[closedgl]

i've low formated the drive (which took ~3 days) but powermax still says that the drive "is falling".
it doesnt sing any more (after "american way") but NT stucks at 67% of formatting procedure. So i've formated 66% of the drive leaving the rest unpartitioned and it seems ok (~120 mb). I'll try to format some more with PM coz it allows a bit more options. the idea is to have 2 partitions leaving the damaged sector unpartitioned.

[CES]

I have the same problem with a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 120GB. It emits the same exact beeps. Like everyone else, I thought it was the motherboard beeping, but it wasn't. Whomever told you that there is no audio generating circuitry is ignorant or lying. Luckily it's still under warranty and will be shipped out for replacement tomorrow. It lasted for about 14 months.

[CES]

This morning I hooked the drive up to another computer and, while holding it at a forward angle in my hand, turned the computer on. It hesitated at first and then suddenly began spinning. I didn't have to smack it at all. I bought it retail with a 3 year warranty so I'm covered until early 2006 so I'll probably slap a new ribbon cable on it and use it and see how it acts. It's definitely going back if it does it again.

How was everyone's "singing" drive oriented in their case? Mine was horizontal. I wonder if would be better to stand it up? Stupid FDB.