iMac 21.5" Noise

[iMacBoy]

Hi,

So me and my brother both have the same iMac, but we have one each.

He walked into my room the other day and said that my iMac was making a louder noise than his [maybe sounds like a fan?].

Anyway, i barely have any applications on my iMac, i have 4 applications and about 500 songs, so it can't be anything to do with overflowing the mac.

Can anyone tell me how i can make mine as quite as his, mine is not really loud it just makes a low buzzing noise like a fan.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Vylen]

Is your iMac placed in a similar setting as your brothers iMac? If your iMac is in an area where heat can linger more, then naturally the fans will work a bit harder as the heat is slower to dissipate.

Otherwise, try setting the SMC - this controls stuff like power, temperature sensors and fan control.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

 

[DoFoT9]

It will likely be the fans. If you have a flash based website open or a website with flash based ads open then that will chew through a few extra CPU cycles. Why don't you download iStat Pro widget and see what temperature you CPU is running at? Also, check Activity Monitor (it's already installed on your Mac) and see if there is anything using lots of CPU.

Personally I think it's fine, nothing to worry about.

 

[iMacBoy]

Thanks for your replies, i will get iStat Pro in the minute, it is making the fan noise now and i only have Adium and Safari open.

Thanks

 

[DoFoT9]

Safari web sites may be using some flash ads. Which could potentially explain the extra noise. Location is critical also ..

 

[iMacBoy]

Safari web sites may be using some flash ads. Which could potentially explain the extra noise. Location is critical also ..

Websites open are, Facebook and MacRomors.

Also i just downloaded that iStats Pro and my CPU fan is 1199rpm - hard drive fan is 1099rpm and my optical fan is 999rpm

I have 480gb free and only used 20gb.

CPU stats:
User 29%
system 3%
nice 0%
idle 68%

 

[DoFoT9]

Websites open are, Facebook and MacRomors.

Also i just downloaded that iStats Pro and my CPU fan is 1199rpm - hard drive fan is 1099rpm and my optical fan is 999rpm

I have 480gb free and only used 20gb.

CPU stats:
User 29%
system 3%
nice 0%
idle 68%

There we are. Expains the temperature increase

 

[iMacBoy]

There we are. Expains the temperature increase

How do i lower it, or what not?

 

[DoFoT9]

How do i lower it, or what not?

It is likely that safari or a flash based website is using up those cycles. Close down each webpage one by one and see is the CPU usage is reduced at all. Macrumors itself uses flash based ads, it might be this very window lol.!

 

[iMacBoy]

It is likely that safari or a flash based website is using up those cycles. Close down each webpage one by one and see is the CPU usage is reduced at all. Macrumors itself uses flash based ads, it might be this very window lol.!

Thanks, i really appreciate your help.

I just quit this and facebook off and the 'User' percentage dropped from 29% to 0% - 2%.

I have looked up other iMac 21.5" enquiries on the same issues also, and My CPU fan rpm's are average for the 21.5" and the 'User' just raises depending on the current websites or applications.

Thanks alot!

 

[Vylen]

You can't really do anything about it, since CPU utilisation is just the result of running applications.

Of course, on the assumption of it being Flash, you can always install FlashBlock for whatever browser you're using. Handy plugin/extension that makes pages NOT load embedded Flash unless you actually click on them (you can whitelist sites like Youtube so it doesn't automatically block them).

 

[DoFoT9]

No probs on the help, the only workaround is what V suggested. You have absolutely nothing to worry about though

Hope u like ur new puter!