Electrical/rattling noise

[revalationist]

When I start up the mac, I hear an electrical noise, as if something has short-circuited.

This started when I was using the mac, it made a rattling, or the same noise I heard on startup.
I found I could easily replicate the noise by tilting it. I immediately cold booted the mac (held down the switch for 10 secs) to turn it off. I stated it up about 20-30 minutes later, and got what I mentioned at the start.

Again, later I found some sort of ash...or dust on the black bit of the hinge by tilting the screen back. I have not started it up since.

bring amberlamps

 

[El Awesome]

When I start up the mac, I hear an electrical noise, as if something has short-circuited.

This started when I was using the mac, it made a rattling, or the same noise I heard on startup.
I found I could easily replicate the noise by tilting it. I immediately cold booted the mac (held down the switch for 10 secs) to turn it off. I stated it up about 20-30 minutes later, and got what I mentioned at the start.

Again, later I found some sort of ash...or dust on the black bit of the hinge by tilting the screen back. I have not started it up since.

bring amberlamps

For me that sounds like a dying HDD.
I a HDD in my Mac Pro that makes similar noise, but tilting the whole tower helps me.

Make a backup as long as you can, and get a new HD would be my recommodation.


You can remove the HD, start up the machine and check if the noise is still there

 

[revalationist]

For me that sounds like a dying HDD.
I a HDD in my Mac Pro that makes similar noise, but tilting the whole tower helps me.

Make a backup as long as you can, and get a new HD would be my recommodation.


You can remove the HD, start up the machine and check if the noise is still there

Well yes, but I'm not sure if I can start it up, because when I did, it wouldn't seem to go past the Apple for around 30 seconds, or even longer. I have an external hard drive I can back it up to, what do I do?

EDIT: is it really a good idea to start it up again? Surely the HD can't fail whilst it's off?

 

[revalationist]

Alright, I'm backing up to time machine as we speak. Since I've booted it there were no noises so far.

 

[El Awesome]

Well yes, but I'm not sure if I can start it up, because when I did, it wouldn't seem to go past the Apple for around 30 seconds, or even longer. I have an external hard drive I can back it up to, what do I do?

EDIT: is it really a good idea to start it up again? Surely the HD can't fail whilst it's off?

When the whole system is on the HD you just removed, how do you think the system is gonna start up?

Check if the sound is still there, if not, it's the HD.

 

[revalationist]

followup and late bump: one of the screws of the batteries came out. genius bar guys just fixed it by taking it out of the machine, said 3 screws were just fine anyway

 

[Interstella5555]

Well yes, but I'm not sure if I can start it up, because when I did, it wouldn't seem to go past the Apple for around 30 seconds, or even longer. I have an external hard drive I can back it up to, what do I do?

EDIT: is it really a good idea to start it up again? Surely the HD can't fail whilst it's off?

Sounds like a question for Schrödinger.