G5 iMac, anything but QUIET

[ebook]

Well, I posted in the iMac post with joy that my computer has come. But, now that I have it up and running and I sit next to it typing on my iBook it is LOUD. Big time high pitched hum, fan like sound that turns on as soon as I turn on my computer and doesn't go away except when I put it to sleep. This is nothing like the reviews I read or like the 17" model I saw at CompUSA yesterday that had been on for who knows how long. So, what is the correct procedure about getting this thing fixed. I'm afraid I'm not going to have me new iMac very long am I....????

[BakedBeans]

i can see a major recall.... just what i think.... i have heard three or four guys say it far too loud....

how do i go about getting it fixed

dont... demand a new one... why would you have to get it fixed.... it brand new... they need to sell you a brand new machine not a broken and then fixed one...otherwise your getting a refurb....dont stand for it....

[edesignuk]

oh bollocks....just what I don't want to hear before I even have it :(

[BakedBeans]

oh bollocks....just what I don't want to hear before I even have it :(

i dont think its all of them,..

some guys havent complained...but one guy said i use a loud pc all day at work and its even worse than that.... if you get one then dont worry...there under obligation to sort it out

[ebook]

I'm on hold with Apple right now. I have just been transfered from the first lady that I got to a new person. I am probably just going to ask for a new computer, but they seem to think they haven't heard of this problem so I hope they don't give me any trouble.

:( as I type this from my iBook and not my new iMac

[t300]

Maybe it's just, uh..your ultra sensitive hearing?

Let me ask you this... Is a Ferrari silent?

[munkle]

The discrepancies in reports about iMac G5 noise levels are a little disconcerting. Here are a couple of links for those who are finding their iMac's a little on the noisy side, link 1 (http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=2004092402530870) and unfortunately link 2 (http://www.hardmac.com/niouzcontenu.php?date=2004-09-24#2918), which doesn't make for good reading.

edesignuk: scant consolation for the rest but it sounds like the problems are more with the 17"ers, depressing link no. 3 (http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=3816).

[ebook]

Maybe it's just, uh..your ultra sensitive hearing?

Let me ask you this... Is a Ferrari silent?

Unfortunatly it is not just my ultra sensitive hearing. I'm done talking with Apple now and it sounds like they are starting to hear more about this problem. The guy told me that if it was a 17" model there was something that I could do, but not for the 20" model yet. He was directing my problem to engineering and would get back to me either later today or tomorrow. He did assure me that they would correct the problem either by sending me a user replacable part or a new computer. So, I guess I'm pleased with Apple's service and I can understand there would be a few problems with a first production machine.

[munkle]

Cue the Rev A bashing... :rolleyes:

[osprey76]

From reading the boards it sounds like they got a bad batch of fans. Your description reminds me of what the fan blades rubbing on the housing would be like.

[t300]

I am sure Apple will sort it out for you. No worries....Yet.

[slooksterPSV]

I think the best idea would to wait for the Rev. B's then they can get all of the annoyance bugs out. Has anyone heard about the G5i? Its supposed to be an upgraded processor of the G5. More pipelines, more cache, and faster speed. The reason its G5i is because its not really anything new for a G6 so yeah.

[Macmaniac]

Honestly people if we waited for the Rev B. of every product we would be waiting all the time, and besides even Rev B. usually has problems since they have slightly "improved" upon the interface or design of Rev A.
Sounds like a bad batch of fans to me.

[Elan0204]

While it is possible ebook that you have a defective iMac, you have to remember that the iMac is NOT silent. The fans are on as soon as you turn on the computer. Apple does not deny that fact, and they don't claim the iMac is silent, they claim it is quieter than a whisper. From what I've heard, the iBook is silent, and quieter than the PowerBooks, so maybe you are just not use to having any noise come from your computer. If you expect your new iMac to be silent, you are going to be disappointed. The iMac does produce a low hum/buzz sound as soon as you turn it on, but I don't think it is any louder than Apple claimed it would be.

That being said, it is very possible that your iMac is defective, especially given the other users reports. Without hearing your iMac, I can't say if it is any louder than mine. However, I want people to realize that if you are expecting to turn on your new iMac G5 and have it be completely silently, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

edit: ebook, I also have the 20" model, by the way.

[Peyote]

Cue the Rev A bashing... :rolleyes:


Cue people complaining about people complaining. :rolleyes:

[slooksterPSV]

You know what, I'm on a PC and the fans in my computer are loud. But you know what, I don't care cause thats letting me know that the bad hot air inside is getting moved out and cooler air is going inside. Don't worry about petty little hums. Just think that you're mac isn't going to die from the heat. GO MAC'S!!!

[munkle]

Cue people complaining about people complaining. :rolleyes:

touche peyote, touche.

