MacBook "MOO" fix?

[blitzydog]

Well, my MacBook, like many others, moos. It's not unbearable, but definitely noticable. Other than that, it's a pretty solid laptop... but I really wish it didn't moo. Does anyone know what actually causes the noise, and if there is a fix? It sounds like maybe the fan is hitting something as it spins?

[shadowmoses]

Well, my MacBook, like many others, moos. It's not unbearable, but definitely noticable. Other than that, it's a pretty solid laptop... but I really wish it didn't moo. Does anyone know what actually causes the noise, and if there is a fix? It sounds like maybe the fan is hitting something as it spins?

Doubt there's any fix for the time being, If it gets any worse talk to Apple about it.....

Also a Firmware update will probably be released soon making the MB's more heat efficient,

ShadOW

[Josias]

My MacBook "mooed" once for 1.5 seconds. It sounded like the HDD, but I was also working heavy stuff in iMovie HD... I have no clue, because it only happened once for not much more than a sec, but I don't think it is either the fan or CPU, perhaps the HDD.

[rhg247]

I just got my macbook (White 2ghz/1GB/80GB) yesterday and while i was in my office (aka the server closet) I thought I was golden with its beautiful screen, and no mooing / whine. BUT turns out that it was just too noisy to hear it. Last night on the sofa I could totally hear it "moo". I used to think all you people had gone mad :p How could a comptuer "moo"? Well this one does. And I think it's the fans...it sounds like they spin up to a really low rpm, then down again, then up, then down, then up....etc. The heat doesn't really bother me that much, as it's not getting that much hotter than my ibook g4. BUT if apple could release a firmware update to tweak the fans / moo for us macbook people, I'd be super duper happy. So who do we ask nicely to get that firmware update too? :)

[mmmcheese]

... And I think it's the fans...it sounds like they spin up to a really low rpm, then down again, then up, then down, then up....etc. ...

This is exactly what it is...and it is normal...

[Abulia]

This "issue," more than anything, is what bothers me. I have very sensitive hearing (I went through THREE backplanes on the Rev A. G5 iMac) and this could well bug me so much as to ruin the enjoyment of a new laptop.

I guess there's something said for "ignorance is bliss," because now everyone is listening for the "moo"-ing...and finding it! :)

[wickedG35]

Is there a sound link to what the "moo" sounds like on the MacBook's? I'd like to hear...

[TallShaffer]

Just go to a farm at milkin' time.

[dialo]

...and it is normal...
No it's not.

Personally, I've found this to be really annoying. After going through a couple MacBooks this week, I've found that it's worse on some than on others. Some MacBooks have fans that make no sound except the rushing air, some make a slight hum when they are spinning, amplifying the noise of the fan spinning up and down.

[Slilock]

I've had my 17" MacBook Pro for four days and it has not made any of the sounds that other users are describing. Also it runs a little cooler than my 1.5GHz 15" Powerbook did.

[dialo]

Is there a sound link to what the "moo" sounds like on the MacBook's? I'd like to hear...
It just sounds like the fan going on and off. On some it just sounds like air blowing at about 2 sec intervals, on others there is an associated hum.

Most people report that it only happens when the temp is about 67 degrees C.

Personally, I find it really annoying.

[dialo]

Here's a video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4490733167064230159

You can't really here much in the video, though

[danny_w]

I saw a post about an exhaust vent on the Macbook (underneath the screen hinge) being covered with some plastic that was not removed at the factory. I wonder if this might have any relation to the "mooing" sound? Has anybody here looked and do they still have the plastic strip over the vent?

[neomancer]

Sorry guys but macs don't "moo" they "moof" ;) (At least thats what Clarus the dogcow says) :D

[dialo]

I saw a post about an exhaust vent on the Macbook (underneath the screen hinge) being covered with some plastic that was not removed at the factory. I wonder if this might have any relation to the "mooing" sound?
It doesn't. This happens a certain temp, which means it has something to do with when the fan is programmed to go on.
Has anybody here looked and do they still have the plastic strip over the vent?
I didn't have it on any the MacBooks I had and returned.

[wanax27]

Here, here. Yes my Black MacBook will moo from time to time. Really thinking about returning it for a later edish that may not have this issue. I have a 14 day-window to do so. CompUSA's rules. Wish I bought from the Apple Store in Pentagon City.

