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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / February 2007iMac Core 2 Duo (october 2006) and high-pitched noise
Hello all, I bought a 20-inch iMac in october 2006 (Core 2 Duo). It runs smoothly and it has no problem whatsoever, except a strange noise that seems to come from the left side of the machine, somewhere around the hard drive. It's not always there, and it seems to be louder the longer it's on. It's a rhythmic, high-pitched noise, that goes on like this: "ta-ta, ta-ta, ta-ta" or "ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta". It does NOT come from the hard drive, because when I access the disk, the usual hdd sounds come up together with this mysterious noise. A friend of mine, using a PowerBook G4, said that his computer does something similar when he uses DreamWeaver and with some Carbon UI elements. He suspects it's the CPU, although we're not sure how a CPU can physically emit such a sound. In my case it seems pretty random, in that I can't identify what's the cause. It does indeed seem to be there the more the machine is working, but strangely enough, for the past few days (or weeks? I didn't notice) the problem wasn't there. It's not really a problem, I won't be sending my machine to Apple to have it checked just for that, although I admit it can get quite annoying at night when there is no other sound around, but I'd like to know if there is a fix or something. One thing that has happened to me these days is that the Energy saving options mysteriously stopped working: the screen didn't automatically dim after a few minutes, the screensaver didn't start up anymore and so on. I just set those things again and now they work. Perhaps that plays a role? I found this on a Linux-related board, which seems to deal with a very similar problem: <http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=9754> Apparently, disabling the cpu's idle calls seems to help, but is there any way to try that on OS X? Thanks!  SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 > Hello all, > I bought a 20-inch iMac in october 2006 (Core 2 Duo). > > It runs smoothly and it has no problem whatsoever, except a strange > noise that seems to come from the left side of the machine [...] > It's not really a problem, I won't be sending my machine to Apple to > have it checked just for that, although I admit it can get quite > annoying at night when there is no other sound around, but I'd like to > know if there is a fix or something. Personallly I'd take it to an Apple repair place and get them to look at it. After all the computer is still under warranty. I have the exact same computer as you and it is notable for its silence. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > Personallly I'd take it to an Apple repair place and get them to look > at it. Fact is, this is my main machine and I work on it... I wonder if the local Apple Center might take a look at it, although I don't trust them very much. The problem is that the noise arises quite randomly, as I said it was a while that I hadn't heard it. It would probably be quiet while it's there, and start doing it again here. :) Murphy's law... SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 > Fact is, this is my main machine and I work on it... I wonder if the > local Apple Center might take a look at it, although I don't trust them > very much. > The problem is that the noise arises quite randomly, as I said it was a > while that I hadn't heard it. It would probably be quiet while it's > there, and start doing it again here. :) Murphy's law... I think if you tell them what you wrote in your first posting on this issue. Although I have a 20" Intel iMac I haven't a clue as to what is where inside it as I've only had it since June 2006, so when you write that the noise is coming from a particular place it is not meaningful to me. However... It will be meaningful to them. The only thing those Apple repair people do is replace bits of the computer with new bits. So if the hard drive is making the noise they'll put a new one in. If the fan is making a noise they'll put a new one in. If the repair is done under warranty then remember that the Apple repair people still get paid. In my experience with warranty work on computers repair people are quite happy to replace something even if they are not 100% sure there is anything wrong with it because they know that you, their valued customer, is not actually paying for it. It is Murphy's law that the computer will be perfectly well behaved when you take it to them, but Murphy's law also states that the computer will totally break down at the most inconvenient time because you didn't get it fixed now. Remember to back up the hard-drive 100% before you take it to those repair people. