Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Annoying sound on iMac Late 2012

L

Loped09

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2011
11
0
Hello

Got my new iMac yesterday with the current configuration

3.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM-2X4GB
3TB Fusion Drive
NVIDIAGeFrc GTX 680MX 2G GDDR5

It's like I can hear it's Fan or HD all the time, pretty annoying sound when I trying to sit and work. I can hear it's sound even if I'm in another room.

Anybody else out there with the same problem? I've made a replacement at Apple, but would like to know if there are any chances the new one would be better?
 
Download iStat Menus and check to see what is running constantly. I think that app can tell you that. The fan should not run constantly and your drive (check preferences) should spin down after it is not being used.
 
There are many threads on this topic and the noise the iMac makes is subjective. My 27" iMac is silent to me but other people may have better hearing :)
 
jessica. said:
Download iStat Menus and check to see what is running constantly. I think that app can tell you that. The fan should not run constantly and your drive (check preferences) should spin down after it is not being used.
Click to expand...

Tried iStat menues, and all seems to be pretty fine. The Fan speed is 1200rpm
 
I can hear some noise from mine as well. It's not as bad as yours; can only be heard if i'm in the same room and it's quiet around.
 
Probably not the fan then, probably the C3 idle issue.

There's a terminal command to get rid of it, search the other threads about ticking/noises.
 
jessica. said:
Maybe:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/659085/
Click to expand...

No that's more for the clunking sound the hard drive makes as it parks its heads.

Loped09, run this:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23935/cputest

While it's running, tell me if the sound goes away the second you start the application. If it does, then you can run this Terminal command to fix the issue (your idle CPU temps will be higher, but it's not a big deal if the noise is that bothersome).

See this thread for the command:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1510087/

Let us know how you get on, but do try that CPU test first before making any Terminal changes.
 
WilliamG said:
No that's more for the clunking sound the hard drive makes as it parks its heads.

Loped09, run this:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23935/cputest

While it's running, tell me if the sound goes away the second you start the application. If it does, then you can run this Terminal command to fix the issue (your idle CPU temps will be higher, but it's not a big deal if the noise is that bothersome).

See this thread for the command:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1510087/

Let us know how you get on, but do try that CPU test first before making any Terminal changes.
Click to expand...

I tried the CPU test, and the sound is still there. :-(
 
Loped09 said:
I tried the CPU test, and the sound is still there. :-(
Click to expand...

Hmm.... In your Energy Saver preferences, set your hard drive to go to sleep when not in use. Then, after it goes to sleep, see if the sound is gone.

Also, you could download SMC Fan Control and see if turning the fan speeds up fixes the issue. It could be some sort of grinding from the fans at low RPMs.

Trying to think if anything else could be causing it...
 
WilliamG said:
Hmm.... In your Energy Saver preferences, set your hard drive to go to sleep when not in use. Then, after it goes to sleep, see if the sound is gone.

Also, you could download SMC Fan Control and see if turning the fan speeds up fixes the issue. It could be some sort of grinding from the fans at low RPMs.

Trying to think if anything else could be causing it...
Click to expand...

I've tried both of your tips, but nothing helped. When the computer go to sleep, and I start using it again it's like I can hear the fan starting up and then it stays up with the annoying sound. I can hear the HD loading after sleep, but its not that sound thats are annoying me. But can't understand if its the fan cause its 1200 rpm and its pretty normal.

Seems there is nothing to do about it, just wait and get the replacement iMac from Apple and then hope it will be better.
 
i have the same noise problem... i posted it on this forum ..


mines going back, its so noisey .. really like having a running tap or furby toy constantly chattering

also i just notuced my keyboard has a key thats sticking up weirdly ... not a great build for so much money
 
2bcool2 said:
i have the same noise problem... i posted it on this forum ..


mines going back, its so noisey .. really like having a running tap or furby toy constantly chattering

also i just notuced my keyboard has a key thats sticking up weirdly ... not a great build for so much money
Click to expand...

Do you also have a Seagate Barracuda disk in your iMac?

I have a 3 TB Seagate Barracuda with this number ST3000DM001.