[MACDRIVE]

It is my gut feeling that Apple is working on the issues of mooing and overheating right now, but they are doing so in complete secrecy, so as to never admitting to having a problem in the first place. I also believe that we will never know when the 'perfect' MacBook finally rolls off the assembly line. :)

[blitzydog]

I think there is maybe two fans.. One is fine.. constant, smooth.. The other moos. Here's the thing...

Lets say RPM was on a scale from 1-10. When it moos, it goes from say, 1 to 5 to 1. When he gets to 2, on the way BACK, it doesn't make noise. So does this mean it may be the motor? Or is it the fan hitting something? I'd reallly love to know. When it's at, say, 10, it hums.

[wako]

the fan is not hitting anything.

it isnt the motor's fault either, it is really the fan itself. when you turn on any fan, you hear a sound right? because these motors are small, with small blades, to push enough airand cool something, it needs to spin alot faster than say a ceiling fan. so once it stops, it wont make anymore noise. if you turn it off and on, it becomes a "mooing" noise. If it was on constantly, you would hear the "whining" noise.

I dont think there is any way to fix the problem because it really needs a bigger fan than the one it has. Right now it looks like it has a GPU heatsink fan on it to cool the GPU and CPU

[Rovman]

Looking at the video the Fan comes on at 67c. WIth the temperature on some macbooks at the high end, they are obviously hovering right on 67c thus the fan comes on for a second, but in that time drops the temp to 66, which then turns the fan off, and pretty much just after the fans goes on, the temp hits 67+ again so its a never ending cycle.

These cycles can't really be good for the Fans though can they? i know they are designed for a few hundred thousand on/off cycles, but every 2 seconds is gonna build up pretty quickly..

[gnasher729]

Well, my MacBook, like many others, moos. It's not unbearable, but definitely noticable. Other than that, it's a pretty solid laptop... but I really wish it didn't moo. Does anyone know what actually causes the noise, and if there is a fix? It sounds like maybe the fan is hitting something as it spins?

You must get your ears examined, they are working much too well. Or maybe there is a cow outside the window.

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again. The fix? Don't use your MacBook. Use it only very gently inside a walk-in freezer so the fan is never used, or alternatively use it as hard as possible so the fan runs at full speed all the time.

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.

[dialo]

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again.
It is not this simple. The fact is that the fan turns on at a high speed, that's why it's so audible, and then it shuts off at regular intervals. It's not simply a matter of it cooling it off and then hitting that point again because there is no variation in duration. Also, when it turns on at this 67 degree threshold it's running at a higher speed than it does when it's running steadily at higher temps which is why it's clearly audible.

Most importantly, environment and volume of the specific fan. I've had multiple MacBooks and while some have fans that simply make the sound of rushing air, others make a humming noise that makes the fan much more audible.

[iKat]

You must get your ears examined, they are working much too well. Or maybe there is a cow outside the window.

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again. The fix? Don't use your MacBook. Use it only very gently inside a walk-in freezer so the fan is never used, or alternatively use it as hard as possible so the fan runs at full speed all the time.

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.

Bingo.

[Thomas Veil]

These MacBooks that moo...do they give milk?

[hallaisen]

You must get your ears examined, they are working much too well. Or maybe there is a cow outside the window.

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again. The fix? Don't use your MacBook. Use it only very gently inside a walk-in freezer so the fan is never used, or alternatively use it as hard as possible so the fan runs at full speed all the time.

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.

this post pissed me off. I just got home from my university, and I'm so annoyed at my Macbook I don't know how to describe it. The fan starts, stops, then starts again after 2 seconds...ALL THE TIME.....it's HORRIBLY ANNOYING, and pissed off both me and my friend who I was working with, even when I placed the mac on another table a meter or two away... It was not running any big programs at all...only a small torrent program, nothing more....so please don't use that condescending tone when some of us have more than a thousand bucks on a computer that has major errors...

my macbook has the whine sound as well, and my battery isn't working. I have to have the charger inserted if I want to use it. If I take it out it says "no battery detected" or something like that, and shuts down after 2 seconds...then, when I come to try and find a fix for the problems I read this post, which only adds fuel to my rage...Apple's quality control imust be HORRIBLE..it seems like you should consider yourself lucky if you get a machine that's working properly...I'm taking this one back as soon as I can, cause I'm certainly fed up....and if you're right, and this is the way the Macbook is supposed to run, then I'll never lay my hands on a Mac again...I'm very disappointed with this machine, which is my 1st mac ever.