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > I think if you tell them what you wrote in your first posting on this > issue. A more suitable way to describe it would be "chirping sound". It came to my mind as I heard birds chirping this morning. > Although I have a 20" Intel iMac I haven't a clue as to what is where > inside it as I've only had it since June 2006, so when you write that > the noise is coming from a particular place it is not meaningful to me. I made some research, and it seems to be a minor problem that affects a minority of machines, and it's due to the power supply. It is not to be confused with the "cpu whining" problem, which changes according to processor load (which explains why disabling one core or running at full cpu numbs it) or even screen brightness (which still changes the current usage). > The only thing those Apple repair people do is replace bits of the > computer with new bits. So if the hard drive is making the noise > they'll put a new one in. If the fan is making a noise they'll put a > new one in. Are you talking about the "main" Apple repair centres or the smaller, local "Apple Centers"? We have one of the latter in a town 10 kilometres from where I live, but I don't really feel at ease with giving my computer to them. The main Apple hardware HQ for repairs in Europe is in Holland, or at least it was there when I had to send my iBook G4 for a hard drive change. It was very sweet and quick: they sent UPS over to pick it up, made some tests, changed it and returned it back to me in three or four days (I'm in Italy), everything was free. > If the repair is done under warranty then remember that the Apple > repair people still get paid. In my experience with warranty work on > computers repair people are quite happy to replace something even if > they are not 100% sure there is anything wrong with it because they > know that you, their valued customer, is not actually paying for it. That's exactly why I'm not too fond of the local Apple Center: I've heard stories of people who had some obvious but hard-to-reproduce issues, and they refused to replace parts because they claimed that Apple wouldn't justify it. I'm not too surprised by that, since it's a store that targets companies and industries more than final customers. <rant> I once wanted to buy an iBook G4 from them, and I wanted to get it BTO. I asked them if, in case of evident hardware problems, could have it just replaced rather than having to start the agony of repairs from day one, and they said that no, BTO machines had to be kept and repaired because they are "harder to resell". While I may have been naive in my question, their answer was quite arrogant, to the point that they suggested to get a stock iBook and have them replace the parts: "we'll put the additional RAM and we'll change the hard drive". I asked if it was legit, from the Apple point of view especially for the warranty, and they weren't very sure. It seemed *very* unprofessional to me... I'm afraid that they might make more damage than fix to my iMac if I take it there. </rant> > It is Murphy's law that the computer will be perfectly well behaved > when you take it to them, but Murphy's law also states that the > computer will totally break down at the most inconvenient time because > you didn't get it fixed now. You've convinced me. I will call Apple monday morning and see what they say. I wonder if it's still all free or if I have to pay for the shipment; the italian law states that (in theory...) you don't have to spill out a cent if it's a "production flaw". I especially need to ask them how long I'll be without the computer, since I work with this machine. > Remember to back up the hard-drive 100% before you take it to those > repair people. I'm playing with Carbon Copy Cloner right now. :) SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 >> I think if you tell them what you wrote in your first posting on this >> issue. > > A more suitable way to describe it would be "chirping sound". It came to > my mind as I heard birds chirping this morning. Sounds like it might be quite attractive :) Reading through your posting it would seem that your local Apple repair centre is not appealing for you. My guess is that either you find another local Apple repair centre or send the computer to that place in Holland or put up with the chirping noise. My fear would be that eventually the chirping noise will turn into something more serious :( Personally I've always taken faulty Macs to the local Apple repair centre and so far it has been a good experience. But obviously I don't know anything about the local repair centre for you :) I'm now going to ramble a bit with an aside. I have used Macs for over twenty years. My experience with the beige Macs was always that they were extremely reliable indeed. However the Macs I've owned in the "post-beige-era" have all developed faults of some sort or another eventually. I still have a beige LCII and it works today as good as when it was new. I'm very fond of the excellent designs Apple keep coming out with but I wish they would consider reliability to be a higher priority. