Mac Pro 08 – rythmic humming noise

[irishgrizzly]

I've being ignoring this for so long, but what to do something to fix it now. I've attached a sound file that will give an idea of the sounds I'm getting from the machine. I'm not sure if it's related to the fans, HD or the RAM cards (they seem quite close to the door and may be rubbing against it).

Has anyone had a similar experience? Is it possible to safety have the side panel door open when the machine is on to help locate?

Thanks for any replies.

 

[apple2E]

I just listened to your sound file thinking it was the same style "whining" noise i get when i start a render. My mac pro barely makes noise but I hear a whine every once in a while. I'm not too sure what the sound is from your machine.

 

[AppleNewton]

That definitely sounds like the HDD. Possible drive bay 1?

Ive had that in mine, i tried different methods to sort out the fix by taking out all the drives and putting them in one at a time in a different slot to see if stil made the sound after X amount of time and seemingly it generally affects the jsut slot one for some reason; perhaps the way the locking mechanism works?

I basically solved it by unfastening the screws and refastening them evenly so its was still a tight grip on there and ever since havent had any issue with it and the noise went away.

I think its the way the drive is in the carrier and if itsnot fastened tightly or even too tight it tends to vibrate when using moving parts.


hope that helped.

 

[Sesshi]

Yup. The drive carriers are trash, completely indicative of Apple's 'image before function' school of design, and the first place to look for any rattling issues. It's obvious but I've noticed some people trying valiantly to do otherwise, but you need to screw / unscrew the carrier screws in a round-robin sequence. It is completely safe to open the case for a while to pinpoint the sound source better.

 

[Horst]

You can have the side panel open during operation, no problem; and yes, it sounds like an HDD.

Some drives are a tad off and can cause vibrations, but it seems most times it helps to tighten the screws on the trays evelly, as said above.
Maybe try a different drive bay for the offensive drive, if there are any left, or look into solutions to silence it (google silence harddrive or such).

 

[Evolesque]

I don't know what is causing that sound. I've had this problem before too though. I do think I agree with the other posts about the hd. I only heard this sound out of mine when I started putting more hd's in. It's funny how I fixed it, I put my logic studio box on top of the machine and problem solved. It's not a perfect fix but it works for me.

 

[filmweaver]

Hum Noise

Sounds like a fan may be out of balance. Try cleaning dust build up from blades. Justa thought.

 

[wheezy]

Yup. The drive carriers are trash, completely indicative of Apple's 'image before function' school of design, and the first place to look for any rattling issues.

I don't find them trash, they work just fine. No cables, no screws to mess with on both sides of the case. Easy to take out, easy to put in. I hate how you troll these boards with your Anti-MP attitude. Criticism is needed, but you're flat out annoying.

To the OP - Sounds like the Hard Drives are just a little off balance in the tray or something, causing a rattle inside. Take the cover off and do a little exploring.

 

[AdiosVista]

I struggled with this annoyance for a good week. The problem is the hard drive(s) creating a vibrating hum. I have three drives installed in my MP and noticed that the factory HDD from Apple was the loudest so I moved it from bay 1 to 4 and, while it's still not silent, it did help some. Others have posted fixes for slightly "bending" the tabs on the drive sleds but I was never brave enough to do that. I think type of drive you have can also affect how loud it is.

 

[chromatronic]

Yup. The drive carriers are trash, completely indicative of Apple's 'image before function' school of design, and the first place to look for any rattling issues. It's obvious but I've noticed some people trying valiantly to do otherwise, but you need to screw / unscrew the carrier screws in a round-robin sequence. It is completely safe to open the case for a while to pinpoint the sound source better.

... lol
Oh my god you came here to troll that post too ?
you are REALLY A PC LOL