[BakedBeans]

You know what, I'm on a PC and the fans in my computer are loud. But you know what, I don't care cause thats letting me know that the bad hot air inside is getting moved out and cooler air is going inside. Don't worry about petty little hums. Just think that you're mac isn't going to die from the heat. GO MAC'S!!!

its not the same thing with a mac and a pc... what your saying isnt really valid... as they have claimed it is quieter than a whisper.. but if its freaking loud then he needs a replacement...

[slooksterPSV]

The reason its louder is because its spinning faster because of all the heat inside. Put it in a cold cold room, or the freezer if you can spare the room and see if it quiets down. Hmm... put it right in front of an airconditioner. And if that changes something then I've proven my point.

[ebook]

Wow, people are thinking I'm over sensitive! I was just about to report that the speakers sound pretty good as good as my externals, but now that I'm to sensitive I just might have to change that! Just Kidding!!

Actually, like I said when I called Apple they seemed to agree that it was a problem and that it wasn't supposed to sound like it did and that they would take care of it. Like I said, I was at a store looking at a 17" model last night and it WAS whisper quiet when I was on the internet. Now, I'm on this one and it is not whisper quiet. I can tell a difference between the two computers and I probably shouldn't be able to.

[BakedBeans]

The reason its louder is because its spinning faster because of all the heat inside..

how can you presume its spinning faster??? do you know the rpm that it spins at...no do you know how fast his is spinning...no

it could be a faulty bunch of fans,,, it could be anything.. but he says it noisy...

Put it in a cold cold room, or the freezer if you can spare the room and see if it quiets down. Hmm... put it right in front of an airconditioner. And if that changes something then I've proven my point

yeah thats it... apple expects you to use it in a freezer...

THE NEW IMAC WHISPER QUITE*

*only in the freezer....

so you havent proven a point at all....

the point is it should be quite (very) a small fan noise is acceptable and it isnt ment to be one all the time its only supposed to come on when needed (like powerbooks)

[Lancetx]

Aren't the fans user replaceable (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86812)? If so then at least you wouldn't have to go without your computer. You would just have to put up with the noise until Apple could ship replacement parts out to you.

[BakedBeans]

Wow, people are thinking I'm over sensitive! I was just about to report that the speakers sound pretty good as good as my externals, but now that I'm to sensitive I just might have to change that! Just Kidding!!

Actually, like I said when I called Apple they seemed to agree that it was a problem and that it wasn't supposed to sound like it did and that they would take care of it. Like I said, I was at a store looking at a 17" model last night and it WAS whisper quiet when I was on the internet. Now, I'm on this one and it is not whisper quiet. I can tell a difference between the two computers and I probably shouldn't be able to.

dont worry you 100% correct and you are the only one who knows what it sounds like... but if its annoying its to loud...

[t300]

Freezer! HA! What a joke...

[bdomz]

its not the same thing with a mac and a pc... what your saying isnt really valid... as they have claimed it is quieter than a whisper.. but if its freaking loud then he needs a replacement...

whisper quiet means alot of different things to alot of people, personally I would consider a whisper pretty loud for a computer. Anyone know what the decibel rating for the G5 iMac is when it's at its loudest? Anything that's that close to your ears is gonna make some noise. I've had experience quieting PC's down to damn near inaudible but it takes some really quiet fans, the right kind of case and a super quiet power supply, and even then with the tower under the desk it makes a huge difference than if it was 1 foot from my ears.

[BakedBeans]

whisper quiet means alot of different things to alot of people, personally I would consider a whisper pretty loud for a computer. Anyone know what the decibel rating for the G5 iMac is when it's at its loudest? Anything that's that close to your ears is gonna make some noise. I've had experience quieting PC's down to damn near inaudible but it takes some really quiet fans, the right kind of case and a super quiet power supply, and even then with the tower under the desk it makes a huge difference than if it was 1 foot from my ears.

like i say macs and pc are different... im saying a whisper isnt very loud and annoying... apple have said that there might be a problem a few guys i know and have spoken to have ahd a problem...some guys havent...its a fault..whats the problem?? if its loud then its not right,, as a whisper implies its not loud and annoying..he is not asking it to be SILENT

[Elan0204]

Like I said, I was at a store looking at a 17" model last night and it WAS whisper quiet when I was on the internet. Now, I'm on this one and it is not whisper quiet. I can tell a difference between the two computers and I probably shouldn't be able to.

ebook, don't worry, I do believe that your iMac does have a problem, I just wanted people to realize that the iMac is not silent. From the moment you turn it on, to the moment you put it to sleep, it is making noise.

whisper quiet means alot of different things to alot of people, personally I would consider a whisper pretty loud for a computer. Anyone know what the decibel rating for the G5 iMac is when it's at its loudest? Anything that's that close to your ears is gonna make some noise.

