Mac Pro Vibrating issues at DVinfo.net

Pete Cofrancesco · December 20th, 2009, 09:14 PM

At first I was really impressed with the innovative interior case design that makes it easy to install dvd burners and hard drives but now I'm finding a problem. The hard drive often rattles, this is just an annoyance while the DVD does a similar thing.

I had a bunch of dvds not burn properly. Its strange they burn without errors but when played in a tv dvd player they would reach a section and start skipping. I copied the TS folder to another computer and the burns were fine. For the heck of it pulled the DVD drive out and rested it on top of the computer in a horizontal position and then the problems went away. I figure the vibrations from the drive spinning up is causing problems with the burn. Note the drive is securely screwed, its the holder that slides into the case that is vibrating.

Anyone else have these issues?

R Geoff Baker · December 20th, 2009, 09:42 PM

In a word -- no.

If your HDD is rattling your machine, it is faulty. If it is your optical drive ... note that there is an update designed to address some issues with that drive, though in truth I don't think it falls into the problem you describe.

Pete Cofrancesco · December 20th, 2009, 09:59 PM

I figured out the dvd drive issue. The way the drive mounts to the metal sleeve isn't the most secure design. the screw holes in the sleeve are larger than the screw. One of the screws had loosen, not much but enough to allow the drive to oscillate when spinning. In any other case I've seen the holes are usually the same size as the screw or if bigger are oval horizontally which allow the drive to be positions either a little forward or back but don't allow it to move up and down. I suppose Apple did this to insure that the dvd drive could be aligned more precisely since it has to trigger the metal outer door on the case.

On closer inspection it seems that the vibrations from the hard drive is rattling the dvd sleeve.

December 20th, 2009, 09:14 PM	#1
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Mac Pro Vibrating issues At first I was really impressed with the innovative interior case design that makes it easy to install dvd burners and hard drives but now I'm finding a problem. The hard drive often rattles, this is just an annoyance while the DVD does a similar thing. I had a bunch of dvds not burn properly. Its strange they burn without errors but when played in a tv dvd player they would reach a section and start skipping. I copied the TS folder to another computer and the burns were fine. For the heck of it pulled the DVD drive out and rested it on top of the computer in a horizontal position and then the problems went away. I figure the vibrations from the drive spinning up is causing problems with the burn. Note the drive is securely screwed, its the holder that slides into the case that is vibrating. Anyone else have these issues?

December 20th, 2009, 09:59 PM	#3
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	I figured out the dvd drive issue. The way the drive mounts to the metal sleeve isn't the most secure design. the screw holes in the sleeve are larger than the screw. One of the screws had loosen, not much but enough to allow the drive to oscillate when spinning. In any other case I've seen the holes are usually the same size as the screw or if bigger are oval horizontally which allow the drive to be positions either a little forward or back but don't allow it to move up and down. I suppose Apple did this to insure that the dvd drive could be aligned more precisely since it has to trigger the metal outer door on the case. On closer inspection it seems that the vibrations from the hard drive is rattling the dvd sleeve. Last edited by Pete Cofrancesco; December 21st, 2009 at 09:49 AM.

December 20th, 2009, 09:42 PM	#2
R Geoff Baker Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 471	In a word -- no. If your HDD is rattling your machine, it is faulty. If it is your optical drive ... note that there is an update designed to address some issues with that drive, though in truth I don't think it falls into the problem you describe.