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squeaks in Mac mini 2014

and 4096 others like this

and 4096 others like this

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 26, 2018
142
183
Hello,

Today I changed HDD to SSD Samsung 860 Evo. Everything is ok, but I noticed something strange. I hear some noises. It's more like squeaks. I can compare it to power adapter that is really hot and after few hours make sounds (you can almost not hear that). It's very quiet, I heard it only because it was.

1. Night
2. I had closed windows
3. There was no other sounds (not even cricket)

So my question is - could it be a power adapter inside the mini, that making this sound or this is some bad sign? I had no occasion to check that sound with hdd... I'm sure it's not fan.
 
I'm not sure about the specific squeak noises but it isn't uncommon for capacitors to make charge/discharge squeaks and high pitched buzzing noises when they are running. So it could be a noise coming from the internal power adapter while it regulates the current but this doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong with it.

I know you said you checked it but the cooling fan could be running a little dry which would also cause a squeaking noise. You could either try to put a tiny drop of lubricant (Teflon oil or another light oil) on the fan bearing/bushing or leave it alone or replace it and see if that fixes a fan noise but the fan is not something that would go bad right away.

It could be that you are hearing these noises that you didn't hear before when the HDD was running since the Mini is overall running quieter or it could be something else. As long as the Mini is running alright... not crashing, not locking up, not running hot and the noise is not getting louder, etc.. I would investigate a little further, keep and eye on it and then not put much more worry into it.
 
Last edited:
I put a Samsung EVO in mine and not a peep. Older house maybe?

Seriously if you put an SSD in your Mac mini then literally the only moving part would be the fan. Replace the fan if it bothers you.
 
and 4096 others like this said:
Hello,

Today I changed HDD to SSD Samsung 860 Evo. Everything is ok, but I noticed something strange. I hear some noises. It's more like squeaks. I can compare it to power adapter that is really hot and after few hours make sounds (you can almost not hear that). It's very quiet, I heard it only because it was.

1. Night
2. I had closed windows
3. There was no other sounds (not even cricket)

So my question is - could it be a power adapter inside the mini, that making this sound or this is some bad sign? I had no occasion to check that sound with hdd... I'm sure it's not fan.
Click to expand...


It's possibly coil whine from the power supply-either it was always there but masked by the HDD sound, or the change in power requirements going from HDD to SSD has made the coil oscillate at a different frequency and you're hearing it.

Whatever you do, DO NOT attempt to oil the fan as suggested above. The fans in modern Macs are sealed bearing fans, in fact the mini uses an Advanced Hydraulic Bearing fan. If you oil it you will only succeed in spraying oil all over the fan, which will attract lots of dust. If it's making noise try loosening the fan mounting screws-they need to be tight, not too tight. Too tight and you compress the rubber sound isolators, and possibly warp the fan housing (which causes the fan blades to touch the housing, which would sound like squeaks) If it still makes noise replace it.
 
Sackofnickels said:
You must have really good hearing and be pretty much placing your ear on the computer to hear it. At least that is what I read.
Click to expand...

Depends. Anyone who's sensitive to that sort of sound will hear it. Sometimes it can be absolutely obnoxious. Some coil whine is really quiet (almost all electronics/power supplies have it - but you need to put your ear up against those power supplies to hear it). That's fine with me. But other coil whine can be insanely loud if you're sensitive to it. Even from normal seating distance.
 
I can hear the SSD and HDSD in my mac mini shutting off at random times when the computer is asleep... is that what you are hearing?

and 4096 others like this said:
Hello,

Today I changed HDD to SSD Samsung 860 Evo. Everything is ok, but I noticed something strange. I hear some noises. It's more like squeaks. I can compare it to power adapter that is really hot and after few hours make sounds (you can almost not hear that). It's very quiet, I heard it only because it was.

1. Night
2. I had closed windows
3. There was no other sounds (not even cricket)

So my question is - could it be a power adapter inside the mini, that making this sound or this is some bad sign? I had no occasion to check that sound with hdd... I'm sure it's not fan.
Click to expand...
 
WilliamG said:
Depends. Anyone who's sensitive to that sort of sound will hear it. Sometimes it can be absolutely obnoxious. Some coil whine is really quiet (almost all electronics/power supplies have it - but you need to put your ear up against those power supplies to hear it). That's fine with me. But other coil whine can be insanely loud if you're sensitive to it. Even from normal seating distance.
Click to expand...

I have to ask... Are computers expected to be silent? SSD's have not been common for that long. How did the masses ever survive in the past with a spinner revving up and down, cooling fans, and case fans?

Coil whine is a term to describe a variety of noises coming from a computer. What are you guys expecting? I'd like to hear a recording of the "issue". I bet it's almost impossible to record.

To me coil whine is like a barely noticeable scratch. Some people make a big deal out of nothing.
 
Sackofnickels said:
I have to ask... Are computers expected to be silent? SSD's have not been common for that long. How did the masses ever survive in the past with a spinner revving up and down, cooling fans, and case fans?

Coil whine is a term to describe a variety of noises coming from a computer. What are you guys expecting? I'd like to hear a recording of the "issue". I bet it's almost impossible to record.

To me coil whine is like a barely noticeable scratch. Some people make a big deal out of nothing.
Click to expand...

Well. You’re wrong. But that’s ok. :)

Some coil whine, like I said, is obnoxiously loud. Just YouTube GeForce coil whine. Some of those GPUs are notoriously loud under load. In fact, my 2012 iMac’s GeForce GTX 680MX was so darn loud under load (coil whine, not fan), that I had my system replaced by Apple. The replacement was fine.
 
WilliamG said:
Well. You’re wrong. But that’s ok. :)

Some coil whine, like I said, is obnoxiously loud. Just YouTube GeForce coil whine. Some of those GPUs are notoriously loud under load. In fact, my 2012 iMac’s GeForce GTX 680MX was so darn loud under load (coil whine, not fan), that I had my system replaced by Apple. The replacement was fine.
Click to expand...

So where is the coil whine coming from in a Mini?
 
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