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chip500

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 10, 2008
4
0
I have an early 2008 Mac Pro. For the past 6 months or so, it has been making a whirring, clicking, chirping noise. It does this constantly, no matter what I'm doing. I replaced the hard drive, but that didn't help. The sound appears to be coming from the rear of the computer, near the top. (where the power cord plugs in)... Any ideas?
 
The sound is one of relays in the PSU. Now that could be from either it's going on you, or you've a lot of fluctuations in the power on the wall (aka brown out = low voltage condition).

To test the latter, try the system out on an Online type UPS between the wall and the system. If it stops making all the clicking, then you've a power issue on the wall. If it still does it, then it's the PSU.
 
another thing to check

Hey there,

I had a similar thing happen. When I would scroll a webpage I would here rapid clicking, like a mini plastic ratchet. When I would work in Maya, I would also here a more disturbing noise, like that of a computer chip chirping. I can't describe the sound but it was almost like a failing c3p0/R2D2 or a really bad NES game's music.

I had 2 7300's put in at purchase so I swapped the first with the one that I wasn't using. Turns out my vid card was failing.
 
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