You are right, whisper quiet does mean different things to different people, and some people seem to believe that it means "silence." Apple claims that a whisper is 35 decibels, and that the iMac G5 when idle produces 25 decibels. You have to remember too though, that someone doesn't sit there constantly whispering next to your ear the way the iMac does, so some may be bothered by the constant sound. Apple didn't say how loud the fans are when at full speed, but I can tell you it sounded like my iMac was getting ready to take off off my desk. Nothing I've used the iMac for has gotten the fans to run full speed, though. This was when booting off a disk that didn't have the proper iMAc fan controllers installed.

[BakedBeans]

ebook, don't worry, I do believe that your iMac does have a problem, I just wanted people to realize that the iMac is not silent. From the moment you turn it on, to the moment you put it to sleep, it is making noise.



You are right, whisper quiet does mean different things to different people, and some people seem to believe that it means "silence." Apple claims that a whisper is 35 decibels, and that the iMac G5 when idle produces 25 decibels. You have to remember too though, that someone doesn't sit there constantly whispering next to your ear the way the iMac does, so some may be bothered by the constant sound. Apple didn't say how loud the fans are when at full speed, but I can tell you it sounded like my iMac was getting ready to take off off my desk. Nothing I've used the iMac for has gotten the fans to run full speed, though. This was when booting off a disk that didn't have the proper iMAc fan controllers installed.

elan tell me, how much ram have you got??

im thinking a 1.8ghz g5 with 256mb ram might have problems.... a ram uhm... underload...

[Elan0204]

elan tell me, how much ram have you got??

im thinking a 1.8ghz g5 with 256mb ram might have problems.... a ram uhm... underload...

I've got one 512MB DIMM in there now, and my second 512MB DIMM just arrived. I haven't installed it yet, though.

I agree though, I don't think 256MB would work well at all.

[t300]

Well, as awkward as it may sound...I really wish I had an iMac G5 that was loud, as opposed to no iMac at all.

[BakedBeans]

I've got one 512MB DIMM in there now, and my second 512MB DIMM just arrived. I haven't installed it yet, though.

I agree though, I don't think 256MB would work well at all.

maybe the processor is number crunching but that amount of ram struggles to cope with the info at that speed and makes it hot trying to deal with it??

just a theory

[Elan0204]

maybe the processor is number crunching but that amount of ram struggles to cope with the info at that speed and makes it hot trying to deal with it??

just a theory

A theory about what? I wasn't entirely sure why you asked the RAM question to begin with?

[BakedBeans]

A theory about what? I wasn't entirely sure why you asked the RAM question to begin with?

well if thats making the the ram hot then that means the fans will want to spin up and make the noise... but it probably is just a faulty fan...

[ebook]

Man, it just seems like they are getting louder! Oh well, I guess I happy that Apple is taking care of it! This is really my first dealings with them, I've had Mac's but I've always had e-bay or a hand me down. Seems like good service.

[bdomz]

Apple claims that a whisper is 35 decibels, and that the iMac G5 when idle produces 25 decibels.


Thanks for the decibel specs. 35 dbs would definitely drive my nuts but hopefully a typical G5 Imac doesnt get anywhere near that even at full load. But if the thing sounds like it's gonna take off from your desk then something is definetly wrong. Can you hear it from another room? If so I'd say you have a problem.

[Elan0204]

But if the thing sounds like it's gonna take off from your desk then something is definetly wrong. Can you hear it from another room? If so I'd say you have a problem.

It only got that loud when the fans were running at absloutely full uncontrolled speed. If you boot from a disk that doesn't have drivers for the fans, then as a safety precaution they go to full speed. When I boot from the internal hard drive, I don't have any fan problems.

But, yes, it was pretty loud, louder than my PowerBook at full speed. If 35 decibals is what Apple says a whisper is, then this was way above that. But Apple is making claims comparing the idle volume of the iMac to a whisper, 35 decibals being a whisper and 25 decibals being an idle iMac.

edit: ebook, would you mind booting your iMac off the Apple Hardware Test CD that came with your iMac? It doen't have drivers to control your fans, so they will ramp up to full speed. This would let you draw a comparison between that and what you are normally hearing. Maybe your fans are stuck at full speed, even when booting your iMac from the internal hard drive.

[Mantat]

The noise of the computer has nothing to do with HD or CPU cooling. Its related to the power alimentation. They have 2 providers and one of them had a deffect batch. They will send replacement parts very soon.

Babelfish this: www.macbidouille.com for more details.

[BakedBeans]

The noise of the computer has nothing to do with HD or CPU cooling. Its related to the power alimentation. They have 2 providers and one of them had a deffect batch. They will send replacement parts very soon.