[blitzydog]

To the people who say it's nothing but a regular fan starting up:

No, you're wrong. It's not normal. I don't think you guys have witnessed the moo - it really is louder than the average fan going on and off, trust me. Some people have no problem, so when the fan goes on and off around the threshold, it's quiet as can be.. but for us with the moo, it's louder. If the computer's really hot and fans are on full blast, it's also loud... So there is definitely something wrong with this.

[Nate4747]

Mine does it every once in a while, and it's no big deal. Just figure out how to keep your notebook in a different temperature range, either by opening extra apps or quitting a few. Sometimes even something as simple as keeping the Activity Monitor open with a floating CPU usage indicator is enough to keep me above the moo threshold.

Firmware upgrade is most likely forthcoming, so it will be solved soon anyway.

[purelithium]

Ignorance is bliss... created by the pounding of 10 years of punk shows... ;)

[ITASOR]

Here's a video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4490733167064230159

You can't really here much in the video, though

I can hear it, and that would drive me INSANE!

[stefan15]

You must get your ears examined, they are working much too well. Or maybe there is a cow outside the window.

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again. The fix? Don't use your MacBook. Use it only very gently inside a walk-in freezer so the fan is never used, or alternatively use it as hard as possible so the fan runs at full speed all the time.

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.

This post is horrendously ignorant.

[DMPDX]

Could someone make a recording of it or someting. Becuase I hae no good idea of what it actually sounds like.
-dsm

[lietsche]

These MacBooks that moo...do they give milk?

ROFL


my 17" mpb does moo too
but no milk

[aristobrat]

IIRC, it was the MacBook Pro folks that first had the Moo, and it was fixed by the SMC firmware update.

[flyguy451]

I think you may be taking your anger out on the wrong person. You may have legitimate complaints about the quality of your machine or just maybe you have set an impossibly high standard. Think about it - is everything you do "perfect" or do you produce work within some acceptable range, have you ever said, "this is good enough." These computers are not a product of Divine Intervention, they're built by humans.

this post pissed me off. I just got home from my university, and I'm so annoyed at my Macbook I don't know how to describe it. The fan starts, stops, then starts again after 2 seconds...ALL THE TIME.....it's HORRIBLY ANNOYING, and pissed off both me and my friend who I was working with, even when I placed the mac on another table a meter or two away... It was not running any big programs at all...only a small torrent program, nothing more....so please don't use that condescending tone when some of us have more than a thousand bucks on a computer that has major errors...

my macbook has the whine sound as well, and my battery isn't working. I have to have the charger inserted if I want to use it. If I take it out it says "no battery detected" or something like that, and shuts down after 2 seconds...then, when I come to try and find a fix for the problems I read this post, which only adds fuel to my rage...Apple's quality control imust be HORRIBLE..it seems like you should consider yourself lucky if you get a machine that's working properly...I'm taking this one back as soon as I can, cause I'm certainly fed up....and if you're right, and this is the way the Macbook is supposed to run, then I'll never lay my hands on a Mac again...I'm very disappointed with this machine, which is my 1st mac ever.

[flyguy451]

You must get your ears examined, they are working much too well. Or maybe there is a cow outside the window.

What you hear is the sound of the cooling fan being turned on and accelerating, and turning off when the MacBook is cool enough again. The fix? Don't use your MacBook. Use it only very gently inside a walk-in freezer so the fan is never used, or alternatively use it as hard as possible so the fan runs at full speed all the time.

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.


Perfect analogies!! My Macbook moos too, I expect a software fix will appear to modify the fan set points and all will be well again.

[nermal0]

Perfect analogies!! My Macbook moos too, I expect a software fix will appear to modify the fan set points and all will be well again.
Stupid analogies. A car makes car sounds, every car does. But this laptop makes sounds I NEVER heard on any laptop I owned before. This guy has no idea what causes the moo and what it sounds like. And I bet he would return his car if it'd sound as if the exhaust pipe fell off.

