Strange roller coaster noise in background

[demps]

Ok this sounds daft but I have an unusual problem. Every time I switch on my iMac, I get a noise like a rollercoaster in the background. I have disconnected all the peripherals and rebooted but it is still there when it boots back up. It drowns out any music or videos I try to watch. I have deleted the kids accounts in case it was something they but no luck. Picasa is switched off as is iPhoto, Photobooth, iDVD, Garageband and iMovie.
I know this is going to be something stupid - something the kids have done maybe but does anyone know what is going on here? or is there a way I can determine what audio processes are runnning with a view to deleting them.
I can see the processes via the utility but have no idea what might be relevant
Otherwise, I assume I will have to re-install OSX.
Any help or hints gratefully recieved.

 

[AppleNewton]

try restarting in safe mode, hold down shift during the chime sound at the beginning. see if that stops it intermittently

 

[demps]

Many thanks for the suggestion - tried it and it did not work. Will try again in a wee while. It sounds like a loop of audio from somewhere or some app or game or video that I cannot get rid of - it is very frustrating. As an IT Professional, I feel particularly stupid in not being able to track it down. If I could even identify what piece of audio is running then it might get me somewhere. Is ther any way to do this does anyone know?

 

[GGJstudios]

Many thanks for the suggestion - tried it and it did not work. Will try again in a wee while. It sounds like a loop of audio from somewhere or some app or game or video that I cannot get rid of - it is very frustrating. As an IT Professional, I feel particularly stupid in not being able to track it down. If I could even identify what piece of audio is running then it might get me somewhere. Is ther any way to do this does anyone know?

Stop using your Mac at the theme park!

Follow every step of the following instructions precisely. Do not skip any steps.

1. Launch Activity Monitor
2. Change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes"
3. Click on the "% CPU" column heading once or twice, so the arrow points downward (highest values on top).
   (If that column isn't visible, right-click on the column headings and check it, NOT "CPU Time")
4. Click on the System Memory tab at the bottom.
5. Take a screen shot of the entire Activity Monitor window, then scroll down to see the rest of the list, take another screen shot
6. Post your screenshots.

 

[glintoz]

Is it a rumbling sound ? If so may be a fan bearing

 

[demps]

no - nothing like that kind of noise. People screaming and the sound of something on rails. It is very bizarre. Could there be something in a cache somewhere or something at start up??

I will post the screenshots tomorrow hopefully.

 

[Tom J]

Is the optical drive spinning up and slowing down a disk?

 

[Gnomeflyer]

no - nothing like that kind of noise. People screaming and the sound of something on rails. It is very bizarre. Could there be something in a cache somewhere or something at start up??

I will post the screenshots tomorrow hopefully.

This sounds like it needs an exorcist, not an Apple Genius. It is Halloween after all... There may be app for that

 

[demps]

Activity Monitor output attached

Hi there,
I have attached the output from the activity monitor. I tried restarting in safe mode but no luck. I tried resetting the NVRAM but again no joy. Any help appreciated although I will call The Exorcist as a last resort. It is weird believe me.

Cheers

Demps

 

[DraziGuy]

Does it sound like a B&M or an Arrow?

 

[demps]

Daft One

I knew it would be something stupid and it was. On the dashboard, someone in the family loaded a widget of a roller coaster and then managed to hide it off the bottom of the screen. I just happened to spot the top of the widget as I was mooching about and swearing at the computer.

20 years in IT and it can still bite you. Many thanks to you all for your constructive ideas - I was a hairsbreadth getting in the exorcist.

Cheers

demps