MacBook C2D whine

[other]

My MacBook (C2D) makes a whining sound when it's running on AC power, but it goes away if I turn on the webcamera. It's quite annoying when working in a quiet environment. Will Apple actually do anything about this?

Also, how come Apple have no support e-mail? Telephone support is free for the first 90 days, but after that, if you have a problem, how do you contact them without paying a lot of money? I don't live in a country that has any Apple stores.

 

[chaslam]

My MacBook (C2D) makes a whining sound when it's running on AC power, but it goes away if I turn on the webcamera. It's quite annoying when working in a quiet environment. Will Apple actually do anything about this?

Also, how come Apple have no support e-mail? Telephone support is free for the first 90 days, but after that, if you have a problem, how do you contact them without paying a lot of money? I don't live in a country that has any Apple stores.

Basically, the telephone support is free if there is something wrong with your computer. You only get 90 days free for "help" with your new computer eg if you want to do something and you dont know how, so you ring them. If there is a general issue with your computer or you think its broken, then its free to contact them. I have contacted them several times about things that I think have been wrong with my computer, and havent been charged for them.For example:

You want to re-install OSX on your mac and arent to confident in doing it so you ring up applecare to help = 90 days free or costs

You think something is wrong with your computer, like the isight doesnt work and you think its something the warrenty should take care of = always free.

It seemed that the old MBs had this problem aswell (Well mine did anyway) however my new MBP doesnt seem to. It was a well known issue with the old MBPs however they seemed to have fixed it. I personally couldnt hear it unless I put my ear next to it, but everyone is different I suppose. I would ring Applecare and qustion them about it, and if it annoys you that much ask for something to be done about it.

 

[aaron.lee2006]

Meh. My CD MBP has the whining but relly the only time i notice it is when recording with the internal mic because it picks up the noise. However I only record with my guitars so I don't even care. The only other time I really care about it is when I plugged it into one of my teacher's speakers and I could hear it through the speakers. I'm guessing it was because they were firewire old iMac speakers. But I just let it go. When I get new speakers if I can hear it I will get it serviced but I don't think I will need to. And I chat on Skype all the time and none of my friends have complained about th whining on their end. So everything works out fine for me. I hope for the best or you. I really don't think you need to get it serviced. I even told an AppleCare rep that I think people are being a little picky. It's a computer it is going to make noise wether you like it or not. I am not picking on you But I think you will be fine.

 

[other]

Basically, the telephone support is free if there is something wrong with your computer. You only get 90 days free for "help" with your new computer eg if you want to do something and you dont know how, so you ring them. If there is a general issue with your computer or you think its broken, then its free to contact them. I have contacted them several times about things that I think have been wrong with my computer, and havent been charged for them.For example:

You want to re-install OSX on your mac and arent to confident in doing it so you ring up applecare to help = 90 days free or costs

You think something is wrong with your computer, like the isight doesnt work and you think its something the warrenty should take care of = always free.

It seemed that the old MBs had this problem aswell (Well mine did anyway) however my new MBP doesnt seem to. It was a well known issue with the old MBPs however they seemed to have fixed it. I personally couldnt hear it unless I put my ear next to it, but everyone is different I suppose. I would ring Applecare and qustion them about it, and if it annoys you that much ask for something to be done about it.

Okay, thank you.

And yes, it is annoying. I have a hard time concentrating with that whine.

 

[Nuks]

^Me too. i have it on my CD macbook. I really don't think that on a machine this expensive, I should have to turn on my isight, or a mighty mouse to get the whine to go away. It's annoying to say the least.

 

[other]

Also, since you have to use the CPU to make the sound go away, heat will rise, and the fan will turn on. I don't really mind the fan, but why should I have to make my computer hotter?

 

[nermal0]

Google for a software called ShhMBP, that should fix the whine!

 

[drm]

Me too

Okay, thank you.

And yes, it is annoying. I have a hard time concentrating with that whine.

Hey, I had a white 2.0 MB that I purchased in August. It didn't whine AT ALL. Unfortunately, it was stolen about a week ago at the airport. I replaced it with the black 2.0 CD2, which arrived yesterday.