Babelfish this: www.macbidouille.com for more details.


yeah i kind of thought that might be the case...

slooksterPSV strange your not defending your "put your iMac in the freezer" theory anymore,

[slooksterPSV]

Replacement parts? Meaning you have to do it yourself? unless you want to pay the $$$ for someone else to do it, ouch.

[Peyote]

touche peyote, touche.



:D

[virividox]

on an all in one machine i this is a big issue especially since its a selling point; hopefully apple sorts it out and not too many units are affected; that said i wont mind purchasing an affected unit :)

[reckless_0001]

Seems like it is a known issue guys...

http://macintosh.fryke.com/cgi-bin/macnews.cgi/2004/09/24#20040924_imacnoise

[ebook]

Well, an Apple engineer called me back and had me start the computer in open firmware to listen to the fan sound. That is definitely the sound that I'm hearing, although I'm hearing them continually at about 3/4 of full it sounds. He said that he was going to check and see if that is normal and then get back to me tomorrow (gotta love engineer help that works on Saturday). If they decide it's not (am I'm going to make sure they do) then they will send me something to replace...


...and that something is the mid-plane assembly. So, I guess I'll find out if it really is an easy upgrade to do.

[Elan0204]

ebook, now that you have heard the full speed fans, how would you describe the noise? I thought it was quite loud, so if you are always hearing about 3/4 of that, there is definitely something wrong with your iMac.

[ebook]

Yep about 3/4 I would say, except I just got done playing a game, NASCAR 2002, which is not exactly graphically intense and they have ramped up a little bit. So, I guess I'm waiting for my mid-plane next week. Do you think I should ask them to send a different Grapics Card on it??? LOL ;)

[Elan0204]

So, I guess I'm waiting for my mid-plane next week. Do you think I should ask them to send a different Grapics Card on it??? LOL ;)

Worth a try. :)

I'm kind of surprised it it is the midplane that needs replacing, as it seemed from the links posted earlier in the thread that the general consensus was that the problem is power supply related. Who knows? I just hope that if Apple has you swap out the midplane, that it at least corrects the problem. Since it looks like you'll be one of the first to try out this new "do it yourself repair" thing, maybe you can take some pictures of what is involved in midplane replacement.

[airmac]

Just a quickie. Is the 20'' iMac quiter than a dual giga mdd (btw i'm used to that sound...I mean..it doesn't bother me that much)?
Man, I was about to order one this week... but have second thougts now.. :(

thanks

...

[ebook]

Just a quickie. Is the 20'' iMac quiter than a dual giga mdd (btw i'm used to that sound...I mean..it doesn't bother me that much)?
Man, I was about to order one this week... but have second thougts now.. :(

thanks

...

I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you. I have played around with a couple of other iMacs at the store and they really were whisper quiet. Mine seems and a few others seem to be the exception rather than the rule. That's why Apple is going to send me a replacement part.

Go ahead, pull the trigger and buy one!

[jsalzer]

You have to remember too though, that someone doesn't sit there constantly whispering next to your ear the way the iMac does, so some may be bothered by the constant sound.

So those voices constantly whispering to me to get the ax out of the car and make them all pay - you're telling me that's not real?

What about the ones telling me I need an iMac G5? Are those real?

;)

While I'm sure the original poster does have a problem, I just wanted to throw in that comparing what you hear in a store (where your ears are already tuning out several other hums) to what you hear in your house is probably not the best way to judge the noise level. Even the flourescent (sp?) lights at the store add to the background noise there.

[superich]

Well, I posted in the iMac post with joy that my computer has come. But, now that I have it up and running and I sit next to it typing on my iBook it is LOUD. Big time high pitched hum, fan like sound that turns on as soon as I turn on my computer and doesn't go away except when I put it to sleep. This is nothing like the reviews I read or like the 17" model I saw at CompUSA yesterday that had been on for who knows how long. So, what is the correct procedure about getting this thing fixed. I'm afraid I'm not going to have me new iMac very long am I....????
CALL applecare's support line right away you are covered it is brandnew they should replace that one right away.

[airmac]

I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you. I have played around with a couple of other iMacs at the store and they really were whisper quiet. Mine seems and a few others seem to be the exception rather than the rule. That's why Apple is going to send me a replacement part.

Go ahead, pull the trigger and buy one!

well I'm torn between 17 and 20. 17 (intro model) with superdrive is just what I need, but sadly is not a bto option...umm..it is, but have no need for more hd, more speed, fuster bus etc... 20 inch is not so cheap IMO cause it's not upgradable. But thanks anyway.. :)

...

[Sabbath]

I thought the problem with these loud iMacs was with the PSU and only when plugged into a ~220v supply but as people in the US seem to be having this problem I guess it can't be. I wonder how common a problem this is.

[filete01]

well I'm glad i not louder than my toshitba. I agree it's not that quiet but you'd have to have your music turned off and pretty damn late at night to hear it, which doesn't affect as I'm always listening to music.

