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New iMac 27" making squeaking sound

J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
Hi

Good news, I just received my new iMac early in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Bad new, it makes a annoying squeaking sound. My best guess is, that is is the 1TB fusion drive (PPLE HDD ST1000DM003) making the sound. The sound is overpowering the fan, but not present when the drive is working hard.

To illustrate i recorded the sound while turning blackmagic disk speed test on and off. You will clearly hear the noise when the test is not running.

Listen to the sound here: https://soundcloud.com/justesen/imac-2012-squeaking-noise

Have anyone experienced the same, or have a solution to this problem?

BR
Justesen
 
J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
Correct. If I do something CPU intensive like the CPU speediest the sound stop and I can hear the disk working instead. -if it is the disk making the sound?

I can't too much information in the C3 state issue. Is it fixable or should I try to get a replacement?
 
Last edited:
D

dwarnecke11

macrumors 6502
Nov 29, 2009
354
0
"Do you hear it? It's a funny squeaking sound!"

squirrel.gif


Sorry, but it's that time of year :D
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
Juste said:
Correct. If I do something CPU intensive like the CPU speediest the sound stop and I can hear the disk working instead. -if it is the disk making the sound?

I can't too much information in the C3 state issue. Is it fixable or should I try to get a replacement?
Click to expand...

I don't think a replacement will fix it. Can't say though, since I haven't gotten my iMac yet to compare. You also might be more sensitive to that pitch of sound than other people, too. Your best bet is to go test one in a store. That said, to hear the noise in a busy store you may need to put your ear up against the casing. It's not the hard drive though, I still say. It's either the C3 idling state sound (google C3 whining sound) or the internal power supply. Still sounds like C3 to me.
 
O

Onimusha370

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2010
884
1,095
I'm in exactly the same boat, have you tried opening an app that uses the camera? (Photo booth). When the camera is being used it stops without fail. I think our problem is when the CPU is at idle, still looking for a fix...
 
J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
Onimusha370 said:
I'm in exactly the same boat, have you tried opening an app that uses the camera? (Photo booth). When the camera is being used it stops without fail. I think our problem is when the CPU is at idle, still looking for a fix...
Click to expand...

Hi Onimusha370

I can confirm, that turning on the front camera does make the noise stop instantly!?!?! I still hear the HDD work, but no high pitch sound.

It's wierd and very annoying!

----------
WilliamG said:
I don't think a replacement will fix it. Can't say though, since I haven't gotten my iMac yet to compare. You also might be more sensitive to that pitch of sound than other people, too. Your best bet is to go test one in a store. That said, to hear the noise in a busy store you may need to put your ear up against the casing. It's not the hard drive though, I still say. It's either the C3 idling state sound (google C3 whining sound) or the internal power supply. Still sounds like C3 to me.
Click to expand...

i might be sensitive :) - but the sound is overpowering the fan and can clearly be heard 5 meters away. Can the C3 be that loud?
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
Juste said:
Hi Onimusha370

I can confirm, that turning on the front camera does make the noise stop instantly!?!?! I still hear the HDD work, but no high pitch sound.

It's wierd and very annoying!

----------



i might be sensitive :) - but the sound is overpowering the fan and can clearly be heard 5 meters away. Can the C3 be that loud?
Click to expand...

I can't say. It depends how sensitive you are to it, potentially. Can you test an iMac in a store by putting your ear to it?

Also, what processor did both of you in this thread with issues buy?
 
1

12dylan34

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2009
884
15
Sounds like a speaker issue that I had in my old MacBook Pro. Even when the sound was one mute, the right speaker would make a noise just like that. Not to say that that's what you issue is, but just throwing that out there.

I would get it exchanged. You paid for a premium product. Expect perfection.
 
O

Onimusha370

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2010
884
1,095
Just listening to it some more, it sounds like the noise at the dentists, when you're having a 'scale and polish'. The sound of metal, scraping on teeth. Not nice :(
 
J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
12dylan34 said:
Sounds like a speaker issue that I had in my old MacBook Pro. Even when the sound was one mute, the right speaker would make a noise just like that. Not to say that that's what you issue is, but just throwing that out there.

I would get it exchanged. You paid for a premium product. Expect perfection.
Click to expand...

I will get it exchanged, if it is not easy fixable!


WilliamG said:
I can't say. It depends how sensitive you are to it, potentially. Can you test an iMac in a store by putting your ear to it?

Also, what processor did both of you in this thread with issues buy?
Click to expand...

I got 27" 3.2GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, 1 TB fusion drive

WilliamG said:
Hey,

Download this and tell me if the sound goes away when this is running. If it does, it really is the C3 idle issue..

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23935/cputest
Click to expand...

Alright I'll try.
 
iMcLovin

iMcLovin

macrumors 68000
Feb 11, 2009
1,963
898
Man that sucks! - I would replace it instantly!! If there's an annoying sound then they need to fix it. I bought a Wacom cintiq tablet in July, which had a high pitched sound from the cheap led lamps inside the tablet once the USB was connected (probably some cheap components). I refused to keep it, took them 5 months to get the parts to fix it. Last Friday (nearly 6 months after I bought it) I got a proper tablet. If I need to go through the same with apple ill do it. No way I would keep faulty hardware with this price tag. But I certainly hope I won't through the same again on another device :(
 
H

hppy29

macrumors 6502a
Oct 24, 2007
565
31
Essex, UK
Regardless of what people say, if you are not happy ask for a replacement. Apple can allow you to keep that unit until you get a replacement if you provide your card details and will collect the faulty unit within a few days of the arrival of the replacement unit.

At least report it to Apple so they can build up a log of faults/issues, things will never get fixed if they don't know about them.
 
J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
New iMac replacement on its way from Apple.

I'll keep you posted.
 
J

Juste

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
10
0
WilliamG said:
Hey,

Download this and tell me if the sound goes away when this is running. If it does, it really is the C3 idle issue..

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23935/cputest
Click to expand...

Hi WilliamG

I just ran the CPU test, and the second i pushed start, the noise stopped. When the test was finished, the noise started again!

As i understand it, there is no way to fix this? other than of cause to get a replacement.
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
Juste said:
Hi WilliamG

I just ran the CPU test, and the second i pushed start, the noise stopped. When the test was finished, the noise started again!

As i understand it, there is no way to fix this? other than of cause to get a replacement.
Click to expand...

There are ways to keep the CPU not idle, but it ups the CPU temperature. Something like this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/461317?start=0&tstart=0

Yep, C3 state whine. Yuck.

I'll also say that the reason you may not be seeing too many complaints about this issue is that a lot of people either don't notice it, or have too much other noise in their iMac's vicinity (cars, fans, music etc) which drowns the noise out.

In addition, your replacement will likely (not necessarily definitely - but likely) have the same issue. You'll then have to decide if you can live with it or not... I haven't had a chance to play with my new iMac yet, as I had to leave on a trip, and won't be back till next week. I'll notice immediately if mine exhibits this issue.
 
O

Onimusha370

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2010
884
1,095
Juste said:
Hi WilliamG

I just ran the CPU test, and the second i pushed start, the noise stopped. When the test was finished, the noise started again!

As i understand it, there is no way to fix this? other than of cause to get a replacement.
Click to expand...

mine did exactly the same, so annoying :(
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
OK so it's the CPU idle state causing the issue. Now we need to find out if it's just Core i5 CPUs experiencing the issue, or is it i7 CPUs as well.
 
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