Static/Noise on my Macbook when idle

[faizan]

This has been driving me nuts for a few months now. My macbook keeps emitting a sound very much like static. Only today, I realized that this sound goes away when the processor is working. So if I scroll down in Safari, open a New Folder, etc, the sound briefly pauses before resuming again. Almost sounds like a refrigerator.

It bugs me a lot lot. Anybody else having this issue? Or has Apple been able to fix this for anyone?

Cheers!

 

[bigmac7]

Hey, I actually have the same problem. Yeah when I scroll in safari it pauses, and stuff like that. I found that it only does it when my charger is plugged in and it sounds like it comes from that. I have been through two chargers and they both do it, so I do not think it is anything to worry about actually. It is very annoying though! I made a post about it awhile back and I think it was just a normal occurrence. Sorry if this did not help you!

 

[faizan]

Hey, I actually have the same problem. Yeah when I scroll in safari it pauses, and stuff like that. I found that it only does it when my charger is plugged in and it sounds like it comes from that. I have been through two chargers and they both do it, so I do not think it is anything to worry about actually. It is very annoying though! I made a post about it awhile back and I think it was just a normal occurrence. Sorry if this did not help you!

Hey, I know its been a while since I posted this. I've since found out that the infamous "macbook whine" is caused by a faulty logic board. Its my understanding that Apple will replace this for you if you point out that the noise is a distraction to you (provided you're still covered by AppleCare).

 

[SFStateStudent]

Hey, I know its been a while since I posted this. I've since found out that the infamous "macbook whine" is caused by a faulty logic board. Its my understanding that Apple will replace this for you if you point out that the noise is a distraction to you (provided you're still covered by AppleCare).

Have you taken yours in for the logic board replacement?

 

[pellets007]

A very high pitched whine? Somewhat like a bat? If that's what your describing, nearly every device with a processor emits that noise. In fact, if you have an iPhone, you can hold it up to your ear and hear it.

 

[faizan]

Have you taken yours in for the logic board replacement?

I would have at some point but I've got an aluminum macbook now which doesn't emit the static noise.

A very high pitched whine? Somewhat like a bat? If that's what your describing, nearly every device with a processor emits that noise. In fact, if you have an iPhone, you can hold it up to your ear and hear it.

You might be right. But from what I've read on the Internet, I understood that only some people face this issue. And with some people, its been resolved by a logic board replacement. My current macbook also "hums" very lightly but its not annoying.

 

[anthony691]

On my new Al Macbook 2.0 I experience an intermittent ratcheting noise coming from the top left of the unibody (obviously not the HDD). Scrolling in Safari often triggers this noise. I'm thinking noisy capacitors in the power section of the logic board?

In any case, I'm not going to ask Apple to do anything about it because 1) it is intermittent/would be difficult to reproduce in store 2) it isn't so annoying.

If the power section on my logic board fails, I'm under warranty and have plenty of TM backups.