G5 iMac, anything but QUIET

[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.

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]

Another loud iMac

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

 

[rdowns]

Yeah, rub it in why don't ya

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.)

 

[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???

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/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

 

[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]

Update

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...