Deep hum from iMac

[Elven]

Just got this 27' iMac after a long excited wait for her, and 24hours into ownership a deep hum has appeared, I like my quiet computers, so I would have noticed this beforehand.

Installed SMCfan control but all fans speeds appear on low!!!

. ODD 1150RPM

. HDD 1100RPM

. CPU 940RPM

Done a full SMC reset, with no success, really gutted as I expected more from this machine.

Is this the dreaded HD noise I recall reading about?

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

Put your computer to sleep and see if the hum goes away. Does it sound like a HD spinning down? Try the option to "put HD to sleep when possible" and have a listen.

Crank your fan speeds up and see if it changes pitch.

Mess with your display brightness to see if it's a backlight driver issue... (though loud LED drivers are pretty rare now days)

Can you feel the hum in the case or anything?

 

[Elven]

Put your computer to sleep and see if the hum goes away. Does it sound like a HD spinning down? Try the option to "put HD to sleep when possible" and have a listen.

Crank your fan speeds up and see if it changes pitch.

Mess with your display brightness to see if it's a backlight driver issue... (though loud LED drivers are pretty rare now days)

Can you feel the hum in the case or anything?

1. When I goto sleep the HD clicks and powers down and hum vanishes

2. L.E.D Setting makes no difference

3. Can feel a minuscule vibration in the case.

4. Did play with SMCfancontrol the tone did not change.

Being honest if it does go back, I'll cancel my finance deal with them, £2k + for a computer I expect a working silent HD, I've a 4yr old Windows box which I built on a £500 budget which is silent!

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

Sounds like a HD then.

Swap if you can. If you decide to replace your HD, don't go for a slower one - it'll be painful. Enterprise class drives tend to have better balancing, and warrantys too.

Eco drives - meh, not really quieter, just use less power, and are a lot slower. (generally)

SSD - dead silent - for a LOT of $$$$$$ - but another option.

Western Digital Black drives have been treating me well for the past couple years. While perfect platters / spindles can be hit or miss, I've not (yet) gotten a shaky WD drive. (for internals - for their externals - I have gotten noisy drives)

Good luck!

 

[Elven]

Sounds like a HD then.

Swap if you can. If you decide to replace your HD, don't go for a slower one - it'll be painful. Enterprise class drives tend to have better balancing, and warrantys too.

Eco drives - meh, not really quieter, just use less power, and are a lot slower. (generally)

SSD - dead silent - for a LOT of $$$$$$ - but another option.

Western Digital Black drives have been treating me well for the past couple years. While perfect platters / spindles can be hit or miss, I've not (yet) gotten a shaky WD drive. (for internals - for their externals - I have gotten noisy drives)

Good luck!

It's 48hours OLD ! it will be going back to Apple and staying there, I'll be cancelling, may sound an overreaction but for a £2,000 computer I expect a working hard-drive.

Will need some convincing to get another.

Thanks for your help

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

I'm not defending - but dropping a new Mac with a noisy drive is akin to returning a new car because one of the tires isn't balanced well. A noisy drive is not indicative of a crummy computer, it's just a component used in it, and isn't even made by Apple.

A new drive should fix it up, that said, anything spinning 7200rpm is going to have some vibration level. If you really are upset over the noise, do consider the option of a solid state drive - dead silent there.

You did pay some heavy $ for this computer, and you are entitled to satisfaction, however give them a chance to resolve this - and do understand that with the millions of these made, not all of them are going to be glistening examples of precision engineering...

 

[Elven]

I'm not defending - but dropping a new Mac with a noisy drive is akin to returning a new car because one of the tires isn't balanced well. A noisy drive is not indicative of a crummy computer, it's just a component used in it, and isn't even made by Apple.

A new drive should fix it up, that said, anything spinning 7200rpm is going to have some vibration level. If you really are upset over the noise, do consider the option of a solid state drive - dead silent there.

You did pay some heavy $ for this computer, and you are entitled to satisfaction, however give them a chance to resolve this - and do understand that with the millions of these made, not all of them are going to be glistening examples of precision engineering...

SSD would have pushed the price too far for me, I may give them a chance depending on the manner they deal with my complaint ( UK based here )

Be Monday before I can do anything so I may have simmered down a bit by then but a 48hour old computer locking up ( latest thing ) and humming is not a good sign of a happy relationship with the iMac brand.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

Locking up - now you've got a legitimate issue, in that case, exchange away!

 

[Elven]

Locking up - now you've got a legitimate issue, in that case, exchange away!

It only locks up when in EvE Online and where the "protest" is going on ( long story ) however as it's 48hours old thats the only "load" I've put it under, it's fine on desktop duties etc.

So in the morning (4am) I shall do some loading out of game and see how it goes, although the locking in-game in a concern when my 4yr old Windows box is ticking away fine and the Macs locked up solid.

 

[MR.Raul]

Mine is humming too (not as much anymore), but that's the stand giving away vibration into the table, so try holding the stand and lift it a bit, if it goes away, then put a soft mouse pad or something underneath it.
Worth a try, thought it was my HDD to at first.
I know you said it started after a while, but hey.
I noticed after a few days mine have the dog whistle, just like my 4 2010 iMacs had.

 

[John T]

SSD would have pushed the price too far for me, I may give them a chance depending on the manner they deal with my complaint ( UK based here )

Be Monday before I can do anything so I may have simmered down a bit by then but a 48hour old computer locking up ( latest thing ) and humming is not a good sign of a happy relationship with the iMac brand.

I really do think you should read and take note Big-TDI-Guy's post. You say "I may give them a chance depending on the manner they deal with my complaint". If you take that attitude, have you considered that the way your complaint is dealt with may depend on the way you present it?

When purchasing relatively high value items, minor problems can occur and instead if having a tantrum and throwing their toys out of their prams, the majority usually politely draw the problem to the attention of the vendor and the "problem" is usually sorted out.

Apple have an excellent reputation for customer support and I am sure your problem will soon be resolved.

 

[Elven]

I really do think you should read and take note Big-TDI-Guy's post. You say "I may give them a chance depending on the manner they deal with my complaint". If you take that attitude, have you considered that the way your complaint is dealt with may depend on the way you present it?

When purchasing relatively high value items, minor problems can occur and instead if having a tantrum and throwing their toys out of their prams, the majority usually politely draw the problem to the attention of the vendor and the "problem" is usually sorted out.

Apple have an excellent reputation for customer support and I am sure your problem will soon be resolved.

Well it's afternoon now the day after, and turned it on, and the hum is nearly silent. Either it's when it's hot, or it's just stopped doing it.

Will try some loading tasks today the locking up when under load may still occur and will contact Apple if so tomorrow and let them deal with the problem.

 

[Birdy1062]

Mine is humming too (not as much anymore), but that's the stand giving away vibration into the table, so try holding the stand and lift it a bit, if it goes away, then put a soft mouse pad or something underneath it.
Worth a try, thought it was my HDD to at first.
I know you said it started after a while, but hey.
I noticed after a few days mine have the dog whistle, just like my 4 2010 iMacs had.

Seems I have the same issue, I can hear a light hum, when touching the alu base I can feel a very faint vibration, fans are at normal speed; if I unmount the 2 TB disk hum goes away immediately but comes back after a few minutes even with HD still unmounted; very strange.

If I lift the Imac humming goes indeed away, tried to put a mouse pad under the stand no changes; tried with an inch high book, dead silent so I should find something less visible but as efficient.

Hesitate to bring it back as all the rest is ok, screen, clicks, whistle etc...


Birdy