I think it's the disk that making the noisy sound, cause the fan are at 1200 rpm and it seems to be normal.
 
Loped09 said:
Do you also have a Seagate Barracuda disk in your iMac?

I have a 3 TB Seagate Barracuda with this number ST3000DM001.

I think it's the disk that making the noisy sound, cause the fan are at 1200 rpm and it seems to be normal.
Click to expand...

i have a APPLE HDD ST1000DM003 its 1tb fusion ...i think its the hard drive making the noise ..its constant ... i never wanted a hd in my mac in the first place, just wanted a sad 256gb ...but apple only let you order the 760gb sad for over a £1000!

and my keyboard came with broken key :-(

im guessing the replacement i get will also have a noisey drive...

looking at un fusing the drives and ejecting the hd if possible ,

why should i have to do this ? why cant apple give me a small ssd option ?
 
2bcool2 said:
i have a APPLE HDD ST1000DM003 its 1tb fusion ...i think its the hard drive making the noise ..its constant ... i never wanted a hd in my mac in the first place, just wanted a sad 256gb ...but apple only let you order the 760gb sad for over a £1000!

and my keyboard came with broken key :-(

im guessing the replacement i get will also have a noisey drive...

looking at un fusing the drives and ejecting the hd if possible ,

why should i have to do this ? why cant apple give me a small ssd option ?
Click to expand...

Yes Apple really don't give customers any choices to pick the right disk for iMac. We all want only SSD disk, so don't understand why Apple making so a big scene out of this Fusion drive. Nobody really wants it, but need to order it to get the SSD speed.

If my new iMac isn't better, then Apple can take that back to and then I will order one without Fusion drive and then add a SSD disk by myself.
 
Loped09 said:
Yes Apple really don't give customers any choices to pick the right disk for iMac. We all want only SSD disk, so don't understand why Apple making so a big scene out of this Fusion drive. Nobody really wants it, but need to order it to get the SSD speed.

If my new iMac isn't better, then Apple can take that back to and then I will order one without Fusion drive and then add a SSD disk by myself.
Click to expand...

likewise .... seems like no one else is having noisey hd so hopefully the new one will be quiet ... if not ... ill have to get a non fusion and open it up ... something i wouldnt want to do , but apple would force me to ... bad apple
 
Loped09 said:
Do you also have a Seagate Barracuda disk in your iMac?

I have a 3 TB Seagate Barracuda with this number ST3000DM001.

I think it's the disk that making the noisy sound, cause the fan are at 1200 rpm and it seems to be normal.
Click to expand...

Same as my 3TB. What other HD producers do Apple use for the 3TB drives? Hate to get another Seagate if it's also noisy
 
Loped09 said:
Yes Apple really don't give customers any choices to pick the right disk for iMac. We all want only SSD disk, so don't understand why Apple making so a big scene out of this Fusion drive. Nobody really wants it, but need to order it to get the SSD speed.
Click to expand...

I want it. And my iMac is nearly silent -- only the slightest, faintest whirring noise of the fan/HDD is audible, and only when I put my ear behind the computer.

Sounds like you just got a lemon.
 
Is this the sound you are talking about ?

http://youtu.be/kt6asKkMJq0

Seems that the complete series of Seagate is affected. According to the Seagate Forum it helps to deactivate APM in the hard drive, but after a cold reboot it is activated again.

LINK
 
tim100 said:
are both fusion and standard hd affected? are all 2012 imac hd seagate?
Click to expand...

in the 27" iMac Apple also uses Western Digital hard drives in the 1TB configuration.
This issue with the chirp sound is known since April this year and a firmware fix was released afterwards. All new Seagate hard drives should have this firmware installed. -> Firmware CC4H.
Perhaps somebody can check what firmware version is on their Seagate drives?

Can 2bcool2 or Loped09 confirm the noise they heard by the youtube video i posted?
 
I get a funny noise when I put my iMac to sleep. Anyone else experiencing that? As soon as it's "sleeping" I get a sound every 2-3 seconds which is very high. Is that the "C3" mode of the CPU? I thought that was happening while using the Mac?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back