Greetings, Correspondents. I'm looking for some advice re my HP Pavilion zx5000 running Windows XP Home. Is it 'normal' for the HD to make a sort of 'quacking' sound, if the NB is moved whilst operating? I'd describe the sound as much like taking a plastic hair comb, and drawing one's finger along the teeth. I can also feel a vibration under the HD cover when the noise is produced. HP techie took me via BIOS to a HDD test (two, actually - short and long - it 'passed' both ...), but since the noise is still able to be produced (I actually tipped the NB whilst the techie was on the phone, and they could hear the noise - 'quack' was their description ...), HP wants to take the PC to Ca to examine it. What's the general opinion? It's under warrantee, so it's not a cost issue. But I don't want to be wasting HP's resources if this noise is not a sign of a problem. (I was having some software issues - I felt the NB was 'slow' - but cleaning up the start up - and also cleaning out the fan - has done much to improve the speed with which the NB loads Windows, at signon, and with the general noise from the fan.) Thanks for any review and advice ...

You should never tip or jostle a computer while it's running. The read / write heads of a hard drive are positioned 0.5 microinches above the actual surface of the disk. If you're moving the computer while it's running (and the hard drive is spinning) you risk head crash--the heads may scratch the disk. If it doesn't make any noise when it's not being tipped or moved around, and you haven't noticed any performance decrease or corrupted files, there is really nothing wrong with it... just don't move it around!

Ah, so. And here I thought, heck, it's often called a 'laptop'. Have you ever held a baby on your lap? One thing to do to keep the little b@#$@%& quiet it to 'bounce the baby on your knee'. So, 'course, I figures, laptop. Portable. I didn't always shut it down to move it ('cause, of course, it just pops over to battery support, if I go to another room). In as much as it passed it's HDD tests, I think I'll contact HP with my case #, and cancel tomorrow's pu of this pc ... thanks, and I guess it's a good thing I'm childless, huh ... LOL!

Eh... laptop, you say? I guess I should've done a bit of research on that--I thought you were talking about a desktop computer. A laptop should be able to take a bit of movement; just as long as you're not trying to clear the screen like an Etch-a-Sketch. I guess it really depends on how much you have to jostle it for it to quack. It should be able to handle sitting on your or being transferred from one room to another rightside up without making noise. If you have to really shake it, bounce it around, or turn it upside down for it to make noise, I'd say you shouldn't worry about it. If it just tips to the side a bit and quacks, you might want to consider sending it in to HP.

Ironic. I called HP, to sheepishly admit that after 'discussing' the noise issue with others, perhaps the HD noise was just 'cause I'd moved the NB whilst it was running - and the techie said just what you've written, here. It's not 'sposed to audibly object to being moved when it's operating - unless I'm actually dancing the fandango with it. HP said that they still recommended I allow them to pick it up, and take it 'home' for a checkup.

Thing I really hate about it is that the best container I have to ship it is the original box - and they tell me that it will not come back in the container in which I send it. Bummer.

I need to see if anyone on the Windows thread can help with a software issue ... sigh. No one seems to like Mr. Gates. (rotf,lmho!)

as long as you're not trying to clear the screen like an Etch-a-Sketch.
Gotta admit, I've thought about trying that move, when it occasionally 'hangs' instead of closing. But I'm thinking that's a Windows issue, not a HP problem.

If it just tips to the side a bit and quacks, you might want to consider sending it in to HP.
Yup. May as well keep those Ca kids off the street ....

Now to visit the Windows thread ...

Thanks again.