[Yoyodyne]

Is there a sound link to what the "moo" sounds like on the MacBook's? I'd like to hear...

This is off Apple's support boards: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~chrispl/Moo.m4a

[unfaded]

Did you notice the strange noises that your car makes when you drive? They are called "engine running", "wheels rolling over the ground", and "air passing your car at high speed". Ask your car manufacturer to fix those noises.

If my car started mooing, I would certainly ask my manufacturer to fix it, yes.

[flyguy451]

Stupid analogies. A car makes car sounds, every car does. But this laptop makes sounds I NEVER heard on any laptop I owned before. This guy has no idea what causes the moo and what it sounds like. And I bet he would return his car if it'd sound as if the exhaust pipe fell off.


I have a Macbook. It "moos". It's exactly what he says it is; the fan/airflow noise as the fan increases and decreases in speed. Since some machines have it and some don't and apparently the volume varies from one machine to another I would guess that very slight variations in the system are to blame. There is, however, no doubt as to what is causing the sound. BTW, it does not bother me and I will not be hauling back to the Apple store because of this.

[HiRez]

Just sounds like fans revving to me. My G5 tower does this all the time and it's much louder (you can hear it easily from the next room). Kind of annoying but I got used to it. Hard to judge by the video just how loud that would be in a quiet room, I can see it being distracting with a portable if it's pretty loud.

[n8236]

Mine "moo," but only when I'm using it on my bed w/ mediocre ventilation.

[chrispl]

This is off Apple's support boards: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~chrispl/Moo.m4a

1st of all, thanks for using my clip! haha.. im glad its put to good use!

so i called apple care a 2nd time after i was told to go into the store the first time about the moo/whine, and they still said i have to go into the store to prove anything was wrong. i only called again after reading some encouraging posts about how apple care said there was a defective batch that mooed and how the macbooks werent supposed to do that.

anyways, brought it into a store and the genius told me they all moo and that its definitely not defective. he said that the macbook was designed to turn on the fan that way, but if it turns out to be more of a hinderance, then theyll fix it. he also said said "im sure apple is working on a fix for it". so if your macbook just moos, then i dont think you can return it or anything. but my powerbrick and magsafe connection also hissed/whined. he took it into the back to hear it more clearly, came back and said "i hear a liiiittle bit of sound...." but still offered me a 10% restocking fee FREE return.

i wonder if hes just saying the moo is on all of the macbooks just to keep people quiet. i mean... would a teeny tiny sound that he supposedly heard (its actually really loud and annoying) really warrant a waiver of the 10% restocking fee?

chris

[donaldGuy]

mine does moo a bit but it doesn't really bother me.. granted that if it really does vary significantly and is loud I can see how it could bother someone. Even the recorded version doesn't sound that annoying to me..

Personaly, I would prefer a laptop that is usually dead silent but occasionaly moos when using it on a badly vented surface to a laptop that had a low humming fan all the time (or worse.. an iccesently clicking fan like the fans in my desktop that I should REALLY replace)

[WillMak]

So can we expect a firmware patch to fix this issue soon?

[rdrr]

mine does moo a bit but it doesn't really bother me.. granted that if it really does vary significantly and is loud I can see how it could bother someone. Even the recorded version doesn't sound that annoying to me..

Personaly, I would prefer a laptop that is usually dead silent but occasionaly moos when using it on a badly vented surface to a laptop that had a low humming fan all the time (or worse.. an iccesently clicking fan like the fans in my desktop that I should REALLY replace)

I have been a mac enthusiast since 2001, and I own 3 macs, and 2 ipods. I am trying to point out that I am not an apple basher, but...

This is a defect, just like the white spots on the 15" AL PowerBooks. I don't think people should just rollover and accept that a brand new notebook should "moo". I don't care how faint it is, I can hear it and it is very annoying.

:(

[AcousticDoc]

If it was a light constant hum like the pc laptops I've had it would be ok. But this moo comes and goes at random intervals and random volumes! GAH!!! iT'S DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's the point of having a notebook if you can't even take it with you to the library to study!?!?!?!?!?

[designed]

The fan behaviour on the MacBook isn't that far from my Pentium M VAIO, except the VAIO doesn't moo around. It does have occasional spurs of "what to do with the fan" but it keeps it on for a while and doesn't spin it back up again right away.

