Buzzing MacBook (not MBP)

[r-sparks]

My MacBook 1.83GHz has started with the processor buzz. I've seen a lot of MBP owners report this, but no MB owners.

I'm certain it's the processor because installing CHUD and disabling a processor core makes the noise vanish. Additionally, and this is my favored solution, I can run Photo Booth in the background and that also kills the noise. There's also a utility called QuietMBP I found written by a guy with the problem, and that works, but often makes the CPU fan spin-up.

What I wanted to ask is what to do about the problem. Am I right in thinking Apple won't do a thing about it (my MacBook is six months old)? Are there any other solutions I might have missed?

 

[clicq]

Actually a lot of Macbook owners (me included) have complained about the sound, such as in this thread from a few months ago:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/264801/

It seems to be a pretty common problem, and based on my experience with several other brands of laptops (IBM, HP, Fujitsu), all Core Duo/Core 2 Duo laptops experience it to some extent. Of course, the sound does vary by machine (one machine might be relatively quiet and only audible in a quiet room when you put your ear next to the keyboard, while another might be loud enough to hear from a foot away), and some hearing differences between people mean some people are more sensitive than others to the sound.

Some users have reported using ShhhMBP with success; it's a kernel extension that disables the power saving state responsible for the noise. I haven't tried it myself so I can't vouch for it.

From what I've read about on Apple's forums, they'll *try* to fix it, if you complain, but I don't actually think Apple has a definite fix. For example, in one thread (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4160414), one user mentions that they replaced the logic board, but the sound came back.

 

[r-sparks]

Actually a lot of Macbook owners (me included) have complained about the sound, such as in this thread from a few months ago:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/264801/

It seems to be a pretty common problem, and based on my experience with several other brands of laptops (IBM, HP, Fujitsu), all Core Duo/Core 2 Duo laptops experience it to some extent. Of course, the sound does vary by machine (one machine might be relatively quiet and only audible in a quiet room when you put your ear next to the keyboard, while another might be loud enough to hear from a foot away), and some hearing differences between people mean some people are more sensitive than others to the sound.

Some users have reported using ShhhMBP with success; it's a kernel extension that disables the power saving state responsible for the noise. I haven't tried it myself so I can't vouch for it.

From what I've read about on Apple's forums, they'll *try* to fix it, if you complain, but I don't actually think Apple has a definite fix. For example, in one thread (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4160414), one user mentions that they replaced the logic board, but the sound came back.

Ah, OK, thanks for bringing me up to date. I had a sneaking suspicion this was an Intel problem, rather than an Apple one.

Edit: For anybody reading this in future, note that the app is called ShhMBP, with two 'h's It's available on VersionTracker. It works on my MacBook Core Duo 1.83GHz, despite the fact it's only supposed to work on a MacBook Pro, but it makes the fans a little more anxious to spin-up, thus creating more noise. That said, they're not on all the time, so it seems like a good hassle-free solution.

 

[tico24]

I found this resolution on another forum. I don't have a whiney mac so I cant test it. But it may help others:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070822151058648

 

[reubs]

This is interesting to find this thread b/c just in the past day or two I've noticed my fans (I think?) running A LOT. It's odd b/c my MB is about 13 months old, so I figured I would have found something like this by now. However, I'm not sure if it is a fan or the processor whine. Any way of telling?

 

[byakuya]

if the noise comes from the "W" key of your macbook (not pro) than it is definitely the famous whine...

byakuya

 

[MonkeyGym]

I have a C2D, 2.2GHz, late 2007 model 13" white MacBook (not pro). I too am experiencing a whine/buzz from the top left of my keyboard that starts as soon as the grey screen appears during boot. I have tried everything (except using CHUD to disable one of the cores, so by everything I mean SMC and PRAM reset, QuietMBP and ShhMBP) none of which has helped in the slightest. The buzz is quite prominent, I can hear it currently as it sits on my desk next to me and I type on my desktop (even though I can hear it's fans going to, so the room is not utterly quiet). I don't know what else to do, I'm considering re-formating and re-installing the OS to see if some update/software caused the issue (I doubt it, but am at a loss of what else to try). Anybody have any other suggestions?

The reason I have not disabled the 2nd core using CHUD is I don't really want to reduce performance by limiting myself to one core (also, if it matters, I had apple install 2GB of ram rather than the normal 1GB when I ordered).

Any help at all would be nice, the noise is literally starting to drive me bananas!

Also, I checked for run-away processes in Activity Monitor, and even thought it might be fan related rather than processor at one point, and installed and tried fan control software, which made zero difference. The noise does seem worse when the computer is running a more CPU intensive task.