ASUS X550ZE. HDD - cliking sound

[Jo]

Laptop - ASUS X550ZE (a new one).
HDD always issues clicking sound, even in idle. I tried 'sudo hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda' and 'sudo hdparm -B 254 /dev/sda' - did not help. This sound appears under Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu Mate 15.04, Xubuntu 14.04 and 15.04, but with KDE distros (Kubuntu 15.04, Fedora 23, openSUSE) it seems to be ok (or rate of clicking is less, so I do not pay attention). GNOME Disks utility tells that HDD is healthy, "badblocks" didn't find bad blocks. Also this problem is in openSUSE XFCE Leap- but sound is different: something begins to spin time to time.
My Ubuntu uses UEFI.

The same problem on openSUSE Leap - but the sound is different, like something begins to spin time to time and some time it issues a scratch-like sound.
---
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC2: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
CasperVersion: 1.340.2
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 ppp0 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
LiveMediaBuild: Xubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X550ZE
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB:
 0 radeondrmfb
 1 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-25.26~14.04.1-generic 3.19.8-ckt2
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.19.0-25-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.19.0-25-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.14
RfKill:
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
Tags: trusty
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-25-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 09/09/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 202
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: X550ZE
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr202:bd09/09/2014:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnX550ZE:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnX550ZE:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: X550ZE
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1525629

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Jo (fsn761304)]

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[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.4 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.4-rc5-wily

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Jo, as per https://www.asus.com/Notebooks/X550ZE/HelpDesk_Download/ an update to your computer's buggy and outdated BIOS is available (204). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BIOSUpdate does it change anything?

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful. As well, you don't have to create a new bug report.

Once the BIOS is updated, if the problem is still reproducible:
1) Please provide the output of the following terminal command (not perform an apport-collect):
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
2) Please make a comment specifically advising on if there was an improvement or not.
3) If the issue is still reproducible, please mark this report Status Confirmed. Otherwise, please mark this as Invalid.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Jo (fsn761304)]

My Ubuntu uses UEFI.

On Fri, Dec 18, 2015 at 1:31 PM, Christopher M. Penalver <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Jo, as per https://www.asus.com/Notebooks/X550ZE/HelpDesk_Download/ an
> update to your computer's buggy and outdated BIOS is available (204). If
> you update to this following
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BIOSUpdate does it change anything?
>
> For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette
> .
>
> Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so
> posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful. As well, you don't
> have to create a new bug report.
>
> Once the BIOS is updated, if the problem is still reproducible:
> 1) Please provide the output of the following terminal command (not
> perform an apport-collect):
> sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
> 2) Please make a comment specifically advising on if there was an
> improvement or not.
> 3) If the issue is still reproducible, please mark this report Status
> Confirmed. Otherwise, please mark this as Invalid.
>
> Thank you for your understanding.
>
> ** Tags added: bios-outdated-204
>
> ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
> Status: Confirmed => Incomplete
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1525629
>
> Title:
> ASUS X550ZE. HDD - cliking sound
>
> Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> Laptop - ASUS X550ZE (a new one).
> HDD always issues clicking sound, even in idle. I tried 'sudo hdparm -B
> 255 /dev/sda' and 'sudo hdparm -B 254 /dev/sda' - did not help. This sound
> appears under Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu Mate 15.04, Xubuntu 14.04 and 15.04, but
> with KDE distros (Kubuntu 15.04, Fedora 23, openSUSE) it seems to be ok (or
> rate of clicking is less, so I do not pay attention). GNOME Disks utility
> tells that HDD is healthy, "badblocks" didn't find bad blocks. Also this
> problem is in openSUSE XFCE Leap- but sound is different: something begins
> to spin time to time.
>
> The same problem on openSUSE Leap - but the sound is different, like
> something begins to spin time to time and some time it issues a
> scratch-like sound.
> ---
> ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11
> Architecture: amd64
> AudioDevicesInUse:
> USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
> /dev/snd/controlC2: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
> /dev/snd/controlC1: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
> /dev/snd/controlC0: xubuntu 2677 F.... pulseaudio
> CasperVersion: 1.340.2
> CurrentDesktop: XFCE
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
> IwConfig:
> eth0 no wireless extensions.
>
> ppp0 no wireless extensions.
>
> lo no wireless extensions.
> LiveMediaBuild: Xubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
> MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X550ZE
> Package: linux (not installed)
> ProcEnviron:
> TERM=xterm
> PATH=(custom, no user)
> XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> ProcFB:
> 0 radeondrmfb
> 1 radeondrmfb
> ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_...

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Jo, thank you for sharing that, but it unfortunately doesn't change anything.

[Jo (fsn761304)]

Under Windows HDD clicked too, but not such aggressively, so I didn't heard it under Windows initially, but it clicks there too. I changed HDD - now it's OK.