I hope there's a firmware fix or a slider to decide between silence and coolness. I'd take a notch or two of fan usage anytime, there's certainly silence to spend.

[Arch]

I purchased a Macbook this past Friday. It was working fine until the "mooing" started. This is definetly a defect. It will drive you nuts. My friend heard mine Macbook, and he agrees with me. You don't have to have sensitive ears to hear it. His Macbook doesn't have the "moo." I'm going to the Apple store; I hope they can fix it. If not, I'm returning it.

[Nar1117]

So lets review here:

The fan turns on at 67 C (152 F), and stops and starts at regular intervals.

What is the fan for? The fan is used to increase airflow inside the computer, to lower the temperature of the components inside.

When the fan starts, it brings air inside the computer and the computer starts to cool down.

Apparently, the activating temperature for the fan is 67C. The heat sensors inside the case probably measure temperature in tenths of degrees. When the fan starts up, the computer cools down maybe 2 or 3 tenths of a degree, which COULD be causing the fans to shut off, since the inside temperature has now reached a value that does not require the fans to be turned on. So they turn off. When they turn off, the computer is no longer being cooled, so it heats up. Then the process starts all over again.

Bam. Moo sound.

We know that the moo is connected with the temperature, and why should it not be? The moo is caused by the fans, which help to regulate temperature, so there is no simple answer that could explain the moo being a problem relating to any other part of the computer.

The problem lies with the communication between the temp. sensors and the fans.


I believe that the sensors are too sensitive, causing the computer to read the temperature in too small of degrees, and being too 'jittery' with corrections involving turning the fans off and on.

The reason that other computers do not experience this has to do with their temp. sensors and the way that the computer interperates the readings.

So yes, the problem is 'within specs'.

[brbubba]

Firmware upgrade is most likely forthcoming, so it will be solved soon anyway.

But it would be nice if we had an actual comment from Apple about the situation and reassurance that it will be fixed soon. I am just more surprised by how this one could have gone passed the QA dept, you gotta be a friggin idiot to send retail product out like this.

[dukebound85]

Stupid analogies. A car makes car sounds, every car does. But this laptop makes sounds I NEVER heard on any laptop I owned before. This guy has no idea what causes the moo and what it sounds like. And I bet he would return his car if it'd sound as if the exhaust pipe fell off.


Haha funny. Ever leave your car idle on hot day. The engine fans will kick on for a bit then off for a bit. Resulting in a moo noise. Almost every car I've seen experiences this and makes sense. Once the crit temp is reached, then bingo the fans kick in and cool it down and the cycle repeats. The issue is the the computer heats up so it needs to cool.

I would hope that they would lower the crit temp that the fans kick in and have the fans on in longer intervals but not as high speed, resulting in the same avg temp

[Mr MacBlue]

My iBook G4 makes a noise which could be interpreted as a "moo" as well. But it does it only when I wake it up and only for less than a second. So I guess that it's really a fan that kind of starts. Otherwise, my iBook works just perfectly.

[nermal0]

sorry double post

[nermal0]

Haha funny. Ever leave your car idle on hot day. The engine fans will kick on for a bit then off for a bit. Resulting in a moo noise. Almost every car I've seen experiences this and makes sense. Once the crit temp is reached, then bingo the fans kick in and cool it down and the cycle repeats. The issue is the the computer heats up so it needs to cool.
Absolutely right. But my Macbook doesn't just moo on hot days. It moos all the time, no matter if outside in direct sunlight or at night on a cold table. If you car's cooling fan would moo every day, turning on and off every two seconds, in any weather and no matter how long the drive is, you would return it, too.

This noise drives me NUTS!

[Arch]

I've been on the discussion forum at Apple.com, and several people have the same problem. It's not a minor annoyance, but a pain in the rear. This fan doesn't even stay on long enough to cool anything, it goes on for couple of seconds and then it shuts off and turns on again in another two to three seconds. It is a high rpm's as well. The average person would find it irritating. It appears that some Macbook owners were lucky to have been spared this defect. I've read about some people taking apart their Macbooks and tightening screws; they've said this has elimintated or reduced the problem. Also, the temperature on the upper left side where the power plug goes in is very warm; this could be because the fan is not cooling properly. This is a defect that Apple needs to address. Maybe their quality control in China needs some improvement.

