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[MacBook Retina 2020, macOS 12.3.1] "chi-ung" sound (not normal start-up chime)

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ryubyss

ryubyss

macrumors member
Original poster
May 22, 2014
99
15
I purchased a used MacBook Air (MWTJ2LL/A) which, blessedly, has AppleCare. I have had a problem since, I think, I bought it. it makes a "chi-ung!" sound at times, and I don't mean the startup chime. in fact, it makes the sound in addition to the start-up chime. first the normal startup chime and then the "chi-ung". I have disabled Apple's sound effects.

recently, I had taken the MacBook to the shop, first to the Genius Bar and then to a third-party place. this had to do with unrelated issues but I also asked them to evaluate the chi-ung sound. the second time, I had my sound-card replaced (for an unrelated reason) but they couldn't reproduce the sound or figure out why it made the noise.

strangely, whereas the chi-ung sound originally started earlier, it now begins now when I start the MacBook Air but when I log into my account. the MacBook makes the chi-ung, sometimes more than once in a row, at other times. bizarre.

would it hep if I wiped the system and restored it from Time Machine? I don't want to take the MacBook in a third time. this has gotten really old. at least I have AppleCare.
 
Make a new admin user account. Does it make the sound then?

If so, wipe it and do a fresh install. If it doesn't make the sound restore from TM.

If it starts making the sound then, wipe and manually move stuff over restarting periodically to see what you installed/copied before it made the sound.

OR

It's not supposed to make that sound. So if Apple can't stop it from making that sound you can press for a replacement under AC. Just keep escalating the issue with Apple until they do it. It may take a bit, but the end result is you will have what amounts to a new computer.
 
thank you for your advice! I don't know if I understand what you suggested in the fourth paragraph but I think that I started hearing the sound as soon as I got it in the mail after buying it from eBay. I suspect that the prior owners had this problem, too, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it as cheap as I did.

I will try creating a second admin account and see if it makes the noise then.
 
You can try return it via eBay.

Wipe it and set it up as a new device to see if t still makes the sound.

What I meant is that its covered under warranty and if Apple can't fix an abnormal sound which is a hardware issue you can try getting them to replace it because it's a hardware issue they can't fix.

Don't accept "Sorry but we don't know why" from them.
 
darngooddesign said:
You can try return it via eBay.
Click to expand...
I don't know if I could make a case for that even if I wanted to, which I don't. (not a fan of dealing with the post office.) after all, I bought a used MacBook and I think that means that I accept the consequences. would rather deal with Apple.

anyway, I did create a new admin account, and, yes, the sound started up when I logged into the new admin account. will try wiping everything and restoring from Time Machine as you suggested. at least I know now how to predictably reproduce the noise, when before I didn't.
 
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ryubyss said:
I don't know if I could make a case for that even if I wanted to, which I don't. (not a fan of dealing with the post office.) after all, I bought a used MacBook and I think that means that I accept the consequences. would rather deal with Apple.

anyway, I did create a new admin account, and, yes, the sound started up when I logged into the new admin account. will try wiping everything and restoring from Time Machine as you suggested. at least I know how to predictably reproduce the noise, when before I didn't.
Click to expand...
Wipe it but set up as new.

If the issue persists even then call Apple and tell them that if the Genius Bar/Apple can't fix a hardware issue then it should be replaced under warranty.
 
yeah, I guess I'll do that as a last resort. and, hey, the replacement won't have any wear on the keys. thank you once again!
 
a follow-up to this post. I have another Genius Bar appointment scheduled for this Sunday. in the meantime, though, I have noticed that I hear the noise when I detach and reattach the lead (as well as when logging into my account). having never owned this model MacBook before, I wonder, does this happen normally? have I mistaken default behavior for "wrong" behavior? (again, though, it also makes the noise when loading up my account if I have entered the password.)
 
thank you fore responding. yes, it sounds just like that. should I also hear the sound when I log into my account, as well?
 
ryubyss said:
...should I also hear the sound when I log into my account, as well?
Click to expand...
My 16" MBP doesn't.

A couple of things to check:
Logging-in after a restart vs Loggin-out out and then logging-in again vs Fast user switching.
Restart and login vs Restart with auto login.
Regular user account vs a new admin account vs wiping and reinstalling with a new user account

That's the normal sound when you first connect a power source so if its the same sound then it seems like what's happening is that power is temporarily suspended while logged in, which isn't normal. If you can reliably reproduce the issue then compare yours to an in-store computer.
 
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darngooddesign said:
Regular user account vs a new admin account vs wiping and reinstalling with a new user account
Click to expand...

this you suggested in the other thread. (I haven't tried the other tests.) upon your suggestion, I did create another admin account just to see (or, in this case, hear) what would happen when I logged into the new one. I got the noise with the new account as well. the other suggestion I partially tried. I did wipe the system but I reimported the old account using Time Machine. (one time I screwed up migrating data, with moderately bad results so I feel leery of using Migration Assistant.)

thank you for your help! I have a Genius Bar appointment (another one!) scheduled for today. a pain in the ass but I do want to get to the bottom of this.

thank you for again for your help!
 
ryubyss said:
this you suggested in the other thread. (I haven't tried the other tests.) upon your suggestion, I did create another admin account just to see (or, in this case, hear) what would happen when I logged into the new one. I got the noise with the new account as well. the other suggestion I partially tried. I did wipe the system but I reimported the old account using Time Machine. (one time I screwed up migrating data, with moderately bad results so I feel leery of using Migration Assistant.)

thank you for your help! I have a Genius Bar appointment (another one!) scheduled for today. a pain in the ass but I do want to get to the bottom of this.

thank you for again for your help!
Click to expand...
Get to the store early and try to reproduce the issue on their MBAs. If their computers don't do it, and Apple can't stop yours from doing it, they should replace it under warranty because it is faulty. They will probably hang on to it for several days.

Good luck!
 
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oh, I'll have no problem reproducing the sound. it happens at the same moment every time, when the progress hits a certain part of my username.
 
yeah... I might have tried that when I wiped the HD last week but this week I'll just try my luck at the Apple Store. thank you again!
 
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