This machine absolutely has the whine. It is coming from the screen and it DOES go away when you turn the camera on. I heard of a fix (temporary).

1. Start Photobooth
2. Force Quit Photobooth
3. Put the machine to sleep
4. Wake the machine

After this process, the whine stops. This tells me that it is software related. I am seriously considering taking it in for repair. That high pitched noise drives me completely bonkers.

M

 

[Arne]

if I have the whine (expecting a MacBook these days), do I need to return it within the first 2 weeks or does the warrenty take care of this?

 

[Temujin]

if I have the whine (expecting a MacBook these days), do I need to return it within the first 2 weeks or does the warrenty take care of this?

When I had the whine on my CD MBP I had it fixed under the warranty.
So yes the warranty should cover the whine.

 

[imMAColata]

I got a C2D macbook yesterday and experienced the whine today when working on the mac plugged to the mains. It is quite high pitched, 14000 hz or so. audible like an incessant robo-gnat. It changes pitch according to what I do with the machine.

That, and two stuck pixels. On a day 1 machine. I think I will call apple and ask them to take it back.

Meh.

 

[Jollins]

I got a C2D macbook yesterday and experienced the whine today when working on the mac plugged to the mains. It is quite high pitched, 14000 hz or so. audible like an incessant robo-gnat. It changes pitch according to what I do with the machine.

That, and two stuck pixels. On a day 1 machine. I think I will call apple and ask them to take it back.

Meh.

Good luck. Honestly, I think its just the way the intel chips are. I've also used CD and C2D Lenovo and Dell laptops, and someone else's Macbook and they also had their own unique whine noises. I've heard this macbook whining, but usually it won't which is why I think that people believe the whine only afflicts some machines.

 

[buckwheat]

My wife came in the other day complaining of a similar whine. However, it turned out to be me complaining about my *%# screen

 

[austerlitz]

whine

I had the whine. I took it into an apple store, and had a genius listen to it in the back room. He attempted to tell me that it was normal, but I convinced him that it was a problem. (1) It whined when on AC power, but not when running on battery. (2) It whined only when the cpu was inactive. (3) If you opened photobooth, or mirror widget (thereby activating the onboard camera, and subsequently the cpu in order to process the video images), the whine stopped. He agreed to enter into my tech support file that he heard the whine. I then contacted tech support, and they agreed to let me return it, even though it was a web ordered BTO (2 gig ram, 160 HD). It was only a few days old. I'm thinking about trying again with another new (stock this time!) macbook, but also about either (a) going with an IBM thinkpad, or (b) waiting awhile to see if apple does anything about its noisy computers. Good luck.

 

[Livijn]

My C2D blackbook also has the whining problem. As reported by other users the whine disappears when photo booth is running. But I find that it shouldn't be necessary to run photo both to get the blackbook to shut up.
Does anybody know whether or not apple officially recognize the whining problem in C2D macbooks? And if so do they have a fix for it?

Regards

Livijn

 

[LastZion]

thats weird that it is the c2d macbooks doing this. I thought it would just be the core duo ones. That is disappointing, I am about to pick one up for the wife. Do they still only come with glossy screen only?

 

[nermal0]

Hmm I've mentioned it before in this thread, but apparently noone cares to give it a try. My Macbook whined like crazy until I installed this software:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22091

Now the whine is completely gone. I'm running this for months now with no problems whatsoever. Yes, I would also prefer if the Macbook wouldn't whine in the first place. But I'm very happy with this workaround.

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

I think Intel chips are prone to this dreaded whine. One of my friend's old Dell (with a Intel M chip) has the whine big time. Weird enough only when it's busy.