[ill trooper]

I am sure they will work it out, this sort of thing was happening with the PowerMac G5s as well. I have tinkered around at the Apple store with the new G5 iMac, a few times over the last few weeks, and none of them was audible. Of course, it was a store, full of people.

Sounds like you snared a noisy one - Good luck and hold Apple to helping you out!

[toezter]

didn't read all the posts but...

theres some g5 imac's at my school, i don't notice any high pitched noise or anything. very quiet in the library. although i've played music gigs without ear plugs ;)

[Xtremehkr]

Here's an interesting link concerning noise levels in different enviroments...

Noise levels (http://www.coolmath.com/decibels1.htm)


Average office noise is 50.
A quiet conversation is 40.
Quiet office 30.
Quiet living room 20.

At worst (35) the new iMac should be somewhere inbetween a quiet office and a quiet conversation. That's not bad at all really. I usually have something playing or some sort of background noise. I doubt I will hear it when I upgrade to one.

[Abulia]

CALL applecare's support line right away you are covered it is brandnew they should replace that one right away.Sorry, that's not the case.

Case in point…my brand new BTO 17" iMac that arrived last night. I got off the plane, went home, set it up and…noisy fan.

Just for clarification, this isn't like a deafening noise, it's a "humm" or "high-pitched whine" that appears to be linked to the fans. Even fully idle with nothing going on, there is this high-pitched whine that is just…annoying. It, unto itself, isn't all that loud. So, to be precise, it's not an issue of loudness per se, but instead the pitch.

As you use the machine it spins up and down; this is the really annoying part. The sound oscillates as you work. The next mouse click you know, subconsciously, is going to make the whining increase. You start dreading making that next click. It sounds silly but it turns the computer experience into one of frustration.

As you put more of a load on the machine -- like letting the computer play chess against itself -- the fans spin up to full throttle and the sound actually dissipates. How is this? The sound of air flow being drawn into the machine partially masks the whine! The irony being to eliminate the whine you have to make the iMac go as loud as possible.

So, I call tech support. I'm a nice guy and I do what I'm told; I'm certainly not going to get anywhere by pissing the techs off. I quickly get to a "Product Specialist;" someone familiar with the G5 iMac. She has me hold my phone up to the unit to "listen" to the sound. (Remember, it's not the volume, it's the pitch!) She says, to her, this is "normal operating noise." Before she can do anything I need to pack my iMac up and take it to a local service center and have a tech listen to it. This tech will make the determination if anything is wrong.

Next day I go to two stores. One store is a small mom-and-pop store and it's very quiet. They turn on their 17" unit and it makes the same noise. Now I'm wondering "is this just the way they sound." We both play with the machines and the tech there states now that I pointed the sound out to him, it is annoying. Store wonders if their unit is broken.

Next, the big chain, CompUSA. Their tech won't be in for four more days (!) but a random Apple tech from another store (non-certified) happens to be there talking with a friend. He listens to my story (and my iMac) and confidently proclaims it is likely the CPU fan based on the type of sound and location. I go to their floor model, a 20" unit, and put it on max brightness, Highest Performance, and full load (computer chess). With my ear less than 6" away from the rear of the unit, the machine is perfectly quiet. Granted, this was in a larger, semi-busy store, but I couldn't hear anything from the 20" unit.

Get back to my office and call Apple back. Get a different Product Specialist. This guys seems interested in solving the problem. Share all the info. He has be put the unit in firmware mode with the fans on "full blast." Then I hold up the phone and boot to OS; he hears the fans spinning down and the whining noise. He consults docs. He then has me record the sound with the internal mic and send him the file. He'll pass along to engineering.

So here I am, a brand new 17" $1500 iMac less than 12 hours out of the box. I've spoken with three Apple techs, driven to two certified Apple Stores for assistance and I am no closer to having my unit fixed. Is this the famed Apple Tech Support? "We'll let our engineers listen to it and get back to you."

How long am I expected to wait for them to resolve this -- if ever?

My personal opinion is this is a physical fan issue; the location would be the CPU fan. I've heard enough bum fans in my time to think this is a pretty good guess. Also, the 20" units don't appear to have this problem. I've searched the 'Net on this issue last night and many of the people complaining (and there are quite a few) seem to be 17" owners.

Bottom line: if this is the normal operating sound for an iMac I want a full refund ASAP. For $1500 and three weeks of waiting I'm a bit ticked with all this hoop-jumping I'm having to go through.

Very…frustrated. :(

- Don

[edesignuk]

Apple are sending me a new "plane" (???) to fit, I'll report back if it fixes my loud, whining, iMac when it arrives :rolleyes:

[Abulia]

One other thing I've noticed since I've had to work on this problem. The fans in the 17" iMac actually cause a small, gentle vibration on the back of the unit. Very noticeable. Appears to be the upper and lower left (from the front) quadrants.

