Macbook Pro 15" - Frustrating noise problems

[Miriel]

Ok.

So I've had my Macbook Pro for about 9 months when this really irritating buzzing, high pitched noise started coming and going. It's shrill and unbelievably annoying. Eventually it progressed to where the sound was there almost all the time (the sound is usually absent when I first start up the laptop). I tried all the little tricks that seems to work for other people in regards to noise, the magic noise killer, opening up photo booth. But none of those things worked in the slightest for me.

When I adjust the screen brightness, the noise changes, but doesn't go away.

I call apple care and they tell me that it's directory corruption and it'll cost $50 for him to go over it with me on the phone. Wtf? I hung up on him.

I take it to the Genius bar and they tell me it's the fans. Take my computer away for 2 weeks, give it back with new fans.

I bring it home and 10 minutes after I've started it up, the noise is back and with a vengeance. It sounds worse than before!

I bring it back to Apple the very next day. And just my luck, the noise isn't there. Eventually after a half hour of having the laptop there, the noise kicks in. The Genius Bar dude tells me it's the fans, and it's normal.

Uh, hello! It sounds like a tiny little cat is dying and screaming its head off under my keyboard. Not normal!

After another hour of waiting there for the sound to get worse, the dude leans into listen and this time says that it's the inverter.

Ships off my laptop to where ever and after a few days, it comes back to me with the inverter fixed.

The buzzing high pitched noise isn't present at the moment (I've only had the computer on for about 20 minutes. But there's a new noise! A more constant, shrill whine. Not a buzzing sort of noise like before, but just a high pitched eeeeeeeeeeee noise that started up RIGHT from the get go.

Wtf is this?

It's not as bad as the buzzing, cat dying noise. But it's still really uncomfortable on the ears and pissing me off.

Help.

For the tl;dr people:

Buzzing high pitched noise -> Genius bar -> Fans replaced -> More buzzing high pitched noise -> Genius Bar -> Ships to Apple -> Inverter replaced -> NEW whining non-buzzing noise -> Macbook Pro owner about to bash in this laptop with a hammer.

 

[trippr]

if your not happy, take it back.. for the price you should have it your way.

 

[Kamera RAWr]

Do you by chance happen to have a Core Duo MBP? I had this exact issue... I too noticed that when you adjusted the screen brightness that the sound changed. Although I must confess that I didn't take mine to get fixed as the sound would often not show up for a long time... more than a month and the sometimes come back for a few days.

 

[Miriel]

trippr, I'm posting to find out what the problem might be from people I figure won't ******** me as much as the people at the Genius Bar do. I do plan on taking it back, but I don't want them to keep insisting it's the fans, if that's not really the case. The 2nd time I took it in, the dude at the Bar just kept saying that it was the fans, it was the fans, it was the fans. It wasn't until I suggested that maybe it was the inverter that he stopped going on about it being the fans.

Kamera RAWr - Yup, it's a core duo. The buzzing noise on my came and went for a long time, and so I never bothered to take it in. I only took it in once it started being a constant and consistent problem. I like your username btw.

 

[trippr]

trippr, I'm posting to find out what the problem might be from people I figure won't ******** me as much as the people at the Genius Bar do. I do plan on taking it back, but I don't want them to keep insisting it's the fans, if that's not really the case. The 2nd time I took it in, the dude at the Bar just kept saying that it was the fans, it was the fans, it was the fans. It wasn't until I suggested that maybe it was the inverter that he stopped going on about it being the fans.

Kamera RAWr - Yup, it's a core duo. The buzzing noise on my came and went for a long time, and so I never bothered to take it in. I only took it in once it started being a constant and consistent problem. I like your username btw.

why should you have to work out the problem... i sure wouldn't bother.. thats what they are paid for but always seems the case they don't really know what they are on about.

 

[Miriel]

Somebody. Help. Please.

 

[CalBoy]

Somebody. Help. Please.

It's hard to diagnose over a forum, so to be safe (and avoid liability) I'm going to recommend you talk to Apple over the phone. The genius probably won't know what it is, but over the phone, they'll trust you and either send you out a new one, or give you credit for a new one. Calling will be a much better option, trust me.

 

[squeeks]

this kinda makes me want to fix MY fan issue my self and not take it in, i dont want it gone for two weeks :cry:

 

[Sesshi]

It does still sound like an inverter issue.

As ever with support though, don't assume you know what the problem is. Just keep banging on with them about the symptoms and politely but firmly demand satisfaction, not keep telling them what you think the problem is. Persistence, patience and conciseness as well as as much detail as you can supply when describing the symptoms - especially with the trying experience that is Applecare and the inferior quality hardware that is Apple - is the key.