Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Can't make WD hard drives quieter with Asus AI Quiet motherboards

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    710
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts

    Can't make WD hard drives quieter with Asus AI Quiet motherboards

    Hi all

    I'm about to buy 2 500GB Western Digital WD5000AAKS drives and I've read that you can reduce (although there isn't much to start with) some of the "noise" they make by enabling AAM... but I've read over on silentpcreview that if you have an Asus motherboard with AI Quiet, you can't enable AAM. Asus have disabled it as it's "not compatible with AI Quiet motherboards".



    Does anyone have any Asus board with AI Quiet and a Western Digital drive, have you enabled AAM and got it to stay on, and how loud does it sound?

    Thanks

    DM

    P.S. If you have a P5W-DH Deluxe motherboard and a WD5000AAKS then you have my intended setup and I would especially like to hear from you - but think it would be useful for all to know if this is relevant to all AI Quiet boards and drives.

  2. #2
    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    3,280
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked
    88 times in 83 posts
    • arthurleung's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P5E (Rampage Formula 0902)
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 3.6Ghz 1.2V
      • Memory:
      • A-Data DDR2-800 2x2GB CL4
      • Storage:
      • 4x1TB WD1000FYPS @ RAID5 3Ware 9500S-8 / 3x 1TB Samsung Ecogreen F2
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GeCube HD4870 512MB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair VX450
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Windows Server 2008 Standard
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell Ultrasharp 2709W + 2001FP
      • Internet:
      • Be*Unlimited 20Mbps
    I don't think AAM is dependent on motherboard (correct me if I'm wrong). If you want to change your AAM setting, download the Hitachi Feature Tools and adjust your AAM setting through the tool.
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
    Workstation 2: Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.6Ghz / X38 / 4GB DDR2-800 / 8400GS 512MB / Open Air
    Workstation 3: Intel Xeon X3350 @ 3.2Ghz / P35 / 4GB DDR2-800 / HD4770 512MB / Shuttle SP35P2
    HTPC: AMD Athlon X4 620 @ 2.6Ghz / 780G / 4GB DDR2-1000 / Antec Mini P180 White
    Mobile Workstation: Intel C2D T8300 @ 2.4Ghz / GM965 / 3GB DDR2-667 / DELL Inspiron 1525 / 6+6+9 Cell Battery

    Display (Monitor): DELL Ultrasharp 2709W + DELL Ultrasharp 2001FP
    Display (Projector): Epson TW-3500 1080p
    Speakers: Creative Megaworks THX550 5.1
    Headphones: Etymotic hf2 / Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro

    Storage: 8x2TB Hitachi @ DELL PERC 6/i RAID6 / 13TB Non-RAID Across 12 HDDs
    Consoles: PS3 Slim 120GB / Xbox 360 Arcade 20GB / PS2

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    710
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts
    You're right that AAM isn't dependent on motherboards and it can be set with Hitachi's Feature Tool, however allegedly Asus have disabled this on their AI Quiet boards.

    So whatever setting you try with the Feature Tool will be cancelled and reset when you click Apply or OK with the tool.

    I'd love to hear, however, that this isn't the case with a P5W-DH Deluxe and WD5000AAKS but have to suggest that any of you who think you have changed your AAM should check that your setting has "stuck".

    DM

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Birmingham
    Posts
    3,050
    Thanks
    248
    Thanked
    33 times in 31 posts
    • amjedm's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus A8N-Sli Premium
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 4200 S939 + Scythe Ninja rev A
      • Memory:
      • 2GB Corsair DDR PC3200
      • Storage:
      • Samsung T 160GB Sata in Scythe Quiet Box
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 6600 256MB + Cooling Mod
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Noisetaker 485 (fanless) - lower chamber P180 fan doing the PSU cooling
      • Case:
      • P180 (modded - easier cable routing, front and rear grills cut)
      • Operating System:
      • XP Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 22" WTQ?
      • Internet:
      • O2 8MB (Standard)
    Thanks for the info dancingmatt - I was going to get the 250 WD drive (same model) and remember reading something along those lines in SPCR

    Any idea if a A8N SLi Premium is an AI Quiet mobo?

