12" Powerbook - loud, scary "snapping" sound.. help??

[Bluefusion]

Hey guys... I'm somewhere I can't immediately take this machine in to an Apple Store (though thank goodness I still have applecare) but I am really scared of this sound I hear every once in a while coming from my 12" powerbook (which I baby and have had for almost 3 years).

It is a lateral (left to right) "snap" sound, very physical, almost like a mechanical rubber band -- seeming to come from the front third of the case (near where the trackpad is). It is really, really, TERRIFYINGLY loud. It's happened about five times in a week, for no clear reason, so whatever it is it isn't something that snapped "off" since it's happened more than once.

The computer works fine, though I've had strange trouble for a good long time (a few months) where it seems to page out really quickly (I've got a gig and a half of ram, and I really don't remember it paging out so often before). So it runs really slowly at times, and claims a couple hundred thousand pageouts, when I'm not doing anything too taxing-- weird, but not unbearable...

So does anyone know what this sound could be? I of course need to take it in to Apple, and my warranty is ironically going to end within the next 3 weeks or so, but I really wonder what could be under there that would create such a racket. Any ideas?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

You know, I've had that same thing happening with my 2 year old iBook. I think.

It isn't as loud as your PB sounds like, and I think it only happens when the computer is off. At least the only time I ever hear it is as I'm first in bed, and I'll hear it snapping a few times. If I had to take a stab at the issue, I would say its a grounding problem.

Try using the 3 pronged electric plug to plug in the laptop. That has the grounding prong on it. I am assuming you are using the AC adapter to plug into the wall (that is what I use too).

 

[Bluefusion]

Yeah, I've always used the three-prong adapter, since it's a longer cord-- much to my occasional frustration when I can't find a grounded outlet!

It's possible something's wrong internally with the power supply/grounding, certainly. My girlfriend has a [sigh] Dell that routinely electrocutes me while I type on it (uhhh, quality control...?), so I guess it might just be poetic justice

 

[Bluefusion]

OK, so just now it was a very specific pattern.

Fans, which had been on full (like I said, I've been paging out a ton, and it's hot here), suddenly drop completely. Everything still works; mouse cursor etc. Then -- FIVE clicks with an interesting little cadence, definitely in the front-middle of the machine... da-da-da, dada. Then fans go back to full-on, as if nothing happened.

I'm really freaking out. Anyone ever taken apart a PB and might at least know what could POSSIBLY make sound like that? I can't take the machine anywhere for at least a week!

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I would take this one in. Its likely a static discharge that is happening and is not going to get any more safe.

 

[mkrishnan]

I would take this one in. Its likely a static discharge that is happening and is not going to get any more safe.

Yes, agreed, I don't see anything else making loud sounds like that. And if there's a ground fault or a short or something like that inside your (conductive, metal) notebook, you wanna not be doin' that anymore. I'd definitely go the one step further and say that you have to turn this computer off, now, and keep it off until this is resolved.