My Macbook is laughing at me?

[mclachlan95]

Hi everyone, sorry if I have posted in this in the wrong place, but I have a problem.
I bought a second hand macbook a few months ago, and I have a very weird problem. If I have the volume turned up on my macbook, every now and then my Mac literally starts making a laughing sound.
I have looked around the internet briefly and couldnt seem to find a solution, so I have came here to look for answers. Any help would be appreciated
Thanks in advance

 

[spinnerlys]

Can you trigger that laughing sound or maybe even record it?
Where does it come from? The speakers or the bottom right or the middle of the computer? Could it be the fan spinning?

 

[ziggyonice]

Are you funny lookin'?

There's an explanation for everything. This is slightly strange, but it's got to be happening for a reason. Are there any particular websites you're visiting when it happens? What about on your Dashboard — are there any widgets that you might have that could be causing it? Any applications that you have open when it makes the sound?

And what does it sound like? Is it the same laugh each time, or is it different occasionally? Does it happen at the same time of day? Try to see when it happens and take note of what you're doing at the time. This will help narrow down when and where it occurs, hopefully giving us more info in what might be causing it.

 

[mclachlan95]

Can you trigger that laughing sound or maybe even record it?
Where does it come from? The speakers or the bottom right or the middle of the computer? Could it be the fan spinning?

Hi and thanks for your questions. It happens without warning, every one or two hours, and as it lasts for 3 or 4 seconds, it is very hard to 'trap' and record. The sound actually comes from the speakers, it is just a normal sound. For example, say you went onto Youtube and listened to, I dont know, a video of a crazy guy laughing, it is like that, something you hear in a music or video. It is definitely not a fan spinning.
Thanks

 

[Schtumple]

System Preferences > Speech > Text to Speech > System Voice, is it set to "Hysterical"?

Because that's the only thing I can think of. If you could film this, it would be great in helping us figure it out.

 

[mclachlan95]

Are you funny lookin'?

There's an explanation for everything. This is slightly strange, but it's got to be happening for a reason. Are there any particular websites you're visiting when it happens? What about on your Dashboard — are there any widgets that you might have that could be causing it? Any applications that you have open when it makes the sound?

And what does it sound like? Is it the same laugh each time, or is it different occasionally? Does it happen at the same time of day? Try to see when it happens and take note of what you're doing at the time. This will help narrow down when and where it occurs, hopefully giving us more info in what might be causing it.

Thanks for your comments.
This happens every time when I boot it up and start browsing the internet and stuff. I have looked at the programs I have had open and force quit everything that I did have and the problem kept on persisting. I have tried clearing my history, cookies, cache off of Chrome (the only web browser I use) and it didnt stop It is not a big problem, it doesnt affect the performance in any way, its just a little annoyance I am having. I googled 'Mac laughing virus' and a few surprising results came up of other discussions.
Thanks

System Preferences > Speech > Text to Speech > System Voice, is it set to "Hysterical"?

Because that's the only thing I can think of. If you could film this, it would be great in helping us figure it out.

Hi, no it is set to 'Alex'.
Yeh it is very hard to get it, I have tried before but to no avail.
Thanks

System Preferences > Speech > Text to Speech > System Voice, is it set to "Hysterical"?

Because that's the only thing I can think of. If you could film this, it would be great in helping us figure it out.

Sorry, but I have had a look and the changed the speech to text from Alex to Hysterical and that is the sound I keep on hearing, although I dont have it set?
Am I missing something here?

 

[gilkisson]

When you bought the Mac, did you reformat-reinstall OSX, or did you just keep going with the install already on the system?

 

[mclachlan95]

When you bought the Mac, did you reformat-reinstall OSX, or did you just keep going with the install already on the system?

Hi, well it didnt come with the OSX install discs and all that, so no, I just kept on going with the install that came with it.
Thanks

 

[xUKHCx]

Sounds like someone who sold you the mac has left a little practical joke.