 

[setso]

My Blokbook c2d (nopro) whines too. Let's see it with some humor ..
What i found out.. run Windows and the whine goes ..you're using the wrong
system ..that simple ..since this is for real, it is really very funny ..isn't it ?
..
On OSX, run with one core (apple tools) and the whine goes ..but the macbook
becomes hotter.. and the vent comes on earlier (idle temp about 50-60° cels.)
Actually it whines very very little, too. But why not on WinXP ??? (w + w/o AC)
..
When running XP using the freeware "cpuz" from http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
(CPU-Z is a freeware and can be freely distributed) it tells me i have a "Rev03"
mainboard ..anybody want to compare that ..
..
the technician at my local store told me i should forget all the tools'n'ghools,
the mac has to work as i want it. they ordered a new mainboard (indeed) and
will it replace soon. (hopefully they won't equip me with a "Rev02" board )
..
After the exchange i'll come back and tell the news ..or maybe i just take the
whine with me.

 

[njp142]

I drove myself nuts with that whine off AC when the C2D machines came out (I haven't been on these forums in about a month). I had two C2D MBP's and one C2D MacBook and all of them did this whine off battery. I'm convinced those that say there's don't whine just either find it normal or can't hear it (it's very high pitched).

But I've recently noticed my dad's Dell makes the same whine (even a bit louder) on battery and AC. I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo's, Sony's, and all recent Intel machines do.

I'd imagine if you stuck with the machine for a few weeks you'd just begin to tune it out. I myself want anything that expensive to be perfect, but that noise really is "normal operation".

 

[scott523]

Hey, I had a white 2.0 MB that I purchased in August. It didn't whine AT ALL. Unfortunately, it was stolen about a week ago at the airport. I replaced it with the black 2.0 CD2, which arrived yesterday.

This machine absolutely has the whine. It is coming from the screen and it DOES go away when you turn the camera on. I heard of a fix (temporary).

1. Start Photobooth
2. Force Quit Photobooth
3. Put the machine to sleep
4. Wake the machine

After this process, the whine stops. This tells me that it is software related. I am seriously considering taking it in for repair. That high pitched noise drives me completely bonkers.

M

Haha you are a genius! I tried your method in doubt that it won't work but it worked! The squeaking sounds have diminished but I found that the whine is made of two events happening. First was Photobooth problem, second was the AC adapter making a whine. Once it runs on batteries, it's completely silent with the exception of a faint hum of the fans.

 

[Livijn]

My Blokbook c2d (nopro) whines too. Let's see it with some humor ..
What i found out.. run Windows and the whine goes ..you're using the wrong
system ..that simple ..since this is for real, it is really very funny ..isn't it ?
..
On OSX, run with one core (apple tools) and the whine goes ..but the macbook
becomes hotter.. and the vent comes on earlier (idle temp about 50-60° cels.)
Actually it whines very very little, too. But why not on WinXP ??? (w + w/o AC)
..
When running XP using the freeware "cpuz" from http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
(CPU-Z is a freeware and can be freely distributed) it tells me i have a "Rev03"
mainboard ..anybody want to compare that ..
..
the technician at my local store told me i should forget all the tools'n'ghools,
the mac has to work as i want it. they ordered a new mainboard (indeed) and
will it replace soon. (hopefully they won't equip me with a "Rev02" board )
..
After the exchange i'll come back and tell the news ..or maybe i just take the
whine with me.

As I wrote above I have the whine as well. I ran the CPU-Z and it found that I have the rev03 mainboard as well. Looking forward to hearing if switching the board works.

By the way the temporary fix posted by Drm really works. A nice temporary solution but I still think that Apple should come up with a long term solution.

Regards

Livijn

 

[emotion]

My new C2D black macbook makes no noise like this. Just so people know the whine is not a property of all C2D macbooks when they talk to a "genius" (or phone support).

 

[~L~]

I've had a CD MacBook for about 4 months now, and at first I had the whine. It wasn't a huge problem at first but then it did get a little bit annoying, so I tried the photobooth trick which made it go away.
However, one day I just woke my MB up and the whine had completely disappeared! I'm not sure what's made it go away, but it only comes back when ever I have to restart for system updates etc. Even if it does come back, it goes away after a short while as well. So if you do have the whine, be hopeful that it will magically disappear like mines!

 

[imMAColata]

It turns out that my whine is really the fan when it runs at certain RPM intervals, like 2600ish. Odd. It isn't very loud and adjusting the fan speed makes it go away, or move to a frequency where I cannot hear it.