AppleNova Forums

Sketch · 2006-01-13, 11:51

hello ppl,

well the hdd on my powerbook is making a very silent humming sound, as if sth is touching the hdd while it is spinning (frequent, every second so to say). the S.M.A.R.T status is fine, repair disk permissions, so on and so forth has been done. read these threads already (but it is not the same problem, i checked the fs_usage, this is no 30 second intervals, more like every second.)
http://forums.applenova.com/showthre...ght=hard+drive
http://forums.applenova.com/showthre...?t=2514&page=3
http://forums.applenova.com/showthre...pdate+fs_usage

so its quite annoying when i have to freaking stare at the comp to study sth and everything is quiet around except this humming sound. so anyone know how may i get rid of this problem. Hdd is new, only 3 months old. I have a powerbook G4, 1GB ram, mac os x 10.4.4.
thanks.

curiousuburb · 2006-01-13, 11:55

What song is it humming?

Sketch · 2006-01-13, 12:14

wish i'd knew :P

alcimedes · 2006-01-13, 12:17

Just for kicks, if you create a new user, and log in as that user, does the humming sound persist? (HD accessing)

Sketch · 2006-01-13, 17:53

yeap it is still there unfortunately. damn thing.

alcimedes · 2006-01-13, 18:06

Well, not software related then.

At least nothing you installed.

seabass069 · 2006-01-13, 21:13

The drive is ready to crash. Back-up all your stuff now.

Sketch · 2006-01-14, 13:25

great... the hDD is only 3 months old... damn thing... then why the hell is the SMART status is OK?

curiousuburb · 2006-01-14, 13:49

Are you sure the sound is abnormal? Can you test another similar PB to see if it's the same?

Perhaps you're mistaking an 'accepted' level of noise for humming? Hard to tell without hearing it.

Sketch · 2006-01-15, 06:12

wait... the HDD is below the touch pad right? i mean next to the optical drive isn't it? I just realized it... because the noise is coming from right below the top of keyboard near to the display where it is written PB G4. now any ideas?

scratt · 2006-01-15, 06:17

Well the HDD is on the left under your left palm when you type....

Could be the old Graphics Card whine..... First reported on first gen 17"s and the like....

Sketch · 2006-01-15, 06:32

what do you mean old graphics card? my PB has radeon 9700 graphics. anyway is there anything that rotates near the damn screen where I mentioned? like a fan or sth?

curiousuburb · 2006-01-15, 06:55

If the noise seems to be coming from the top of the kb near the screen (as if under the F5 key), it's much more likely it's fan than HDD related.

If you put your ear on the left palmrest during boot up, you'll hear the HDD... on the right palmrest you'll hear the optical drive. Noises from the centre/back near the hinge are much more commonly associated with cooling fan action after heavy graphics card loads.
Is it noisier after you've been playing a game for a while?

Sketch · 2006-01-15, 07:01

well i know the sound it makes when the graphics or the CPU usage is higher... this sounds more like a disc is rotating with only one point is being touched in 1 second gaps. and it is coming below the f5 key. so now i know it is not the HDD. just wondering what it could be. because like a month ago it wasn't there... just suddenly it came...

scratt · 2006-01-15, 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman009

what do you mean old graphics card? my PB has radeon 9700 graphics.

Hate to break it to you but the 9700 is not really new!

Anyway, I meant the 'old' graphics card whine problem...
For a while it was thought that the original G4 Aluminium PowerBooks had a whine related to video card load... That's as far as I followed the old threads in the Apple Discussion Forums, about 2 years ago...

Sketch · 2006-01-15, 09:10

i see... thanks for the reply... now i have a new problem... this is not my week... this humming problem is the least now. check the new thread.

scratt · 2006-01-15, 09:47

No probs.. Will go look.. However.. A word to the wise..

If you add a link to your new thread people are much more likely to put the time and effort in to help...

Sketch · 2006-01-15, 10:46

alright thanks for the advice... here is the link ... click on this pleaseeeee!!!
http://forums.applenova.com/showthread.php?t=12961

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curiousuburb Antimatter Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: that interweb thing	2006-01-13, 11:55 What song is it humming?
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-13, 12:14 wish i'd knew :P
	quote

alcimedes I shot the sherrif. administrator Join Date: May 2004	2006-01-13, 12:17 Just for kicks, if you create a new user, and log in as that user, does the humming sound persist? (HD accessing)
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-13, 17:53 yeap it is still there unfortunately. damn thing.
	quote

alcimedes I shot the sherrif. administrator Join Date: May 2004	2006-01-13, 18:06 Well, not software related then. At least nothing you installed.
	quote

seabass069 Member Join Date: Oct 2005	2006-01-13, 21:13 The drive is ready to crash. Back-up all your stuff now.
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-14, 13:25 great... the hDD is only 3 months old... damn thing... then why the hell is the SMART status is OK?
	quote

curiousuburb Antimatter Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: that interweb thing	2006-01-14, 13:49 Are you sure the sound is abnormal? Can you test another similar PB to see if it's the same? Perhaps you're mistaking an 'accepted' level of noise for humming? Hard to tell without hearing it.
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-15, 06:12 wait... the HDD is below the touch pad right? i mean next to the optical drive isn't it? I just realized it... because the noise is coming from right below the top of keyboard near to the display where it is written PB G4. now any ideas?
	quote

scratt Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!	2006-01-15, 06:17 Well the HDD is on the left under your left palm when you type.... Could be the old Graphics Card whine..... First reported on first gen 17"s and the like.... 'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take' Extreme Sports Cafe \| ESC's blog \| scratt's blog \| @thescratt
	quote

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Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-15, 06:32 what do you mean old graphics card? my PB has radeon 9700 graphics. anyway is there anything that rotates near the damn screen where I mentioned? like a fan or sth?
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-15, 07:01 well i know the sound it makes when the graphics or the CPU usage is higher... this sounds more like a disc is rotating with only one point is being touched in 1 second gaps. and it is coming below the f5 key. so now i know it is not the HDD. just wondering what it could be. because like a month ago it wasn't there... just suddenly it came...
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-15, 09:10 i see... thanks for the reply... now i have a new problem... this is not my week... this humming problem is the least now. check the new thread.
	quote

scratt Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!	2006-01-15, 09:47 No probs.. Will go look.. However.. A word to the wise.. If you add a link to your new thread people are much more likely to put the time and effort in to help... 'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take' Extreme Sports Cafe \| ESC's blog \| scratt's blog \| @thescratt
	quote

Sketch Formerly “iceman009” Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Some place	2006-01-15, 10:46 alright thanks for the advice... here is the link ... click on this pleaseeeee!!! http://forums.applenova.com/showthread.php?t=12961
	quote

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HDD humming sound