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rpeters83 · Apr 10, 2007, 06:18 PM

I'm debating on exchanging it, but this is my first MAC, so i'm not sure if this is normal. It was bought at compusa, so an exchange wont be hard if this is not normal.

I've noticed a very mild vibration under the palmrests. There is also a small noise coming from the fan. The fan is on 100% at 1800 rpm.

Is it normal to hear some fan noise? It sounds like the whirring of a small fan, but is it audible (I'm talking about hearing it when there are no other sounds in the room!). I believe the vibration is related to the fan, unless it COULD be the hard drive (I'm not sure). Perhaps the fan is unbalanced?

Has anyone else had these symptoms? They are not bothersome, and it's still quieter than my old compaq! But is it worth it to exchange it at the store? I'm still within 14 days (I just got it yesterday actually).

Again, the vibration and noise is very soft and doesn't really bother me, I'm simply curious as to if it is normal. I don't want a headache down the road. Thanks!

rpeters83 · Apr 10, 2007, 06:39 PM

I should add it sounds almost like a light buzzing noise from the fan, but not clicking (I know what a bad bearing sounds like on a failing fan). BTW, the build is '07 week 13.

mfbernstein · Apr 10, 2007, 08:58 PM

Fan should not be on 100% of the time unless you're in an exceedingly warm environment and/or have a very CPU intensive process running in the background. Give CoreDuoTemp a try and see what the load and processor temperature are. If your fan is still on with no load, and the processor temperature is reasonable (usually <55 C or so), then something's amiss. Might also want to try resetting the SMC.

rpeters83 · Apr 10, 2007, 09:37 PM

I've actually read that the newer ones are running the fan 100% from a patch i believe.

frdmfghtr · Apr 10, 2007, 09:47 PM

It depends on what you mean by "100%". From your first post, I think you mean that the fans are running 100% of the TIME, not at 100% speed.

I believe the SMC patch has the fan running all the time at a minimum speed of 1800 RPM, controlled by CPU temperature. The light vibration is probably the hard drive spinning (it is under the right palmrest) and you might hear the fan running when the room is dead quiet; I usually have to put my ear right up to the vents to hear it.

It doesn't sound like anything to be concerned with. Enjoy your new Mac!

Wiskedjak · Apr 10, 2007, 09:59 PM

How does one find out what the fan speed is? Mine is running 100% of the time, though barely noticeable unless I'm in a quiet room. It becomes quite noticeable if I'm running something CPU heavy.

I've never noticed any vibrations, except when inserting some DVDs which rev up quite high initially and the rev down for regular reading (after a few rather audible click when the disc gets sucked in)

rpeters83 · Apr 10, 2007, 10:09 PM

Thanks for the replies guys.

The fan is not running at full blast, just at 1800 rpm 100% of the time.

I don't mind it if it's normal. The vibration does feel like a spinning hard drive, but I dont know if i SHOULD even feel it or not. Same thing goes with the fan, i'm not sure whether I SHOULD be feeling that vibration or not either.

I do feel it only on FLAT surfaces and it is very slight. Doesnt bother me though. I'm just worried that if it is not normal that it may lead to early problems shortly down the road.

Any other ideas/thoughts? Thanks.

rpeters83 · Apr 10, 2007, 10:12 PM

ALSO, does anyone's fan (when running at lower speeds) almost sound like a faint buzz-noise? Again, nothing noticable unless no other sounds are around you.

rpeters83 · Apr 11, 2007, 11:56 AM

Does anyone else's fan sound like a quite buzzing? Does anyone else feel the slight vibration of the HD? Is this normal due to the shear small size? Thanks.

Wiskedjak · Apr 11, 2007, 12:01 PM

Mine only sounds like air moving.

frdmfghtr · Apr 11, 2007, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak

How does one find out what the fan speed is? Mine is running 100% of the time, though barely noticeable unless I'm in a quiet room. It becomes quite noticeable if I'm running something CPU heavy.

I use iStat pro - Dashboard - Status to monitor the fan speed and temperatures, amongst other things.

StickClicks · Apr 11, 2007, 11:46 PM

That sounds like normal to me. I know the base fan speed is 1800 RPM by default. My hard drive is very quiet, but does make the machine vibrate ever so slightly. The noisiest part of the Macbook, obviously, the CD drive. The first time I put a CD in I thought something had gone horribly wrong. It reminded me of the sound you hear in your head when you chew ice.

rpeters83 · Apr 12, 2007, 08:38 AM

So everyone can agree that the fan noise is audible and sounds almost like a quiet buzzing?

sdilley14 · Apr 12, 2007, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by rpeters83

Does anyone else's fan sound like a quite buzzing? Does anyone else feel the slight vibration of the HD? Is this normal due to the shear small size? Thanks.

I bought a refurb MacBook and had, what seems to be, a similar problem right out of the box. It was a really annoying clicking/buzzing noise that came from the fan. I took it to a local Apple service center and they fixed it under warranty. I was told it was a sticker on the fan that Apple forgot to take off that was rubbing against another component inside. I guess this happens every so often?

rpeters83 · Apr 12, 2007, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by sdilley14

I bought a refurb MacBook and had, what seems to be, a similar problem right out of the box. It was a really annoying clicking/buzzing noise that came from the fan. I took it to a local Apple service center and they fixed it under warranty. I was told it was a sticker on the fan that Apple forgot to take off that was rubbing against another component inside. I guess this happens every so often?

Hmmmm,

This doesnt click though.

rpeters83 · Apr 15, 2007, 12:09 PM

UPDATE:

I got it exchanged at CompUSA. The new one no longer has the fan noise (i cant even hear it, but according to smcfancontrol, it's idling). It also runs cooler.

As fas as the vibration? It's still there, maybe a little less, but still there. According to other searches it's pretty normal. I don't really mind it. Luckily the replacement is still flawless (no bad pixels, which was what I was worried about for the new one).

I'll just live with it. It's not really bothersome.

cwosigns · Apr 20, 2007, 08:11 PM

Hey all...

I just bought a new C2D BlackBook to replace my mid-range white MacBook that I bought last October. I'm having a noise issue that started today (I bought it Monday).

I can hear the fan. But it sounds okay. But occasionally I hear a static-like sound, almost like a rapid clicking noise. It just started this evening; doesn't sound like the hard drive. But I don't know what it does sound like.

Is this the same thing you were talking about?