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > > A more suitable way to describe it would be "chirping sound". It came to > > my mind as I heard birds chirping this morning. > > Sounds like it might be quite attractive :) I love Nature, but until they start building in the green area I have in front of my house, we have "original" birds chirping enough. ;) > Reading through your posting it would seem that your local Apple repair > centre is not appealing for you. > > My guess is that either you find another local Apple repair centre I made a search on apple.com/it, and that one is the only one at an acceptable distance. The second closest is at over 100 km! > or > send the computer to that place in Holland I'll know more about that when I call the not-so-toll-free Apple support number monday... > or put up with the chirping > noise. The more I think about it, the more I notice it. It's going to make me insane. :) "Trading innocence for permanent psychotic hell". > My fear would be that eventually the chirping noise will turn into > something more serious :( I'm not too worried about it, as it seems to be fairly common in the PC world (where, of course, the noise of fans covers it most of the time). It's just very annoying when the house is silent. > I'm now going to ramble a bit with an aside. I have used Macs for over > twenty years. My experience with the beige Macs was always that they > were extremely reliable indeed. However the Macs I've owned in the > "post-beige-era" have all developed faults of some sort or another > eventually. You're not the only one with that complaint, actually; I heard it quite often. I can't speak for myself, as I only bought my first Mac in 2001 (a glorious iMac DV "Blue Dalmatian", G3 500 MHz... whose slot-in drive actually accepted 8 cm discs, something I dearly miss in this iMac). I admit that sometimes I miss the ability to just replace parts at random. Before this iMac, I had a PowerMac G4 to which I only added USB2 ports through a PCI card and an additional DVD burner, and that's why I went with the more compact iMac. I can't help but feel that Macs, hardware-wise, are still quite closed. Sure, in a PowerMac (now Mac Pro) you can add stuff at your leisure, but you still cannot, say, easily replace the CPU if you want (if you do, you break the warranty). SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 > I admit that sometimes I miss the ability to just replace parts at > random. Before this iMac, I had a PowerMac G4 to which I only added USB2 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > you can add stuff at your leisure, but you still cannot, say, easily > replace the CPU if you want (if you do, you break the warranty). I think you are right but this has never been a concern of mine because I don't "do" hardware :) Every Mac I've owned has been an all-in-one except my LCII. The only thing I do with them is put in a lot of extra RAM when I buy them, and then I usually have that done by the retailer. I've replaced the PRAM battery occasionally as well. On average I find that I need to get a new one every 5 to 6 years. After 4 years they are getting too old to run recent stuff usually, then after 5 years the are bearable but very out of date, then after 6 years they are totally worthless things and then they go up into my attic to be replaced by a new one. My attic is full of old Macs. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > My attic is full of old Macs. That looks like a great incipit for a sci-fi book, Douglas Adams style... and we're not entirely off-topic, since Douglas Adams was a heavy Mac user himself. :) SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 > My fear would be that eventually the chirping noise will turn into > something more serious :( After some more research on the web and the application of the Scientific Method(TM), which involved: - a minidisc recorder to be used as an amplifier - the microphone of a headset - another pair of headphones I came to the conclusion that the chirping noise is indeed is caused by the power supply. There seems to be a LOT of electromagnetic noise right below the power connector on the iMac (I suppose it also "bounces" on the stand so the microphone picks up a lot of echo of that), and that's where the chirping sound is found. Unfortunately on the recording is barely audible as it gets lost in the buzzing sound (which in turn is not audible by ear). I guess I'll call Apple tomorrow morning, and hear their opinion. I hope they won't put up excuses. ;) SignatureJollino Salvaguardia dell'italiano: http://www.nokappa.it Cerchi spazio web? Io mi trovo bene con Servage: http://www.servage.net/?coupon=cust24439 >> My fear would be that eventually the chirping noise will turn into >> something more serious :( [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > - the microphone of a headset > - another pair of headphones A sort of electric stethoscope I guess :) > I came to the conclusion that the chirping noise is indeed is caused by > the power supply. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I guess I'll call Apple tomorrow morning, and hear their opinion. I hope > they won't put up excuses. ;) I wish you all the best with it. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> |
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