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Hello,
I recommend you to contact the Western Digital support about this.
https://support.wdc.com/support/case.aspx?lang=en
I am having the same problem. FOUR drives I have purchased in the last two months are making this same noise.
The first two were manufactured on 24 Dec 2016, the second two on 2 Jan and 9 Jan 2017.
A bad batch undiscovered over three weeks’ time? Don’t they test them?
Could this noise be “normal” for these drives?
I have 2 WD Gold in mirrored mode that are entering into sleep very often, but when get back from sleep are making some noise (a click and spin up). Both drives are behaving the same, so I think is “ok”… or not?
Also having this issue and the net is scarce with info on it… As many drives as this “dieing animal” noise as I call it is happening to, It would be nice to get some sort of confirmation on what it is that is causing it. My first thought was some sort of disk brake to stop the drive when it turns off but it seems highly unlikely. The extended drive test passes but the spin down noise is unnerving.
Fortunately I’m still within my 30 day window of return so if I don’t like the response from WD Customer Support I can still return this drive. Most likely for a HGST as my quick google search has shown them to be the most reliable brand, even though they are owned by WD.
And now a fifth drive!
This new replacement for the replacement is worse, however. Along with the “dying cow” sound, there is a distinct grinding noise as it spins down.
Drive manufactured on 3 Jan 2017.
For those who think it might be normal, my guess is there would be a LOT more complaints by now.
Made a YouTube video as I couldn’t find any on this issue. https://youtu.be/hTfC7S8zSKs
Hopefully this will shine a bit of light on the issue and get some wheels turning.
Same problem here, I have 2 WD HDD, Gold 2TB and Black 2TB, they both do this sound on power down, and I have 4 other WD HDDs that are ok, no strange sounds from them, I am trying to get an answer from a technician, but they keep sending me to troubleshooting page (sounds, test and so on…) that gives no results…
Here is my thread: https://community.wd.com/t/when-hdd-power-off-it-makes-moaning-noise/218183
Does the video in the below thread have the same noise that you are getting:
Yes, same noise. “See my YouTube vid above”
I have been trying to get one (2TB BLACK) that does not make that sound for months now, this is the FIFTH drive in a row that makes that same noise. Like others I have demanded WD give a straight answer to my question of “what is this noise?” So far they just send me a standard corporate “send it back” reply without ever saying what is going on. The newest was made this past November while the others were produced in September and October. So whatever the sound is, it persists across manufacturing dates. I am getting incredibly sick of sending them back.
I had a batch of 2TB WD Black which were all manufactured in July 2017 - all made this exact noise.
I also had a batch of 2TB WD Gold which were all manufactured in October 2017 - all made this exact noise.
I cannot believe that all of these disks are defective. There must be a sensible explanation for it. But as Western Digital refused to confirm that they were satisfactory, they were all returned to Amazon UK for a full refund.
There can only be two explanations as far as I see it at the moment:
- WD have a serious manufacturing issue that they are refusing to admit publicly,
or, - WD Support are without technical knowledge and the limit of their assistance is pointing you to a page of known noises or pointing you to the RMA page.
If either of the above are correct, then that is a pretty poor showing from WD. However, if I am wrong and anyone (even WD Support themselves) has any other suggestions, then please let’s hear them.
I have an idea: has anyone here received one that does NOT make this sound? I know the odds are incredibly low since if they did, they probably quit coming here, however if someone has received one recently that does not… That would mean WD is engaged in MASSIVE fraud by knowingly shipping out broken HDD’s; also means we all switch to Seagate or someone else. Then again if no one has received one that does not make this noise, then we are more or less back to square one.
So has anyone gotten one in their batch that was silent the last few months?
No matter how many times I have contacted WD I get a texas two step every time.
I purchased a WD Gold 1TB brand new internal drive from the WD store that makes exact same noise upon spin down that is described in this thread. It was manufactured in Malaysia in May 2017. Has anyone received a satisfactory response from WD on if this noise is expected, or if it is a sign of a defective drive?
I just realized that I’m not guaranteed a “new” drive as part of their warranty service and I agree with comment from dswv42 about wanting a brand “new” drive instead of a refurbished one. I paid for a new fully functional drive and would expect to receive one as a replacement if they sold me a faulty drive.
@ Yosemite
Unfortunately not - I had as many as 30 emails back and forth to WD support and the only two suggestions that came up with was a link to their page on normal noises which does not address this particular noise or the suggestion that it should be RMA’d.
I cannot believe that WD support is so inept as to be unable to advise one way or another. Either WD drives have serious manufacturing issues or WD support have serious (lack of) training issues.
Have currently 3 new 2T drives produced in Feb2018 and I am using them in individual PC’s and getting this nice spin down noise.
This means more or less: Noise by design 
If the support simple do RMA, means, the support is out sourced and have no glue about the drives… or some one else from WD provides some serous contribution 
HpW
Probably they don’t have at hand any disk to check if it is a normal noise.
So how did this finally end? I just got a WD Black 2 TB (FEZ2003FZEX) and it makes that whirring noise when spinning down.
My other WB Black 1Tb that I bought about 8 years ago does not make that sound.
Sad because WD was the probably best HDD maker with Hitach (buy by WD now…)
Not a lot of problem with all WD drives owned and same on OEM WD drive no one crash compare to Seagate and other brand. Noise sound each 4/5 sec for nothing and now new strange noise during spin down great !
I want to announce to everyone that I used to be a brand loyalist to WD.
Reason I am no longer is I just bought (and returned) 2 brand new 2TB WD Black Drives.
Same noise on shutdown. Terrible unhealthy sound.
First one I thought was a fluke. Second one same issue. Called support for them to tell me to “backup data” etc etc etc. Back to the store it went.
I figured I’d give them one more shot, but this time I went with the Gold 2TB. Guess what? SAME NOISE! I don’t know what the deal is, but WD needs to get out of the game for good. Absolute garbage product. No explanation as to how I can get 3 questionable drives in a row. I don’t care if they’re loud, but that noise is not normal. I don’t care what anyone says.
I have a 10 year old seagate that’s still kicking, but I read they’re garbage drives also. Toshiba it is, I guess.
