Do you hear when your MP end 2013 is on?

[Riwam]

I have been used not to hear when the MP 6.1 was working...or I believe it was so.
Sometimes just the light showed me from a certain distance that I had forgotten to turn it off.
After 2 years I can now hear distinctly when the computer is on and when it is off.
I don't mean put it under any stress but simply by turning it on I hear it is on.
I suppose that what I hear when it is on is the fan since it is the only moving part.
The MP is on my table roughly about 50cm of my ears.
I would be glad to learn if other people hear it as well when it is on, to know if this is normal.
It is not any high frequency noise, just sounds like a low frequency sound made by some appliance turned on,...what actually is the case.
I am not truly sure...but believe that that sound was not so audible before.
The Apple hardware test gave no problem, but I don't believe that the sound level is part of that test.
Thank you in advance for any feed back.

 

[pat500000]

I have been used not to hear when the MP 6.1 was working...or I believe it was so.
Sometimes just the light showed me from a certain distance that I had forgotten to turn it off.
After 2 years I can now hear distinctly when the computer is on and when it is off.
I don't mean put it under any stress but simply by turning it on I hear it is on.
I suppose that what I hear when it is on is the fan since it is the only moving part.
The MP is on my table roughly about 50cm of my ears.
I would be glad to learn if other people hear it as well when it is on, to know if this is normal.
It is not any high frequency noise, just sounds like a low frequency sound made by some appliance turned on,...what actually is the case.
I am not truly sure...but believe that that sound was not so audible before.
The Apple hardware test gave no problem, but I don't believe that the sound level is part of that test.
Thank you in advance for any feed back.

You know...i always had this suspcious feeling that when the apple care warranty is over, the machine tends to break down.
Is it functioning properly? Is it the fan noise?

 

[Riwam]

You know...i always had this suspcious feeling that when the apple care warranty is over, the machine tends to break down.
Is it functioning properly? Is it the fan noise?

Thank you for answering.
It works OK and I still have one year Apple Care.
I wonder just if the sound I hear when it is on is supposed to be heard.
It is not any kind of noise I can identify but I know it is on or off and do not recall it was so clear in the past.

 

[koyoot]

I suppose you've used to it, and now you started to notice it .

 

[666sheep]

Have you ever opened it? If not, do it now.
These machines suck dust better than vacuum. After 2 years it will be plenty of it inside, what would explain higher noise level due to higher temperatures.

 

[JoeG4]

Either there's dust or the bearing on your fan is going out. Sometimes, sleeve bearings are used instead of ball bearings to reduce the noise they make, but sleeve bearings can wear out faster.

But I doubt your fan's bearings are worn out! That would require you to have your computer running 24/7, possibly with the fan at a decent speed, in a dusty environment, and even then I doubt it'd wear out that fast.

Or alternatively, you simply have a lot of dust in your computer lol. I've found in laptops just a small amount on the fan (like a thin layer) can cause them to not blow air as efficiently, thus making them have to run faster, thus making the computer noisier!

 

[Riwam]

Have you ever opened it? If not, do it now.
These machines suck dust better than vacuum. After 2 years it will be plenty of it inside, what would explain higher noise level due to higher temperatures.

Thank you very much for your answer.
How should I now proceed in your opinion?
Is it something I can solve or should I contact Apple Care?
Thank you again 666sheep!

Either there's dust or the bearing on your fan is going out. Sometimes, sleeve bearings are used instead of ball bearings to reduce the noise they make, but sleeve bearings can wear out faster.

But I doubt your fan's bearings are worn out! That would require you to have your computer running 24/7, possibly with the fan at a decent speed, in a dusty environment, and even then I doubt it'd wear out that fast.

Or alternatively, you simply have a lot of dust in your computer lol. I've found in laptops just a small amount on the fan (like a thin layer) can cause them to not blow air as efficiently, thus making them have to run faster, thus making the computer noisier!

I appreciate very much your information.
It is no doubt true that a fan turning continuously or turning at an higher speed makes more noise than if doing it from time to time when the computer is stressed with some task.
I had not thought by myself on that very obvious fact.
The next question is if I must or can do something by myself.
I still have one year Apple Care and could let them handle it unless it is a simple procedure I can do without risking any damage.
Trying to clean some dust with a lot of care could be a simple matter, if the bearings must be replaced it would be of course a matter of Apple Care.
Please give me your opinion what to do now and thank you very much again!
[doublepost=1461315815][/doublepost]

I suppose you've used to it, and now you started to notice it .

It might be true. Difficult to judge by oneself.
However I was always pleasantly surprised that to hear the fan turning I had to place my ear directly over the computer where the warm air came up.
If that recollection is true then hearing it immediately when it is on without any task yet to stress it and from half a meter distance is not cheating oneself or imagining things...

 

[koyoot]

Have you checked the fan rate? It should be normally at around 800 rpm.

 

[666sheep]

How should I now proceed in your opinion?

It's easy. Remove enclosure and use compressed air.
More advanced will be disassembling the thing totally, but that's what not everyone feels comfortable to do.
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Pro+Late+2013+Teardown/20778

 

[Riwam]

Have you checked the fan rate? It should be normally at around 800 rpm.

It is about that speed when idle.
Thank you very much for your information.
[doublepost=1461338179][/doublepost]

Have you ever opened it? If not, do it now.
These machines suck dust better than vacuum. After 2 years it will be plenty of it inside, what would explain higher noise level due to higher temperatures.

I opened it and found some dust outside the fan cage which I blew up. Not a great quantity.
The temperature is not indicated as high when idle. I have a tool which moitors it as well as other values and gives small indications in the title bar.
The Apple hardware test included at a certain point a steep fan speed increase clearly hearable but the final result was that no fault was detected.
Thank you very much for your advices.