    Thanks.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    710
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts
    No, don't think the A8N Sli Premium has AI Quiet.

    Anyone else care to try their Asus board?

    Ta

    Dm

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    710
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts
    UPDATE - I have a Hitachi 7K250 SATA drive and I can't change the AAM setting on it with my P5W DH-Deluxe motherboard (which has AI Quiet, even though I have that disabled). I use Hitachi Feature Tool, it lets me change the AAM setting but upon reboot it resets it again.

    So as suspected, if you have an Asus board with AI Quiet onboard, you can't manually set AAM levels for any of your hard drives, Western Digital or other brands.

    The question then is whether the WD5000AAKS is quiet enough as it is...

    DM

  7. #7
    Late Night Ninja! CrazyMonkey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    1,510
    Thanks
    29
    Thanked
    44 times in 43 posts
    • CrazyMonkey's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus M4N98TD Evo
      • CPU:
      • Phenom II X6 1055T @ 4.1ghz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB DDR3 Dominator @ 1700mhz
      • Storage:
      • 120GB OCZ Vertex 2E - 1TB Hitatchi
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 2x 460 1GB
      • PSU:
      • 850W
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT02R-WRI Ltd.Edition
      • Operating System:
      • Win 7, XP, Server2008 RC1, Gentoo
      • Monitor(s):
      • 24" Acer LED - 22" Belinea - 19" Samsung - 19" IIyama
      • Internet:
      • 50 MB Virgin Media Cable
    Quote Originally Posted by dancingmatt View Post
    The question then is whether the WD5000AAKS is quiet enough as it is...
    I expect the drive is quiet at stock, if not get some rubber gromets or something.

    In my experience these drives are quiet

    And yes the Asus AI Quiet does disable the AAM

  8. #8
    Gentoo Ricer
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Galway
    Posts
    11,048
    Thanks
    1,016
    Thanked
    944 times in 704 posts
    • aidanjt's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Strix Z370-G
      • CPU:
      • Intel i7-8700K
      • Memory:
      • 2x8GB Corsiar LPX 3000C15
      • Storage:
      • 500GB Samsung 960 EVO
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0
      • PSU:
      • EVGA G3 750W
      • Case:
      • Fractal Design Define C Mini
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus MG279Q
      • Internet:
      • 240mbps Virgin Cable
    I'm able to set it in Linux. The AAM feature is stored and managed at the drive level, the motherboard can't interfer with it's operation.
    Quote Originally Posted by Agent View Post
    ...every time Creative bring out a new card range their advertising makes it sound like they have discovered a way to insert a thousand Chuck Norris super dwarfs in your ears...

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Birmingham
    Posts
    3,050
    Thanks
    248
    Thanked
    33 times in 31 posts
    • amjedm's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus A8N-Sli Premium
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 4200 S939 + Scythe Ninja rev A
      • Memory:
      • 2GB Corsair DDR PC3200
      • Storage:
      • Samsung T 160GB Sata in Scythe Quiet Box
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 6600 256MB + Cooling Mod
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Noisetaker 485 (fanless) - lower chamber P180 fan doing the PSU cooling
      • Case:
      • P180 (modded - easier cable routing, front and rear grills cut)
      • Operating System:
      • XP Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 22" WTQ?
      • Internet:
      • O2 8MB (Standard)
    I setup one of the 250GB ones (same model) for a relative in a Dell computer when his Maxtor failed. I could hear the seeks IIRC. Didn't change any settings.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    710
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts
    Don't think the Dell cases are specifically designed for noise dampening or anything though? I have an Antec P180b and will be mounting two drives on the rubber grommets it comes with in the lower drive cage, so I guess it's going to be fine.

    Something about Asus AI Quiet motherboards does definitely interfere with the AAM setting, Linux or not - Asus confirmed it themselves I think.