The 20" that I played with in the store, on full load (256MB), had noticeably less vibration.

One idea I'm going to do tonight when I get home is pull my 2 GB of SDRAM and put the default 256 MB stick in; possible power/bus issue?

- Don

[Abulia]

Apple are sending me a new "plane" (???) to fit, I'll report back if it fixes my loud, whining, iMac when it arrives :rolleyes:What were your issues, out of curosity?

- Don

[edesignuk]

What were your issues, out of curosity?

- DonFans get noisy for no apparent reason, occasional squealing/whining sound.

[ebook]

Apple are sending me a new "plane" (???) to fit, I'll report back if it fixes my loud, whining, iMac when it arrives :rolleyes:

Hey, did they give you an estimate on how long that should take to get. As you may remember I received my replacement midplane and had a faulty AirPort hook-up or antenna so they are sending me a 2nd midplane (third if you count the one the computer came with). I called them two days ago after waiting about a week and a half and they said those were back ordered! So, I'm still waiting...just wondering what they told you about expected delivery time.

P.S. My is the 20" model, so Don the 20"s have problems also! :(

[Xtremehkr]

I hope everyones problems are fixed, the ones I have played with at various locations have been whisper quiet. Sounds like the problem is being acknowledged though which is good. It sounds like the third world labor assembling these machines need a good thrashing. I keed, I keed.

[edesignuk]

Hey, did they give you an estimate on how long that should take to get. As you may remember I received my replacement midplane and had a faulty AirPort hook-up or antenna so they are sending me a 2nd midplane (third if you count the one the computer came with). I called them two days ago after waiting about a week and a half and they said those were back ordered! So, I'm still waiting...just wondering what they told you about expected delivery time.

P.S. My is the 20" model, so Don the 20"s have problems also! :(
They said it should be here by the end of the week.

Jesus! Just found the instructions (http://www.info.apple.com/usen/cip/pdf/imacg5/B033-2494.pdf) on replacing the midplane, what a mission!

Mine is the 20" too BTW.

[Xtremehkr]

:eek:

Well that presentation wasn't thrown together overnight, I wonder if they had an inkling that this would be a problem, or whether that was prepared for people who with to replace items in the future?

I hope rev b solves all of these bugs.

[edesignuk]

They said it should be here by the end of the week.
Woah! It's just turned up this morning! :eek: I only spoke to them yesterday afternoon :cool:

[BakedBeans]

if the mid-planes are on backorder then surely this is a major fault that either warrants a recall or this will at least fuel the rev a band....

im gunna wait a month or two to get mine i think..

oh and edesign i take it you have no dead pixels or anything

[edesignuk]

oh and edesign i take it you have no dead pixels or anythingNope :D

[ebook]

Woah! It's just turned up this morning! :eek: I only spoke to them yesterday afternoon :cool:

Okay, so you have a 20" with bluetooth? AND MINE IS NOT HERE YET!!!! Time for me to call Apple!!!!

[Coolvirus007]

Many people told me the Lacie d2 drive was ultra quiet. And then when I got it, it was loud and it had this really annoying pitch. And when my friends came over to check it out, they said it was really quiet. So I think that 'quiet' has different levels.

[Abulia]

Woah! It's just turned up this morning! :eek: I only spoke to them yesterday afternoon :cool:First, congratulations! :) I hope this fixes your problem.

This is what irritates me, though. On this forum, MacNN, and on the Apple Support site you will find people like edesignuk who get their problem diagnosed amazingly quick and a replacement part sent to them (PSU or mainboard). Then you have people like myself, who have to struggle and go the rounds with multiple techs, being told that this is "normal operational sound" and having to haul our equipment into 3rd party stores for validation.

Clearly this is an issue that Apple is aware of. So why do half of us have to go through this inane hoop-jumping and the other half get their problem addressed in a timely manner? I had to send a sound recording in to the Apple engineers to have them verify that there's anything wrong with my machine. I have no "due date" as to when they will get back to me; I could be sitting here for weeks waiting for resolution.

We all bought the same equipment, paid the same money, and have (more or less) the same problem. Why are we treated differently based on the random tech we get on the phone?

In closing, if you're planning on getting an iMac I'd say go for it. I would, however, suck up the price difference and purchase the machine locally if at all possible. Make sure said store (like a major retailer) has an iron-clad return policy; there's a good chance you'll want to avoid the Apple Tech Support Bottomless Pit and exchange the unit if it has any sound issues.

