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new imac - bad noise when...

A

azscp

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 9, 2006
41
0
I don't think this is a normal sound so thats why I am here; to ask more experienced users.

I recently purchased an intel based imac 20" and every time I insert a cd or dvd it makes a loud noise. Kind of a grinding sound but not. This isn't your ordinary sound when it spins the disc.

The g5 at work isn't loud. Just wondering if other users are experiencing the same. Debating on weather this is an issue that needs help under my warranty? I'm within the 90 days.

Any help would be great.
Steve
 
Only with a CD or DVD in the drive? Normal operation without anything in?
How about the type of media...does it happen with home brewed CD's or factory built? Enquiring minds want to know, but is sounds like you have an out of spec optical drive. You will want to at least start the warranty process with Apple before time runs out.
 
azscp said:
Debating on weather this is an issue that needs help under my warranty? I'm within the 90 days.
Click to expand...

your apple warranty is one year. only the free tech support is 90 days. If you have a genius bar nearby, take it in. Also, the applecare on that is only $119 (educator price, but I'm sure you can find an educator) and that extends it out to 3 years. Worth it if you think it may have issues. Also good for peace of mind.
 
azscp said:
I don't think this is a normal sound so thats why I am here; to ask more experienced users.

I recently purchased an intel based imac 20" and every time I insert a cd or dvd it makes a loud noise. Kind of a grinding sound but not. This isn't your ordinary sound when it spins the disc.

The g5 at work isn't loud. Just wondering if other users are experiencing the same. Debating on weather this is an issue that needs help under my warranty? I'm within the 90 days.

Any help would be great.
Steve
Click to expand...

Slot fed CD's and DVD's tend to make a strange noise for a second or two when you insert them. The noise vanishes when the disk spins.
You wont get it with the G5 as it has a tray loading system.
My MacBook CD and Mac Mini CD do this. I think it is OK

FJ ;)
 
Father Jack said:
Slot fed CD's and DVD's tend to make a strange noise for a second or two when you insert them. The noise vanishes when the disk spins. You wont get it with the G5 as it has a tray loading system.
FJ ;)
Click to expand...

FJ-

Sorry for my lack of explaining. The mac at work is an imac with a G5 processor.
 
my g5 als imac (does anyone else always think an imac has Lou Gehrig's disease when they see ALS? I digress...) had the loud clicking drive. It went away when the drive got replaced under applecare at 1.2 years. So yes, i am an applecare schill.
 
Sherman Homan said:
Only with a CD or DVD in the drive?
Click to expand...
Yes, it only makes this sound when I first insert a CD/DVD and lasts a second or two.

Sherman Homan said:
Normal operation without anything in?
Click to expand...
There doesn't seem to be any other issues. It only makes this sound when the disc is first inserted.

Sherman Homan said:
How about the type of media...does it happen with home brewed CD's or factory built?
Click to expand...
By home brewed do you mean burned? It's an unbiased noise and doesn't discriminate between factory and home brewed CD/DVD's.

Sherman Homan said:
Enquiring minds want to know, but is sounds like you have an out of spec optical drive. You will want to at least start the warranty process with Apple before time runs out.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the help and advice
 
MacAficionado said:
Yeah. These are noisy. That is just the nature of them. I have seen Titanium Powerbooks that load disks, silently, but just a tad slower. I wish Panasonic would make an optical drive that does not sound so clunky. My 2 Cents
Click to expand...

my Ti PB drive was pretty quiet, until I upgraded to the combo drive, and it sounds just as loud as the combo drive in my current aluminum PB
 
Father Jack said:
Slot fed CD's and DVD's tend to make a strange noise for a second or two when you insert them. The noise vanishes when the disk spins.
You wont get it with the G5 as it has a tray loading system.
My MacBook CD and Mac Mini CD do this. I think it is OK

FJ ;)
Click to expand...


i thought the imac g5 was slot loading as well well at least it look like it
 
Mine also makes a loud grinding sort of noise when loading, but works fine.

I'm more worried about this rattle/clicking noise that sounds like an unbalanced fan or something.
 
mine also makes that noise, but after it has finished loading, not a peep out of it.

so much better than the old gateway. That wheezed and coughed.
 
I had the exact same problem as you on my 20" iMac c2d. I took it to a genius bar...they said it was fine. It burns fine and the noise goes away after a couple of seconds...so I've just been keeping a watchful eye on it. I think you should be okay though.

Cheers!
 
macbook

Hi all I just thought I would chime in. I finally had it with my pc's and thought I would get the "lexus" apple computer. I purchased the macbook pro 15" pricey but I thought if it works as well as I here it does it will be money well spent. I got it on Friday the 5th and the first thing I noticed was a loud grinding or snapping or Binding may be the best term when I inserted any media. Once in it worked fine. I decided to go to the apple store and see if any others there sounded like mine. I tried 4 that were there and they all made a little bit of sound but not nearly as loud as mine. I decided that this cannot be good, how long will it last till it totally breaks I thought. So I went back out to the car and brought it in for them to hear. Now being the first time I stepped into an apple store (I bought mine online) I thought I would recieved the LEXUS type treatment towards there customers. WRONG! At first noone asked if I needed help even though there were plenty of them standing around. Anyways I finally spoke up and the manager sent a guy over I asked him to listen and he said he was not a genius! Now I didnt thing it took a Genius to hear how awful my new computer sounded but said fine. He said you have to make an appointment with him and the nest one wasnt for 2.5 hours. Now I drove 1.5 hours to get there so I asked for the manager and she basically said the same thing but I could be put on standby. O boy I spent $2000 to stand around for hours so he could listen to it. I did not have much of a choice so after waiting I got to talk with his majesty and he listened to it and said some of them sound like that brand new. I asked why doesnt any on display sound that way - no answer. So I said since it is brand new please give me one that sounds like the ones on display- No Can Do. "We can order a new drive but we cannot gaurantee that it will sound quiter" I again said I am not to concerned with the noise but whether or not it is going to brake. So he agreed to replace it. So here I sit with $2000 spent on it and after one day it is in the shop for a week. I dont understand has anyone else had this type of service? Well anyway when I was using it I LOVED IT but now I am back on the old pc. to check on my "LEXUS" apple. It is kind of sad if you ask me. Any thoughts from anyone please email me rjn@jmzcomputer.com Thanks
 
$2000 isn't that much money these days and you didn't spend that money on customer service, you spent it on a niche market product with a highly streamlined design. My Ibook G4 makes a pretty clunky noise when I put in a CD, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest, I think it sounds quite cool actually, a bit industrial. More solid than that whimpy 'wherrrrr' that most tray loaders make.
 
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