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MBP: Whining noise reports


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MBP: Whining noise reports
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williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 09:23

My order is on the way, but I am curious to see if the below reports on an emanating whining noise reflect similar users' experiences with their MacBook Pros.

One user writes:
Quote:
I got my 2.0GHz MBP today and I'm having a problem that is getting more annoying the more I use it:

When the computer is at idle, there is a "whine" that comes from under the keyboard. It sounds almost like there is a bad ground or interference.

As soon as one of the cores is maxed out or close to it, the sound goes away. As far as my tests have concluded, it is not a graphics engine problem, it is with the CPU itself.

Is anyone else having this problem? I am calling apple first thing in the morning, As I won't be able to use the machine for recording or anything similar because of feedback/noise.

(ps: it is not a fan, it is more like alternator noise in a car stereo)
And another user says:
Quote:
I'm hearing the whine on my MacBook too. Like others have described, it's only when the CPUs aren't active. I do *not* have the upgraded 7200 rpm drive, mine's 5400 rpms. It's definetly not the sound of a drive, not the drive, it's a high pitch almost like an unstable current flowing. It happens while using the battery or while plugged into the power supply.
A discussion of this issue is at http://discussions.apple.com/thread....74397&tstart=0

Last edited by williamb : 2006-02-22 at 17:39.
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williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 10:55

A third reports:
Quote:
I love this MBP but I have the same problem too. After working with and fixing 1,000s of computers, that noise signals failure of some sort later on. (FYI I am not one of those people in a dead quiet room complaining about fan noise. You can actually hear this everywhere except really loud places.)

Anyone else have this problem or know what we can do about it? I don't want to start using this and then have to return/exchange or have it fail and lose what I put on there.
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hotch
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: The Rocky Mountains
 
2006-02-22, 11:27

i'd be interested to hear if this is, in fact, tied in with the sound card-- does it go away when you mute the speakers?
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tacvbo83
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
 
2006-02-22, 13:04

ok..now i am seriously thinking about cancelling

I wouldn't want to get kicked out of class for a silly little thing like that!

Last edited by tacvbo83 : 2006-02-22 at 13:32.
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Unbeliever
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Outland
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2006-02-22, 13:28

Rev A...

*shivers*
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InactionMan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-02-22, 13:42

My favourite part about new product releases is reading the reports of deranged Mac users claiming that some catastrophic flaw (their computer makes noise!!!) is a clear sign of Apple's poor quality control.

I'd wait a few weeks before I take any report seriously.
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dviant
Lord of the Spoiler
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lost
 
2006-02-22, 13:53

Ohhhh THAT whining. And I thought this thread was going to be about all the designers going "buuuut my creeeeaative suuuiite runsss so slooow!"

Fear the Rev A.
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ghoti
owner for sale by house
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
 
2006-02-22, 14:03

So is that sound like a flash charging its capacitor? When you put your ear near to it, you can usually hear it, especially with old flashes (but new ones, too).
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macleod
Now in lower-case™!
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 14:15

that is definetly making me want to wait before ordering...has anyone heard from apple about what they recommend or what they think it is?
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tacvbo83
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
 
2006-02-22, 14:23

I think I will call about this by Friday if I do not hear any statement or solution by Apple.
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macleod
Now in lower-case™!
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 14:27

is it widespread enough for them to need to make a statement?
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torifile
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
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2006-02-22, 14:28

Quote:
Originally Posted by tacvbo83
I think I will call about this by Friday if I do not hear any statement or solution by Apple.
Why don't you wait to see if yours actually makes the noise before calling? (Don't people feel dumb making a fuss over something that may or may not be a problem??? I know I would....)
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macleod
Now in lower-case™!
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 14:33

i agree with tacvbo83's desire to call apple about it if he has ordered or is going to order one...it is in his best interest to try to protect himself from a faulty $2500 notebook!
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tacvbo83
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
 
2006-02-22, 14:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by MACleod
i agree with tacvbo83's desire to call apple about it if he has ordered or is going to order one...it is in his best interest to try to protect himself from a faulty $2500 notebook!

exactly, i already ordered one and total is $2900... better be getting a quiet MBP for that price
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macleod
Now in lower-case™!
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 14:38

i am probaly gonna hold off till april after hearing all this and the fact that they might release a smaller and/or bigger mbp and the mb/ibooks! can you still cancel your order?
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titomac
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 15:25

Its the processor whining. A way to minimize it is to put the processors on maximum. My Powerbook 15, 1.33 does the same thing. Really annoying.. and called apple, and they wont/cant do anything about it. And I imagine, that with dual core, the sound is twice as load. And it is especially annoying when in a quiet room. Damn it, was really looking forward to ordering a MBP.
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williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 15:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by titomac
Its the processor whining. A way to minimize it is to put the processors on maximum. My Powerbook 15, 1.33 does the same thing. Really annoying.. and called apple, and they wont/cant do anything about it. And I imagine, that with dual core, the sound is twice as load. And it is especially annoying when in a quiet room. Damn it, was really looking forward to ordering a MBP.
How do you put the processors on maximum? Through a setting?
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hotch
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: The Rocky Mountains
 
2006-02-22, 15:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by dviant
Ohhhh THAT whining. And I thought this thread was going to be about all the designers going "buuuut my creeeeaative suuuiite runsss so slooow!"