- Don

[edesignuk]

First, congratulations! :) I hope this fixes your problem.
It was fun installing. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=94033)

[Dont Hurt Me]

Man all you guys should have just bought a Alienware Aurora :D Edesignuk i feel your pain :eek: what a freaking hassle i hate that garbage of talking to a foreigner that cant speak english on the otherside of the planet. This is what America companies are turning into terrific isnt it. Just for a side note my Aurora was built in the good old U.S.A. so take that you China supporters. it may not be a Mac but darn this thing can game.

[Abulia]

Every time I think about calling Apple and blowing up at them I just try to relax and look at edesignuk's avatar. :)

At what point are we within our right to demand a functioning unit or a full refund?

- Don

[Abulia]

Update: I've been exchanging e-mails with a Product Specialist and after becoming a little more forceful they're going to send me a new mid-plane. Engineering agrees with my assessment regarding the fans. I also gave them seven links to various threads from three sites (including the Apple Support Forums) regarding the issue, so they should certainly be aware of the visibility its getting.

I'll post results when I replace the part.

- Don

[Abulia]

Received the mid-plane yesterday -- very surprised it arrived so quickly! Nice job, Apple!

Unfortunately the there is no change in the sound of the machine. :(

I exchanged e-mails with my Product Specialist and now Engineering is saying that since the noise didn't change that my iMac is producing the normal operating noise.

WTF? Yesterday they analyzed my sound sample and said the unit was defective and shipped me a replacement part. Today they're telling me that everything is fine?

The Product Specialist refuses to send me another mid-plane (even though others on the Apple Support Forums have gone through three) or try the PSU. Essentially they are telling me that they're done. :confused:

Well you know what, so am I. Apple either replaces this machine or I get a full refund. I'm tired of this. This is the second time they've jerked me around on a DOA unit and I've had it. I really enjoy Apple products (when they work) but my customer service experiences with them have been THE WORST.

As I sit here typing this on my iMac the grating "humming" noise coming from my machine is aggrivating. It sounds like an RC plane flying in the distance. Keep in mind I can hear the iMac over my PC just two feet away with FIVE of its fans blowing at full bore.

"Normal operating noise" my ass. I'm so mad right now.

- Don

[nospleen]

That really stinks. I am sorry to hear of your experience. I had similar noise problems with my first imac G5 too. I finally returned it to the store and the new one is every bit as quiet as my old 20" G4 imac. I know how frustrating it can be, so best of luck to you.

[Aneiryn]

I have an intolerably loud iMac G5 17", and a new mid-plane section is on the way. The first person I talked to at Apple had to turn down the volume on his headset when I held the phone up to the CPU fan, and he could still hear it with the phone 4 feet away from the computer. Granted I was running at 100% CPU usage, but that shouldn't matter. A fan usually makes white noise and doesn't sound like a dying hard drive. Still, there's a chance the problem can be fixed, but I usually have terrible luck. The power supply already died and was replaced. Apple and the local repair center took care of that quickly. At least the display doesn't have any defects. That's a first. Whatever happens, I'll post the results.

[slooksterPSV]

Geeze, its a good thing you guys have applecare. I'd go nuts with problems like that.

[micvog]

Don - Would you mind posting or e-mailing the sound file you created of your 17" fan noise?

I bought a 17" SuperDrive iMac on Saturday at an Apple Store and I am not sure if my iMac has a fan issue or not. For reference purposes, it shipped from China on 10/16 per the UPS label and I added another 256MB RAM for a total of 512MB of matched/paired RAM.

There are two different noises. One is a whisper quiet hum that I would associate as being normal. The second is a whirring/squealing noise that is about as loud as a PC tower but more annoying. Both noises are constantly present as long as the computer is awake. However, it is certainly nowhere near as loud as when I ran the Apple Hardware Test. Also, a friend came over to see my new computer and I waited to see if he mentioned anything about the noise; he didn't. So I may just have unrealistic expectations.

I might go to the Apple Store and listen to the units on display but as others have mentioned there is a significant amount of background noise there even under the best of circumstances.

[flyfish29]

Honestly people if we waited for the Rev B. of every product we would be waiting all the time

Technically, we would only be waiting a bit longer the first time if you waited until rev. b, then the time between purchases would be pretty much the same if you only bought rev. b's every time after that.

[iGary]

Sorry to hear of everyon else's problems.

I haven't heard mine yet.

[edesignuk]

I haven't heard mine yet.Yeah, rub it in why don't ya :D :p

[rdowns]

Yeah, rub it in why don't ya :D :p

If you insist, mine is silent. I finally heard the fans kick in the other day after a long game of Call of Duty.

[Aneiryn]

I just installed the new mid-plane. It's no better than the first. In fact, it's giving me a headache. On top of the "normal" CPU fan noise, I have another fan that doesn't sound too healthy. Should I call Apple again? I really hate to cause a lot of trouble, and I've already had them repair a dead power supply and send a replacement mid-plane.

...I can't take that horrible sound anymore. This definitely needs to be fixed or returned.

