Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

PJ G4 · Dec 6, 2003, 09:52 PM

I just purchased a 17" 1.33 Powerbook. When I am surfing the internet I get a strange whirring noise coming from the left side of the computer. Occasionally I also get a sizzling noise. This does not occur on all web sites and only last 10-15 minutes. Is there any way to get rid of these noises. Thanks

RayX · Dec 6, 2003, 11:57 PM

Originally posted by PJ G4:
I just purchased a 17" 1.33 Powerbook. When I am surfing the internet I get a strange whirring noise coming from the left side of the computer. Occasionally I also get a sizzling noise. This does not occur on all web sites and only last 10-15 minutes. Is there any way to get rid of these noises. Thanks

Sounds like that might just be the fan coming on and speeding up, that is normal. There is no way to get rid of it. The sizzle is also normal, as is the noise that Safari sometimes causes, which is like a louder version of the sizzle. Usually only happens when accessing SSL (secure) sites. Search the forum for more on this.

RealMac · Dec 7, 2003, 05:49 AM

Originally posted by PJ G4:
I just purchased a 17" 1.33 Powerbook. When I am surfing the internet I get a strange whirring noise coming from the left side of the computer. Occasionally I also get a sizzling noise. This does not occur on all web sites and only last 10-15 minutes. Is there any way to get rid of these noises. Thanks

As for the sizzling, I know exactly what you mean. I think it has something to do with feedback going through the audio system.

For me, installing KeepSoundAwake seems to have addressed the issue.

hldan · Dec 7, 2003, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by RealMac:
As for the sizzling, I know exactly what you mean. I think it has something to do with feedback going through the audio system.

For me, installing KeepSoundAwake seems to have addressed the issue.

The 17" 1.33Ghz should not be experiencing the sizzle issue that the Rev A 1Ghz did. I had Rev A and now I have Rev B and the sizzle is gone even with energy settings at highest performance.
I tested a few of the Rev B's before I got my new one and they all had no more sizzle.
As for Keep Sound Awake, I don't know how that's working for some people but it's not designed to get rid of sizzling noises, it's to stop the human voice's sound from breaking while it's speaking text and the new Rev B 17" 1.33 Ghz does not need this patch either. Apple addressed this and mine reads text perfectly with no break in sound.
More than likely it's the fan that makes any whirring noise but Safari only made squealing noises in Jaguar and as was fixed in Panther.

mini-pbook · Dec 9, 2003, 08:57 PM

I wonder if my powerbook is defective then? I have a week old 17" 1.33, and the sizzle sound is getting a bit annoying. It does not occur in reduced processor mode, but definitely when the cpu is set to highest power. Think I should call Apple on this one? I love the computer otherwise.

Badwisdom · Dec 10, 2003, 04:40 AM

I have a 17' Rev B and i also have the sizzling when CPU performance is set to highest setting. The sizzling is lower on automatic, and gone on reduced.

So this has definitely not been fixed on Rev B computers. Sounds like a random occurence to me, you either get lucky... or in my case, don't.

Cheers

vancenase · Dec 10, 2003, 08:28 AM

are you guys w/ RevB's running panther? i have not heard this /sizzle/ in quite some time ... unless i'm deaf (yo) ...

jgcan · Dec 10, 2003, 06:25 PM

Originally posted by vancenase:
are you guys w/ RevB's running panther? i have not heard this /sizzle/ in quite some time ... unless i'm deaf (yo) ...

revB 17" on Panther, sizzles on highest too...