[PJayDubya]

I have been using a Dual 1.8 with 512mb RAM since December. I've updated it to 10.3.3 and found it to be a little more noisy than usual but very acceptable and very quiet still.

Yesterday I purchased a Dual 2ghz G5, updated all of the software and noticed the unit is much noisier than the Dual 1.8 G5 I've had for the last few months.

My question is, are the fans on the Dual 2ghz machine going to spin faster (LOUDER) than on the Dual 1.8 G5 by default? There is a 200 mhz difference between the processors so the 2ghz unit should run a bit warmer, but it seems to just have a continual hum. I took the original Dual 2 back to CompUSA and exchanged it for another brand new unit to discover it to make the same noises as the former Dual 2.

What's really going on with this noise? It's irritating because I'm so used to the Dual 1.8 and it's just got a deeper hum. When I render video in FCP 4 on the Dual 2 machine, the fans do not crank up as they do on the same project on the Dual 1.8 machine.

I KNOW this has been discussed before now but I'm trying to figure out what the hell to do about this NOISE!!!!!!!!

Thanks... PJW

[The Placid Casual]

I believe that the fans are calibrated differently on each individual machine, let alone each model!

It is quite possible that the Dual 2.0 machines do have higher fan speeds etc to cover the higher FSB and Mhz, as well as north bridge chips etc... Unfortunately, I don't think that there is anything of any substance that can be done.

However, you may as well have a search of www.XLR8yourMac.com, as they often deal with these kind of issues in great depth.

[striker100]

Which video card do you have?
If you have the 9800Pro your G5 definitely will be noisier.

[Grisu1]

I have the same problem in my G5.
When i had Macox 10.3.2 my double 2Ghz G5 was silent. Now with 10.3.3 the fan seems crazy i hear a loud noise. I don't know the resolution, i hope in the 10.3.4
I'm sorry for my english

[PJayDubya]

Still frustrated, I have spoken to Apple Tech's all morning to discover that part of the loud HUMMING noise is because the plastic cover is pressing up against "something" (removable double fan or heat sinks) and causing a H U M. I can't express how FRUSTRATED I am now.

I am taking this unit to be serviced at a local provider today and hopefully get resolution. An Apple tech said they should be able to take everything out and re-seat it again and it work fine.

Which to me - is only half of the problem

The other half is the fact that the unit is so NOISEY. I am not missing my Dual 1.8. The Dual 1.8 was very quiet even after installing all of the software updates.

I don't get it. I'm very frustrated right now.

PJW

[ourisman]

I called AppleCare about my noisier-with-10.3.3 dual 2.0. I got a call back today from the technician I spoke with. He reported that, in effect, this is a feature, not a bug. The alternatives are (1) to accept the higher fan noise level or (2) downgrade to 10.3.2.

[trancepriest]

Your problems are directly related to the upgrade from 10.3.2 (or whatever previous versions u had) to 10.3.3... since the update my fans have gone crazy sometimes. And the boot process stalls frequently or is slowly creeping.. this update is messed up. Creates more irritating problems than it solves... wish i could go back to 10.3.2. don't know how they could write code for better fan management and this happens. I have written my first posts on this forum about this matter and another user has posted too... surprised to see that more dual 2ghz G5 users aren't posting about this problem. I'm sure its wide spread.

[phantomac]

Try resetting the parameter RAM. I read somewhere that this might help after the .3 update.

I haven't got a noise problem with my Dual 2GHz, btw. Shipped from and built in Ireland in early october, 2003.

[rhogue islander]

While I find that at least one of the fans is spinning faster after the 10.3.3 update in my Dual 2.0, I continue to regard my G5 as being pretty quiet, even with the 9800 pro. If I put my hand on the side of the case where the hard drive resides, it feels much cooler than before.

I have it on the floor and the ambient air temp here hovers around 68 degrees fahrenheit.

I think they made a mistake with the way they mount the hard drives in the G5. In most computers the hard drives are sandwiched btwn and bolted to two pieces of metal that are in turn attached to the larger case itself, which helps draw heat away from the drives.

In the G5, plastic nubs are screwed into the drive which then slide into rails in a plastic rack mount system. There's nothing in intimate contact with the drive to act as a heatsink. Certainly the fan in the drive bay acts to cool the drive but my guess is that it wouldn't have to work as hard if the drive were mated to something metal instead.

[PJayDubya]

I discovered tonight by listening to all sides of the G5 that the noise is definitely coming from the Power Supply. While the G5 is running I pushed in on the bottom of the unit to learn that the noise gets louder. Of course I didn't push in very hard but just a little and then heard the noise getting louder.

Obviously there is not enough noise dampering material being used in this area of the PowerMac G5. I'm not trying to be a jerk about it but I've had a Dual 1.8 and been around other Dual processor G5's and they don't sound like this.

At this point I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm still within my return policy at CompUSA so I may take it back this weekend. I've thought about exchanging it for another one but I don't want one that is going to give me more problems than what I have already.

Any suggestions?

Apple is justifying this noise saying that the noise does not interfere with the functionality of the machine. GET REAL. Advertise the G5 as the world's fastest personal computer that comes free with extra abstract noises and see how many they sell.

PJW

[rhogue islander]

You could get the power supply replaced, or you could return and exchange it.

I say take it back and get a new one.

Easiest way to resolve the issue. Just be sure to emphasize to CompUSA that the unit is defective, thereby avoiding the dreaded restocking fee.