Fear the Rev A.
oh my, that gave me a good chuckle!
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titomac
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 15:46

to maximum... sorry... my bad.. i meant put the processors on "better performance" in the menu bar.

But still doesnt solve the problem completely.

Have also heard something about people fiddling with developers tools and having the processors active all the time and hence no noise (since the noise comes when the processor is resting in between)

Still sucks though..
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williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 16:46

Quote:
Originally Posted by titomac
Have also heard something about people fiddling with developers tools and having the processors active all the time and hence no noise (since the noise comes when the processor is resting in between)
Do you have any links?
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World Leader Pretend
Ruling teh World
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston, MA
 
2006-02-22, 17:00

You guys should here my iMac G5! I have a midsized house and I can here it it about every room when it isn't sleeping. I still love it though... it's just loud. (I taking it in someday)

On the MBP thing, it's problem that may have been blown out of proportion, but I don't own one so I wouldn't know. The ones I have seen seem to be perfectly silent (except the HDD spins up loudly on the boot sometimes)

Again though... REV. A machines arn't ever perfect
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williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 17:10

Quote:
Originally Posted by World Leader Pretend
Again though... REV. A machines arn't ever perfect
You know, I have heard that one. It's as asinine as "Gotcha!"
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gck
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 17:14

I would whine if my name was "MacBook Pro"...
  quote
williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 17:38

Someone says:
Quote:
> Temporary solution (as I mentioned earlier).
>
> Start up PhotoBooth, shrink it down into the dock.
>
> The MacBook Pro is now silent.
>
> This must be fixable with a software update. Maybe it
> is even connected with the iSight Camera.
>
> Either that or CPU usage.
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LudwigVan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2006-02-22, 18:14

There was a post by a MacInTouch reader today that correlates the volume of the whine to the brightness of the screen. Turning the backlight off eliminated the noise, apparently.
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mweingar
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 18:51

I have a 2.16GHZ model and I do not have any noises coming from it outside the normal DVD noise when loading apps.
  quote
williamb
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2006-02-22, 19:13

Yet another user says:
Quote:
I say you wait. You have no idea how annoying this noise is. and if you are one of the unlucky people like myself who have it your going to be ******. I have the 2.0 5400
Here's another thread talking about this MBP whining problem: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....74607&tstart=0
  quote
tacvbo83
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
 
2006-02-22, 19:56

what I have noticed is that people who are complaining are the ones getting their 1.83 GHz MBP's as of couple of days back....can anyone correct me if I am wrong...is this also happening on the 2.0 and 2.16?

I don't mind little noise I guess but since I will be using the MBP in class I don't want to bother anyone, especially since it is the only thing that proffesors ask from people who use laptops in class. In this case, people are saying it like it will make a loud noise for a quiet class. I need some more feedback to make my decision because CompUSA(closest apple retailer to me) will have them in display until 2 to 3 weeks from now. (i just called to check on that) Also, if the higher end models are not having the same problem I might as well upgrade before it gets shipped. If I feel like I do not get enough info on this by Friday, I will probably call apple to see what the problem is, and there I will decide if I will cancel or not.

Last edited by tacvbo83 : 2006-02-22 at 20:17.
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mweingar
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
 
2006-02-22, 20:05

Quote:
Originally Posted by tacvbo83
what I have noticed is that people who are complaining are the ones getting their 1.83 GHz MBP's as of couple of days back....can anyone correct me if I am wrong...is this also happening on the 2.0 and 2.16?
Not on my 2.16. So far, so good.
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Ominx
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bouncing Around The Room
 
2006-02-22, 20:30

I'm not sure if this is really related as I am no schooled in the intricate complexity of electronics themselves, but I just read on another site that the magnet for the magsafe connector is actually located inside the MacBook.

Interestingly, sources note that the magnets used to connect the MagSafe power adapter connector are located inside the MacBook Pro unit, rather than on the MagSafe connector itself. As a result, Apple has reportedly asked some of its service partners to warn customers about placing magnetized items near the power port of the MacBook Pro.

From posters in this thread and others, the noise seems to come from the left side near the screen...right where the connector/magnet is located.

Just thought I would throw it out there.

Here's the link: http://appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1549
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