[edesignuk]

I just installed the new mid-plane. It's no better than the first. In fact, it's giving me a headache. On top of the "normal" CPU fan noise, I have another fan that doesn't sound too healthy. Should I call Apple again? I really hate to cause a lot of trouble, and I've already had them repair a dead power supply and send a replacement mid-plane.

...I can't take that horrible sound anymore. This definitely needs to be fixed or returned.Call Apple, tell 'em you want a new machine, the drone on the phone will say no, you ask to speak to a manager (and so on), then keep moaning/escalating until they give in a promise you a good, working, QUIET machine!

[Abulia]

Call Apple, tell 'em you want a new machine, the drone on the phone will say no, you ask to speak to a manager (and so on), then keep moaning/escalating until they give in a promise you a good, working, QUIET machine!Good luck with this...I've tried with no success.

Essentially it comes down to the Product Specialist has to certify the machine as DOA. It really depends who you get on the phone, I've noticed. I spoke with a PS and he totally understood my frustration and wanted to help, the problem was that he didn't "own" my case and couldn't make the call. I am, in fact, Brian's (the other PS) bitch; I'm totally at his mercy.

My only other avenue is to call Customer Relations and stir up trouble, apparently. My point is, I don't want to have to do that.

For me, it's pretty simple: the machine had the problem out of the box. We replaced a part but it didn't fix the problem. Engineering has no timeframe to fix the problem. Thus, I want a new machine or my money back. Why should I have to raise hell for what, by all indiciations, should be an easy customer service call?

Apple Tech Support quality seems to be totally random -- woe the customer that get's trapped in the mess I'm in. (Of course I can return the unit within 14 days and pay the 10% restocking fee.) :mad:

[edesignuk]

Good luck with this...I've tried with no success.

Essentially it comes down to the Product Specialist has to certify the machine as DOA.Worked for me. They told me that they wanted me to take the machine somewhere to get one of their guys to take a look at it, basically I told 'em to shuv it a replace my god damn machine, which needed a new midplane within a week, and then a few days later started having screen problems.

[BakedBeans]

what screen problems did you have??? and to the guy thats worried about phoning apple... DONT you just spend loads of cash on an imac they they have not got right yet... tell them you want a new machine and dont stop till you've got one.. threaten them with legal action if you have to because they cannot get away with claims that its whisper quite when its not and its in-fact giving you a headache....

[edesignuk]

what screen problems did you have???http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=94561

[BakedBeans]

well that sucks cheesy bumholes.....

so are you back to using your g4? this sucks about apple... its like they dont want to give an inch untill you really start to push...

as for the screen problem it sounds like a borked version of what the powerbooks do...its smelly thats all i can say

[edesignuk]

so are you back to using your g4? this sucks about apple... its like they dont want to give an inch untill you really start to push...Na, as long as I don't have the screen set to sleep, then it's fine. So I can live with it until they get me a replacement...whenever that might be, a few weeks at least I imagine :rolleyes:

[BornAgainMac]

I am curious what it sounds like at a retail store.

[wdlove]

I am curious what it sounds like at a retail store.

I couldn't hear any noise from the iMac at my local Apple Store. Then again there is a lot of noise with all the customers. I think that each individual has a different tolerance for noise.

[jared_kipe]

Good luck with this...I've tried with no success.

Essentially it comes down to the Product Specialist has to certify the machine as DOA. It really depends who you get on the phone, I've noticed. I spoke with a PS and he totally understood my frustration and wanted to help, the problem was that he didn't "own" my case and couldn't make the call. I am, in fact, Brian's (the other PS) bitch; I'm totally at his mercy.


LOL, that was hillarious, but I am sorry about all your problems. Lucky me on my nice CRT and powermac G5.

[Abulia]

Called Apple today after giving them 6 days to "speak w/ Engineering." The Product Specialist essentially said there was no change and that I had to continue to wait; that was the extent of what they could do.

Called the Apple Store and spoke w/ a rep who, after reading the case notes, offered to replace/refund the unit with no hassle! Apparently the techs had already made a DOA notation on my case! This begs the question as to why the techs were stringing me along but that's for another time.

I haven't decided to request a replacement unit or a refund. I'm leaning towards the refund. I'd either replace the unit w/ a rev B iMac or the 1.8 PowerMac. In either case I'll probably be buying locally through a vendor as this phone hoop-jumping was a nightmare.

Bottom line, Apple took care of the defective unit for me but it was a LONG and aggravating process.

- Don

[piatek]

Hmm i just got my new imac 3 days ago ...
Its not loud or at least i don't think it is .. when i type i cannot hear it.. and when i breath its like more silent then breathing lol ... hmm
i have applecare for a year so we will see in few weeks.
if it will get loud i will call applle and see...
:D