[aristobrat]

Also, the temperature on the upper left side where the power plug goes in is very warm; this could be because the fan is not cooling properly. This is a defect that Apple needs to address. Maybe their quality control in China needs some improvement.
That's a design issue, not a quality control issue.

[chairguru22]

This "issue," more than anything, is what bothers me. I have very sensitive hearing (I went through THREE backplanes on the Rev A. G5 iMac) and this could well bug me so much as to ruin the enjoyment of a new laptop.

I guess there's something said for "ignorance is bliss," because now everyone is listening for the "moo"-ing...and finding it! :)

i agree that "ignorance is bliss." most desktops and laptops have fans that run all the time so a little "mooing" is normal and ive never payed any attention to it. i notice my macbook "moos" now though because of all the attention it gets. if it "moos" nonstop even at low temperatures then there's a problem and it should be fixed. otherwise put some headphones on and listen to itunes.

[WillMak]

Sigh, I just exchanged my moobook this morning and I'm on my second macbook right now and it still moos. However, it moos a lot less on this one and it seems to run a lot cooler than my other one and has a better responding trackpad click. I think I'll just keep this one and wait for firmware upgrades. The only thing that is annoying me is that the plastic is not perfectly smooth; there are like two small dots that stick out a little bit on the right rest pad. However, that's just me being a nitpicky bastard. Firmware will fix the moo right?

[WillMak]

ok, nm. ON AC this thing still moos like every 10 or so secs. It's alot quieter than the one before so I'm not as annoyed, but it still freaking moos...WHAT SHOULD I DO!? :(

[yhe15]

Hi, guys. My macbook had been mooing since the day one. And im currently in the process of getting it replaced but apple told me to check it first at the retailer. Apprently a report is needed from the authorised apple repair agent stating the problems before i can get mine replaced. I think its a reallll hassel.

So i had been trying to find a cure and i think i had found one. You can install QuietMBP and set the slider to 250 to utilise your cpu more so that the temp reaches to above 71 c. The reason it stops the mooing is becuase when my temp reaches above 71c, the fan will just keep on spinning without coming down, thus make the moo disapeear. You can try on yours as each macbook's mooing kicks on at different temp.

Hope this helps!

[uaaerospace]

To the people who say it's nothing but a regular fan starting up:

No, you're wrong.

Have you watched the video linked on page 1 of this thread? Obviously, it's caused by a fan. To me the problem is bad fan control. It should not spin up and down, but maintain more of a consistent speed.

[Chrispy]

Have you watched the video linked on page 1 of this thread? Obviously, it's caused by a fan. To me the problem is bad fan control. It should not spin up and down, but maintain more of a consistent speed.

Yeah it is the fan. Apple needs to update the firmware so that the fans kick on sooner. However, the whining sound may be here to stay :(

[nermal0]

So i had been trying to find a cure and i think i had found one. You can install QuietMBP and set the slider to 250 to utilise your cpu more so that the temp reaches to above 71 c. The reason it stops the mooing is becuase when my temp reaches above 71c, the fan will just keep on spinning without coming down, thus make the moo disapeear. You can try on yours as each macbook's mooing kicks on at different temp.

This "workaround" is completely unacceptable. Putting constant load on the CPU to keep the fans up at all time increases power usage and therefore heavily decreases battery life. The Macbook is hot at all times and there is low but constant fan noise. Why would I pay for the latest laptop CPU with advanced power management features (speed stepping) to maximize battery life and then prevent it from idling and slowing down the clock speed?

[jne381]

I'm waiting for Apple to make the Hybrid MacBook that is black and white, but in a cow print. Then they could market the Moo as a trendy selling point.

http://duggmirror.com/apple/MOO..._an_mp3_recording_of_the_MacBook_Moo_/moo.mp3

[Harryc]

The original Macbook Pros had this exact issue (mine included). Apple released a firmware update (SMC) that fixed all of the moo-ing Macbook Pros. It took a couple of months though. Just make sure you keep telling Apple about it so that it gets attention. I wouldn't return a unit for it though. It will most likely get fixed by a similar update on the Macbooks.