It is possible to set something like this up by having a program set to launch on boot that runs periodically that will play the laughing sound.

Have a look in System Preferences - Accounts - Your Account name - Login Items

Is there anything odd looking, post the items listed there.

Do you have another user account on your mac? If so does the sound appear when using that account? If you don't have a second account try creating one via System Preferences - Accounts then the plus icon on the lefthand side.

It is also possible if they are a bit more computer savy to hide it in a System/User Daemons but we will look at the easy options first.

 

[mclachlan95]

Sounds like someone who sold you the mac has left a little practical joke.

It is possible to set something like this up by having a program set to launch on boot that runs periodically that will play the laughing sound.

Have a look in System Preferences - Accounts - Your Account name - Login Items

Is there anything odd looking, post the items listed there.

Do you have another user account on your mac? If so does the sound appear when using that account? If you don't have a second account try creating one via System Preferences - Accounts then the plus icon on the lefthand side.

It is also possible if they are a bit more computer savy to hide it in a System/User Daemons but we will look at the easy options first.

Hi and thanks for your comments.
I just followed your instructions and had a quick look into Login Items, and I have iTunesHelper, Skype, but this was the odd thing: SpeechSynthesisServer.
I dont have a second account, and I will have a look in System thing in a moment.
Thanks

 

[gilkisson]

->System Preferences->Date & Time-> ... is "Announce the Time" checked?

 

[Heltik]

There used to be a programme called Conan the Librarian that did a similar thing, but was triggered by microphone input!! I believe they're called TSRs - Terminate and Stay Resident?

Do you have another mac without this affliction but that has a similar install - if so you might try checking the difference between the processes that are running in Activity Monitor and see if anything stands out that you don't recognise.

 

[Schtumple]

Hi and thanks for your comments.
I just followed your instructions and had a quick look into Login Items, and I have iTunesHelper, Skype, but this was the odd thing: SpeechSynthesisServer.
I dont have a second account, and I will have a look in System thing in a moment.
Thanks

Speech Synthesis Server is the process that allows the time to be heard on the hour, and allows voice input. If you do not need any of these things, go to System Preferences>Accounts>YOUR ACCOUNT>Login Items and remove it.

Try doing that then restart the mac, check the list to see if it's still in there. If it's gone from the list, and you don't hear the laughing again, hopefully it's solved.

By the way, does it sound something like this?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/158723/Mac hystyerical voice.mp3

 

[mclachlan95]

->System Preferences->Date & Time-> ... is "Announce the Time" checked?

Hi, I think you have figured it out! It was ticked to announce the time on the hour and the voice was hysterical, so I think that this is the source of my problem. I'll see how it goes, but I think you have fixed it!
Thanks

 

[Mrsbatch]

Laughing MacBook pro

Hi, I think you have figured it out! It was ticked to announce the time on the hour and the voice was hysterical, so I think that this is the source of my problem. I'll see how it goes, but I think you have fixed it!
Thanks

Hi did you solve this? I have a brand new MacBook pro ten days old
Doing the same thing!

 

[lilcosco08]

the thread has been dead for months...

 

[spinnerlys]

->System Preferences->Date & Time-> ... is "Announce the Time" checked?

Hi, I think you have figured it out! It was ticked to announce the time on the hour and the voice was hysterical, so I think that this is the source of my problem. I'll see how it goes, but I think you have fixed it!
Thanks

Hi did you solve this? I have a brand new MacBook pro ten days old
Doing the same thing!

Have you tried this?

->System Preferences->Date & Time-> ... is "Announce the Time" checked?

Hi, I think you have figured it out! It was ticked to announce the time on the hour and the voice was hysterical, so I think that this is the source of my problem. I'll see how it goes, but I think you have fixed it!
Thanks

lilcosco08, yep, that's why everyone posting in this thread after it has been resurrected should only comment on its age and provide no other input.