Powerbook making odd noises

[yippy]

I have a new 15" Powerbook 1.5Ghz with the upgraded hard drive (to 5400rpm). Anyway, every once in a while I hear a high pitched squeeking kind of sound. It is not real loud, just enough for me to tell that it is coming from my laptop. I can't seem to figure out what it is. My best guess is that it is the hard drive or fan (I hope not), but I have also heard the normal fan and hard drive sounds (more of a whiring and clicking of the head). So if anyone has any idea, please tell me. Thanks.

 

[yippy]

Update

After listening to it and looking at some pictures I found of a taken apart 15" albook, I think the noise is the left fan. Should this be a concern or is it normal?

Thanks

 

[JzzTrump22]

I think you should call apple because i have the same Processor and hd as you and i don't here any noises except for the clicking of the hd when i am downloading/installing a lot of stuff at once. My fan also almost never comes on because my machine never gets to the point where it has to turn the fan on.

 

[Kingsnapped]

I get a very high pitched, quiet noise occasionally as well. Last I noticed it was when I tapped my expose shortcut. It made the sound as the windows moved, then stopped after the windows stopped. I think it has something to do with a sudden demand of... something.

 

[Elan0204]

Actually, the high pitched squeak is normal. All powerbooks, including the Titaniums, made this noise. I don't remember the exact explanation (if anyone ever figured out at all), but if you do a search I'm sure you'll find it.

 

[taylaner]

i hear a high pitched squeeking too but not always....it depends on what program that i am working....there is no sound with the x program but with the y program there goes again

my english is not good

 

[jKmxxx]

I hear that too sometimes, but I not too worry about it.

Test this out on your PB, in energy saver on Options tap set the Processor Performance to automatic. That should min the noise. If you set to reduced there should be almost no noise. Let us know if its true.

 

[parrothead]

i hear a high pitched squeeking too but not always....it depends on what program that i am working....there is no sound with the x program but with the y program there goes again

my english is not good

Your english is better than a lot of the native speakers on this site!

 

[crees!]

i hear a high pitched squeeking too but not always....it depends on what program that i am working....there is no sound with the x program but with the y program there goes again

my english is not good

I get this high pitched noise when I work in Dreamweaver. If I move the mouse it stops but once I stop the mouse it comes back and is constant.

 

[mainstreetmark]

Yeah, mine squeaks too, but only when the display isn't doing anything important and it's VERY quiet in the room. Like if I minimize or switch windows or drag them around, the squeal momentarily ceases, but as soon as it's done and waiting for me again, it squeals.

My advice is go listen to some loud music for 5 years. You'll never notice the squeak again. (that is, until tinnitus sets in)

 

[taylaner]

Your english is better than a lot of the native speakers on this site!

thanks parrothead

I get this high pitched noise when I work in Dreamweaver. If I move the mouse it stops but once I stop the mouse it comes back and is constant.

thats it, i didnt want to say the programs name but the same happens to me with dreamwaver too...

 

[Cuckoo]

My powerbook, 1.25ghz makes the same squeek, but only with VNC (which i use to connect to some windows computers). I think it's a display thing, the squeek varies with mousemovement.

Cuckoo

 

[aswitcher]

I get this occasionally as well. Sometimes only in one of my accounts, sometimes after messing with video. Its damn annoying when it happens in a quite room. I found the hassle of rebooting makes it go away.

A slight tarnish on a fine machine.

 

[yippy]

Thanks

I am glad to hear it is somewhat normal. It seems to do it randomly for me and only a few seconds at a time (never lasted for more than 10 seconds without a break). I may get it checked out if my university repair center will do it for free, but other than that I won't worry.

Thanks guys.

 

[[CoRdOvA]]

i get this same sound too.... usually when something is making the computer work a bit harder.

also, if i am looking through some files, and i select/highlight a quicktime movie (still in the column view where it shows a small preview of it) it goes crazy and makes this noise.

strange,, but i guess this is normal.....

 

[Yuh]

I get a squeal everytime i transfer a large file over airport.... and sometimes when clicking down on the trackpad mouse button. Only noticed it since i upgraded to panther though...

 

[MacCharrúa]

I hear that too sometimes, but I not too worry about it.

Test this out on your PB, in energy saver on Options tap set the Processor Performance to automatic. That should min the noise. If you set to reduced there should be almost no noise. Let us know if its true.

Just wanted to confirm I have the same squeeking noise and it does depend on the processor's processing speed. In reduced Processor Performance (enery settings) the noise is hardly perceptible, in automatic it varies according to processing demand and in the highest setting it is always there, specially annoying when working at night with very low external noise interference.

15"pb, 1.5GHz

By the way. Has anyone experienced problems with audio comms using the beta version of skype. I seem to give plenty of return to my partner speaker, forcing me to use headphones.
(Please excuse me if this is not the right place for this question; and would appreciate if someone could let me know if there is a specific forum for this issue)

 

[paxtonandrew]

My 1.33 makes the same sound, and i believe it to be, as said, the cooling fan for the processors. I have it on constantly when folding or doing anything processor intensive, but with iTunes open and music on, there is no problems with the noise. My Previous work laptop (Dull Latitude C600) was EXTREMELY noisy. Now there was a Piece Of Crap of a computer. We have now switched to Apple at work, so my PowerBook is used more and more.

I hope this helps.

 

[MacCharrúa]

I understand. We are probably speaking about two different real noise sources.

 

[florencevassy]

Same think happens to me with Dreamweaver. I also get the low squeaky sound when I run Virex. I guess there isn't much you can do about it.

thanks parrothead




thats it, i didnt want to say the programs name but the same happens to me with dreamwaver too...