[yhe15]

Hi, guys, Mac OS X 10.4.7 upgrade will release in a few days. Do u think it might fix the mooing issue for macbook? I really do hope so cause im really just cant be screwed to bring it back to store and posibly wait for another 2 or 3 weeks getting another one which still moos.

[aristobrat]

FWIW, it was a separate firmware update (not bundled with an OS update) that fixed the mooing on the MacBook Pros. :)

[yhe15]

I heard some of the MacBook Pros have the same mooing issues. Have the firmware update released earlier fixed the mooing for macbok pro owners?Someone please confirm this.

[dextertangocci]

Here's a video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4490733167064230159

You can't really here much in the video, though

If that's ALL the "moo" is, you people are either over-exaggerating, or I've suddenly gone deaf:eek:

And besides, I have NO issues with my MB, and I thought I was just lucky, by not having this mooing sound etc, but even if I did have it, I don't think I would even notice it.:)

[brbubba]

If that's ALL the "moo" is, you people are either over-exaggerating, or I've suddenly gone deaf:eek:

And besides, I have NO issues with my MB, and I thought I was just lucky, by not having this mooing sound etc, but even if I did have it, I don't think I would even notice it.:)

You've gone deaf. If you have the problem it is extremely noticeable, even when I have the TV on. Music would have to be blasting for me not to hear it.

[WillMak]

brbubba get yours exchanged!!!

[QCassidy352]

grrr... I can hear the moo! :( :mad:

At first my macbook was perfect... a little later a tiny whine appeared... and now a moo. :( Worst of all, running "quiet macbookpro" to get rid of the whine causes the moo to appear.

:SIGH:

Neither is terribly loud, but I can certainly hear both, and both are annoying. I'm really hoping apple can fix at least one of these with firmware updates...

[aristobrat]

IIRC, MacBook Pro moos went away with the SMC update, so here's hoping the MacBooks something similar! :)

Haven't heard anyone get the whine fixed yet though.

[QCassidy352]

IIRC, MacBook Pro moos went away with the SMC update, so here's hoping the MacBooks something similar! :)

Haven't heard anyone get the whine fixed yet though.

as long as they can get rid of at least one... I can silence the whine with "quiet macbook pro" or photobooth, but that just starts it mooing. So as of now, it's pick your poison.

[MalcolmJID]

Has anyone fully determined the cause of this "moo" thats pretty much a collision/friction/vibration kind of noise?

[QCassidy352]

Has anyone fully determined the cause of this "moo" thats pretty much a collision/friction/vibration kind of noise?

It's the fans. They get caught in a loop and keep ramping up and down. Happens to me when the CPU gets stuck between 65-68 degrees, and people on apple's discussion boards report the same thing.

It's like having an air conditioner that keeps going on and off, trying to keep the room at exactly a certain temp. Except it happens constantly!

[MalcolmJID]

I know it's the fans. I meant has anyone determined what part of the fan it actually is? It sounds to me like one of the fan blades has a slight imperfection, or a slightly extended blade, and its causing it to hit the sides.

My P.O.S. Win98SE PC makes this "moo" noise all the time. Until I tighten a screw. Maybe its a loose screw?

While I fully agree that the temps of the rev up/down need to be changed (come on at say 69º, go off when it's back down at 55º or so), and maybe even have the fan just goin at its slowest possible RPM all the time, as opposed to complete on/off cycles), I get the impression it was a bad batch of fans or something to that effect. I'd like to see someone actually determin the cause of the "moo", which to me sounds like a vibration or something to that effect.


Or maybe its the design of the fan. From that vid on YouTube, it doesn't look like a bladed "fan", like a propellor, more like a flat surface thats just forcing the air out. This will change the "noise" the fan makes as it spins.....perhaps....


I am by no means an expert, but everyone just seems to say "oh, its a 'moo', the fans doing it, fix it!". Someone needs to just get the fan out of a MB or MBP and run it, see whats doin it.

If I had a MB, I may have tried it myself. But until September time, I'm stuck on a couple of PC's.

[aristobrat]

I know it's the fans. I meant has anyone determined what part of the fan it actually is? It sounds to me like one of the fan blades has a slight imperfection, or a slightly extended blade, and its causing it to hit the sides.
The SMC update stopped the moo'ing on MacBook Pros, and as good as Apple is, I'm pretty sure that the update didn't change physical characteristics of the blades. ;)