    DM

  11. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Birmingham
    Posts
    3,050
    Thanks
    248
    Thanked
    33 times in 31 posts
    • amjedm's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus A8N-Sli Premium
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 4200 S939 + Scythe Ninja rev A
      • Memory:
      • 2GB Corsair DDR PC3200
      • Storage:
      • Samsung T 160GB Sata in Scythe Quiet Box
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 6600 256MB + Cooling Mod
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Noisetaker 485 (fanless) - lower chamber P180 fan doing the PSU cooling
      • Case:
      • P180 (modded - easier cable routing, front and rear grills cut)
      • Operating System:
      • XP Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 22" WTQ?
      • Internet:
      • O2 8MB (Standard)
    Quote Originally Posted by dancingmatt View Post
    Don't think the Dell cases are specifically designed for noise dampening or anything though? DM
    It did have a 6800 GPU from what I can remember and the HD wasn't the noisiest thing (in idle mode).

    I would like to try one of the 250 drives - ones available from ebuyer have had bad reviews lately so could be a bad batch but the price is around £35 so not bad.
    Last edited by amjedm; 18-05-2007 at 10:28 PM.

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Can't make WD hard drives quieter with Asus AI Quiet motherboards

    No!! does Asus have an explanation and/or workaround for this?

    I have an Asus P5K-E in a Zalman 160HD case with 2 WD500AAKS drives.
    Everything is almost noiseless, no vibrations etc. but when the hard disks seek they are awfully loud!!
    I'm not sure what reviewers measure when they say these drives are quiet... I mean the rotation sound (whisper) is almost null but the seek noise is much more evident than on all previous Hitachi drives I've owned...

    So I though (as I've always done on all my hard drives) ok I'll enable AAM.
    And I must say although still audible the drives were way quieter during the seek test with aam enabled (in the Hitachi feature tool).
    But bad surprise... after reboot back to the starting point...

    I will try to contact Asus' customer support.

  13. #13
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    54
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    • twicksisted's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P5K-E wifi AP
      • CPU:
      • Core2Quad Q6600 G0 @3.4ghz (378mhz X9, 1.45v)
      • Memory:
      • 4GB OCZ DDRII 800MHZ Platinum Rev2 (756mhz, 4-4-4-12 2T)
      • Storage:
      • 4X WD3200 caviar RE16 (Raid 0), 2X WD Raptor 74GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Radeon HD2900pro 512MB (822 / 1700)
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Galaxy 1000W DXX
      • Case:
      • NZXT Lexa
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung Syncmaster 245B 24", HP W19EV 19"

    Re: Can't make WD hard drives quieter with Asus AI Quiet motherboards

    I have 4 WD3200 RE16 (Western Digital Caviar 320gig) in Raid 0...
    They on an Asus P5K-E in a NZXT Lexa case and are completely quiet!

    I use my box for music production and the only noisy part is the retail fan on the CPU...
    I think if you havent got the drive installed with silicon grommets between the HDD and the metal case, youll get some resonance.

    For a quieter drive try the samsung spinpoints... They in my other rig and they are almost completely inaudible!

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Can't make WD hard drives quieter with Asus AI Quiet motherboards

    Interesting... the Zalman case came with rubber pads already installed in all HD bays, it should be more than enough! I will try to look for the silicon ones... maybe the rest of the pc is so silent that the hd seek noise annoys me!
    But regardless of that, I found it really bad that the major motherboard supplier in the world has built such a flaw into their newest products!

    Thanks anyway!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. The quest for the quiet hard drive.
    By Kef9 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 31
    Last Post: 29-03-2008, 01:47 PM
  2. >500GB hard drives
    By Shmee150 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 24-04-2006, 09:17 AM
  3. Hard drives not showing up.
    By catattack in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 10-03-2006, 10:00 AM
  4. Hard drives.....80gb+ for around £50
    By blockers in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-04-2005, 01:05 AM
  5. How to make HDD quieter....
    By ajbrun in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 11-10-2004, 11:14 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •