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Grinding Noise from G4 Sawtooth AGP
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2005
Status:
Offline
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Hey all,
I've tried searching for an answer here, Apple Discussions and on Google, but I can't get any definite answers.
I recently acquired a PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics model machine from my employer. Lately it's been making a random rattle noise - not too annoying - but when it hits the right circumstance, it becomes a loud grinding noise that sounds like a propeller plane. I can't tell where it's coming from exactly. I thought it was the CPU cooling fan (the 120mm) but it doesn't seem to be it. When the noise happens, it feels like it's coming from the PSU (when I feel the outside of the case).
I've vacuumed out all the dust out from the inside of the case, but other than that, I don't know how to troubleshoot it. Anybody else have any ideas or suggestions? I appreciate it.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
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I have heard hard drives can make rattling noises before death.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2005
Status:
Offline
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Yeah, thanks. It's not the HD. I've opened the case while the noise happens and it's not the HD.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Michigan, USA
Status:
Offline
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Does your graphics card have a fan on it? It could be rubbing up against the hard drive chassis. I say this because my Radeon 9800 Pro does this occasionally on my dual G4 MDD. I just give it a quick love tap like the Fonz and it goes away. 
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2005
Status:
Offline
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I don't believe so. It's the original video card that cam with the machine. ATI Rage 128 vid card w/16 MB memory. Did vid cards from 1999 have fans on them? I doubt it.
The vibrating seems to come from up above in the case... around where the PSU is. 
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: London, UK
Status:
Offline
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I have the same machine, although my graphics card does have a fan on it. I get an occasional grinding and it turned out to be the fan on the graphics card. stripped the fan and oiled it and it stopped. I would guess it's a fan on yours, perhaps the fan at the back of the psu?
Something that can help, but will look very silly, is to get a screwdriver and touch the end against something in the case while putting your ear against the end of the handle. Effectively you're making a crude stethoscope. This can help narrow down where the noise is coming from, as you are listening directly to the source rather then hearing something from around the case.
J.
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By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Washington DC
Status:
Offline
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Well, there is an 80mm fan in the PSU..... it could be that.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2005
Status:
Offline
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It happened again when I got home last night, and I opened the case. It's definitely coming from the PSU. How many fans are in it? 1 or 2? If it's just the fan, I want to see if I can replace it. I've seen replacement PSUs for well over $100, sometimes lower on eBay, but I can't see spending that much money on just a PSU. I may get my employer to allow me to switch it out from another machine, but I don't know.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Cambridge UK
Status:
Offline
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This is a known problem with the fans over time - if you can, for brief periods at a time unplug each fan individually to ascertain which on it is.
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