15" clicking noise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_Motion_Sensor

MRoogle is a good tool to search the forums.
Example: http://www.google.com/cse?cx=011016...e:forums.macrumors.com&hl=en&as_qdr=all&meta=

This noise is sort of annoying... how do you make it stop?

Then it's the optical drive checking for any inserted media.

It does that on start up, on some models when it awakes, and when I slapped my iBook, it would do it to.

So if it is the same sound just like when the Mac starts up or gets optical media inserted, you know the culprit.

Can you record it and show us?

Can you get to an Apple Store or an Authorized Reseller to let them take a look at it?

I think I had the same noise. Made an appointment at the Genius bar and they switched out my 17" with a brand new one. I did, however, make the appointment within 14 days of owning the thing. I've never experienced such amazing costumer service in my life. Anyways, if they don't switch it out, they'll try to fix it. And if nothing else, it'll be documented so that you can take it back in the future if it continues to bother you.

WMuntean said:

I think I had the same noise. Made an appointment at the Genius bar and they switched out my 17" with a brand new one. I did, however, make the appointment within 14 days of owning the thing. I've never experienced such amazing costumer service in my life. Anyways, if they don't switch it out, they'll try to fix it. And if nothing else, it'll be documented so that you can take it back in the future if it continues to bother you.

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I have the same sound on my new MBP 15"

murdercitydevil said:

this would apply if the noise was coming from the left side of the MBP, where the hard drive is, but it's coming from the optical drive area. I can't find any explanation of what this noise actually is.

it's kind of a "clunk" noise as though something is falling into place, and actually happens more when the mbp is lowered suddenly rather than raised.

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The HD and the Superdrive are on the same side (right side...when using it) of the MBP. The noise you are hearing is likely the sudden motion sensor. To not hear it, get an SSD

Are you sure it isn't the sudden motion sensor?

murdercitydevil said:

No, it's not even close to the same sound. The checking for media sound sounds like an optical drive should. This noise sounds like something is loose inside the case or like the internal parts of the optical drive are breaking/moving around.

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its the squeaky trackpad button click noise. I have heard it a bunch last night too. Doesnt really bother me, too much. I think the bottom casing is hitting something when flexed.

I hear the same noise sometimes as well on my i7 15' its just a very high pitched click noise when i shift the laptop or open the screen. It is a bit annoying

ECUpirate44 said:

I hear the same noise sometimes as well on my i7 15' its just a very high pitched click noise when i shift the laptop or open the screen. It is a bit annoying

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I'm pretty sure this is a different sound, but I'm hearing it too. I know it's not the sudden motion sensor because I have an SSD.

This sound, though, sounds more like a metal "clink" noise. It's kind of high pitched and I notice it at night when it's quiet and I open the lid or am using the MBP on my chest in bed. It sounds like it's coming from the trackpad area, or maybe the case underneath? I can't quite figure it out.

I'm more curious about what is causing this sound than anything. I don't think it's an actual problem or defect.

It's a Seagate, swap for an Hitachi or Western Digital...

I found this in the official Apple discussion site.

It seems as though there is a bracket next to the HDD which is not entirely secure and locked into place, apparently some screws aren't tight enough.

Blue Sun said:

I found this in the official Apple discussion site.

It seems as though there is a bracket next to the HDD which is not entirely secure and locked into place, apparently some screws aren't tight enough.

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Awesome find, thanks for the post! I'll have to check it out once I'm finished with this download.

I opened my MBP today and was able to fix this metal "clinking" noise. I believe that post at the Apple discussions boards was almost right.

The poster says to just tighten the screws holding in those brackets. But they don't tighten, and I think this is by design. Those brackets are holding clips that clip into aluminum tabs on the inside of the bottom case. It helps with aligning the bottom casing for the 10 screws you have to put it, and it also adds some structural support so that the case doesn't flex in the middle if pushed on. I think this is by design because having a little play makes getting the bottom cover to click into place easier. Since I believe those clips give the bottom more support, I didn't watch to just remove the brackets holding the clips (there'd be nothing for the metal tabs to latch into.) So although that would fix the noise, I don't think it'd be good for structural support of the bottom aluminum sheet.

I figured I'd be able to rig it so that they were in the right spot for the aluminum tabs and didn't move so I could avoid that clinking noise (which is caused by the plastic bracket falling on to the metal screws.)

I looked around my room and found some stuff I could use. I took a thin piece of gray foam that came with my Intel SSD and cut small pieces from it. What I did was remove the brackets, place a small piece of foam between the two screw holes under where the bracket sits, and then screw the bracket in over the foam. Basically, the foam acts as a spacer. I didn't have any washers that small or else I would have used that. I did this for each bracket (there's only two) and it seems to work really well!

It holds the bracket in place, tightly, against the screws so that there's no more movement and no more clinking noise when opening the lid, moving the MBP around, or having it on your lap. I was able to easily "click" the bottom sheet into the clips too.

Here's some pictures.

Here's the two brackets that are causing the noise:


This is just the right bracket. If you touch it with your finger you'll notice it moves quite a bit.


This is a pic of the right bracket removed with a piece of foam in place:


This is the foam I used:


And this is the 'finished product':

I may have to give that a try. The noise I hear when I have my 17" i5 on my lap drives me crazy... I am sure it is the same sound you are describing, it almost sounds like a combination of a metallic sound and the noise you hear when glass is scratched with a sharp object.

this is ridiculous that you have to do this on a brand new £1500-2000 laptop

Sharky II said:

this is ridiculous that you have to do this on a brand new £1500-2000 laptop

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Go buuy something else then. ANd its just a minor thing, nothing is absolutely perfect, no matter what anyone wants to believe.

I for one took mine apart, and retightened the case, havent heard it since.

kgeier82 said:

Go buuy something else then. ANd its just a minor thing, nothing is absolutely perfect, no matter what anyone wants to believe.

I for one took mine apart, and retightened the case, havent heard it since.

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Retightened the case?

Mine is doing this as well, new 15" MBP received last week. As others have described, it's a very short but clearly audible metallic "clink", like tapping a glass with a fork, not a "click". I hate to have to take it into the Apple Store since it's a custom build order and they can't replace those in store if they can't fix them. I had one of the late 2008 MBP's that was also a custom build which had problems and, although Apple was happy to replace it, I was still without the computer for 2 weeks because I had to ship the old one back and then get a new one sent out. I'd prefer to wait til Apple figures out a fix, like the above mentioned foam strips, that doesn't require replacing it and provide that the the repair departments in the Apple Stores.