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SUPER_DEFORMED · Dec 15, 2004, 10:41 AM

Hi guys-

A while back I read on here that people were experiencing 'chirping' sounds from their G5 tower processors.

I am running a dual 2.0 and I am getting seriously annoyed with these sounds.

It seems that whenever I do ANYTHING like resize windows etc, I get these short, 'burst' type chirping sounds. They are very quiet, but it's enough to annoy me when I'm concentrating...

When I set my energy saver processor settings to 'highest', the chirp becomes CONSTANT. at reduced it is virtually non-existant, and at automatic, it is regular, and irritating.

I need my processor at automatic. Is this a real problem? Worth contacting apple about? Or am I just nit-picking? all the same it is an annoying problem. Does anyone have any simillar experiences, or a work-around?

Many thanks-

deformed

SafariX · Dec 15, 2004, 10:55 AM

Its not the CPUs. AFAIK its the PSU.

SUPER_DEFORMED · Dec 15, 2004, 11:54 AM

Aah, really?

so if apple replace the PSU, will that help?

Anyone have any experience with this?

thanks-

deformed

Weezer · Dec 15, 2004, 12:03 PM

If you contact apple they will send you a replacement PSU, but for now try this:

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/G5/G5_noi....html#storytop

Al G · Dec 15, 2004, 02:04 PM

A replacement power supply may or may not be any better than the original. Luck of the draw. Apple has been making these machines for a year and half. You'd think by now they would have figured out how to make a power supply that doesn't chirp, but no.

sheer · Dec 15, 2004, 04:08 PM

Isn't it down to a combination of the PSU and the architecture of the G5 chip, ie you may get a PSU which doesn't amplify this problem (and thus you don't hear the chirp) but the problem will always be there, and that is why disabling nap mode with CHUD works...

oceanzen · Dec 15, 2004, 08:39 PM

Yeah, I've noticed this problem too,but only when using Expose, nice to know I'm not the only one.

The power supplies also often cause problems for musicians and producers using Firewire audio Interfaces (which I intend to get soon), so if I have a problem with the audio interface I'll gt Apple to change the PSU. But if the program to stop napping works, I'll probably just use tht instead.

TackMan · Dec 16, 2004, 03:21 AM

I had a serious chirping problem. It was constant, and quite loud when I set processor performance to Highest.

My local Apple dealer (inAustralia) admitted there was something wrong with the machine and replaced it. (I took it back within the week and they DOAed it.)

My new machine (which took ages to arrive) is almost completely silent. I also won on the deal because the new one at the 90nm processor version.

So, I say, if you can, get it replaced!

Busemann · Dec 16, 2004, 09:43 AM

It is not only G5's that get this, but since their fans are so quiet it is somewhat more apparent. fwiw my TiBook has the same thing.

I'd put the blame on the graphics card, as it only happens when doing stuff that uses the graphics card.. Turning off QE seems to make much of it go away here.

Gankdawg · Dec 16, 2004, 10:37 AM

I just had my PSU replaced under warranty for the chirping and it didn't work. My local dealer ordered another one and I'm taking my G5 in on Saturday to have it swapped out again. If this doesn't work, I guess I will go back to CHUD.

Gankdawg · Dec 16, 2004, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by SUPER_DEFORMED:
It seems that whenever I do ANYTHING like resize windows etc, I get these short, 'burst' type chirping sounds. They are very quiet, but it's enough to annoy me when I'm concentrating...

And very noticeable in a quiet home office like I'm sitting in right now. I get up long before the rest of the family and surf, read email, etc., and can hear exactly what you are talking about. During the day, there is usually more background noice or I have iTunes running so I don't notice it that much. The chirp, on the other hand, is noticeable all of the time.

SUPER_DEFORMED · Dec 17, 2004, 12:13 PM

Wow- Thanks for all your comments.

I will phone apple on Monday. I doubt very much that they will replace the machine, and I *hope* they don't, as it has seven months worth of files on it now! It does seem very worrying that apple are DOA'ing machines with these problems...

They will probably just replace the PSU, from what I read here. I assume I will need to get my machine back to my dealer and get them to fix it? Will apple ship the part to me? Or the dealer?

My other BIG concern is that this is a seeminglry randomly occuring problem. Chances are when I take it back to my dealer, they won't hear it.... Am I better off going through them? Or calling apple directly...?

thanks-

deformed

redeye78 · Dec 19, 2004, 09:24 PM

Hey Super,
I had the same exact issue with my dual 2. I had the Apple store here in Seattle replace the power supply and it didn't change a thing. I took my tower back in to the store and had the manager listen to my computer while I previewed a Quicktime file in the finder. This made my computer "chirp" like crazy. Then I had him copy that same file to a portable FW drive and put it on the machines that they had on the floor, and it didn't make the same noise. I demanded a new machine and they gave it to me. Now my machine is absolutely quiet. There was also an issue with a genius unpacking my machine and letting one side of my tower drop a little too hard. But thats a whole different issue. If you make a big enough issue in the store when its busy they will have to do something about it.
Redeye

Groovy · Dec 19, 2004, 10:52 PM

make sure WHERE the sound is coming from. I just had a bunch of chirping
type noise that was constant like every 3 to 5 seconds it would do it but it was the
BEARINGS in the PCI section fan that where shot. Apple overnighted me a free fan
and free shipping (sweet) and I replaced the fan in 5 minutes and no more chirping.

With 9 fans IIRC in a Dual G5 the odds of one of them being a lemon is pretty high.

Groovy · Dec 19, 2004, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by redeye78:
Hey Super,
I had the same exact issue with my dual 2. I had the Apple store here in Seattle replace the power supply and it didn't change a thing. I took my tower back in to the store and had the manager listen to my computer while I previewed a Quicktime file in the finder. This made my computer "chirp" like crazy. Then I had him copy that same file to a portable FW drive and put it on the machines that they had on the floor, and it didn't make the same noise. I demanded a new machine and they gave it to me. Now my machine is absolutely quiet. There was also an issue with a genius unpacking my machine and letting one side of my tower drop a little too hard. But thats a whole different issue. If you make a big enough issue in the store when its busy they will have to do something about it.
Redeye

interesting. you and others talk about VIDEO stuff increasing chirping. i wonder
if the PCI section where the video card is also heats up more up causing the PCI fan
to rev and start chirping if fan is hosed like mine was. (I run RC5-72 so my CPU's are
maxed out 24/7) I guess also that maxed out CPU's the heat from that section can
make its way up into the PCI section above causing the temp sensors to drive the PCI
fan faster also.

BTW - a coworker never cleaned his G5. recently it started to have
major heat problems and shutting down. I was like WTF until i got behind
the G5 and saw the OUT vents for the CPU's were blocked with dust.

HAHA i never saw that much dust blockage before because i blow the dust
out every few months on all my mac and pc's. I blew the dust out and G5 ran
fine. So simple stuff like dust can screw you over big time.

EdipisReks · Dec 21, 2004, 08:27 PM

my 15" powerbook has the chirp, and installing the chud tools and enabling the NAP feature seems to have fixed it. i guess. i haven't heard the chirp since i enabled NAP. knock on woz.

jamil5454 · Dec 22, 2004, 03:18 PM

It could also be bad memory. Believe it or not, memory is not completely silent. It could also be the graphics card fan - which, in the PC industry, are known to give out randomly.

hecateh · Dec 23, 2004, 10:18 AM

i had this problem a long time ago, i hadnt really thought about it again until i noticed this thread, i cleaned all the dust from my g5 and i cant say i've heard it since, it wasnt VERY bad, like no blocked out vents or anything but it does seem a bit of a coincidence!