New noise (not fan or humming)

[Paul S]

My iMac recently developed a slight annoyance. It's making this....chugging/tapping noise. Almost as if you were to tap your fingers on the desk. It's very faint, but still very noticable when the volume is down. It started just recently. I shut off the system and turned it back on, and it was gone for about a day, and now, it's back. I can't tell where the noise is coming from. I don't think it's the fan, but I don't know what else it could be?

Anyone else experiencing this? It's driving me crazy--kind of like the chinese water torture.

 

[macenforcer]

My iMac recently developed a slight annoyance. It's making this....chugging/tapping noise. Almost as if you were to tap your fingers on the desk. It's very faint, but still very noticable when the volume is down. It started just recently. I shut off the system and turned it back on, and it was gone for about a day, and now, it's back. I can't tell where the noise is coming from. I don't think it's the fan, but I don't know what else it could be?

Anyone else experiencing this? It's driving me crazy--kind of like the chinese water torture.

Sounds like a roach is crawling into the fan and getting knocked into the lcd panel. Keeps trying to get through. I would spray some raid into the vents and see if it stops.

 

[spork183]

It's driving me crazy--kind of like the chinese water torture.

That drip drip sound is the sands of time. Counting off the wasted hours, wasted days... Actually, that's the sound the midplane assembly makes before it dies. It gets louder as your warranty gets closer to expiration.

 

[JAT]

Something stuck near the fan sounds like a distinct possibility.

 

[Paul S]

Thanks, JAT and spork. The sound has now turned from the faint tapping noise, to almost a gear grinding noise (again, faint, but definately audible). Driving me crazy. I'll check out the fans.

 

[velocityg4]

Is the tapping sound a mettalic click? You could have a failing hard drive. Just in case you should back up your data, assuming you do not do so currently.

 

[Paul S]

Velocity - no, it's not a metallic click. It sounded more like a muted-plastic tap? Now, it's a plastic gear grind-type noise. Again, it is faint, and it goes in spurts of 3-4 seconds between the noises and the noises last about 2-3 seconds.

When I turn the computer off for a couple of minutes and turn it back on, the noise is gone. But it does come back after an hour or so.

 

[bozigle]

Just no to be too sorry
back up your datas... it could be your hard drive dying and your mac is kind enough to give you an hint.

bozigle