iMac - Imac ''humming'' noise

ID039 · ID039 #1 (**permalink**)

09-24-2007, 08:12 PM

Hi
I just got a new imac, was absolutely silent, I upgrades the ram and now I'm getting a constant ''humming'' sound... not very loud but still enerving...

is this a known issue? can somthing go loose inside while pushing the new ram in or something?

thanks

mac57 · mac57 #2 (**permalink**)

09-25-2007, 12:05 PM

Could it be simply a fan? More RAM = more heat being emitted - perhaps your iMac now has a larger cooling need and is revving the fans higher? How much RAM did you put in, and what type is it?

The acid test would be to temporarily remove the new RAM and see if the noise goes away. If so, it is likely heat and fan related.

Geeky1 · Geeky1 #3 (**permalink**)

09-25-2007, 02:07 PM

mac57; that's a possible explanation for what he's experiencing. The only question I'd have is if it would really make that much of a difference... I don't recall seeing any information for DDR2, but I read somewhere once that DDR uses like 5w per stick or something... DDR2 would probably be less than that as it runs at a lower voltage. I'm not sure that an additional few watts of heat would make a noticeable difference in fan speed. It's possible though, and I haven't got any other suggestions.

mac57 · mac57 #4 (**permalink**)

09-25-2007, 02:25 PM

Agreed Geeky1, that is why I suggest pulling it out and seeing if the noise goes away. If it does, it is heat. If it doesn't...

It could also just be a mechanical problem - something not quite put back together as tightly as it originally was.

ID039 · ID039 #5 (**permalink**)

09-25-2007, 07:57 PM

thanks, I added a 2G bar from owc... I will try removing it to see of the noise goes away....

giulio · giulio #6 (**permalink**)

09-26-2007, 08:11 AM

Maybe the ram makes the airflow different, changing it's sound.
Whatever the case may be, if something in my office wanted to hum for me, I'd surely not complain.

mac57 #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 29, 2006 Location: St. Somewhere Posts: 4,547 Mac Specs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, 120 GB SSD, 500 GB HDD	09-25-2007, 12:05 PM Could it be simply a fan? More RAM = more heat being emitted - perhaps your iMac now has a larger cooling need and is revving the fans higher? How much RAM did you put in, and what type is it? The acid test would be to temporarily remove the new RAM and see if the noise goes away. If so, it is likely heat and fan related. My Macs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, Mac Pro, 3.2 GHz 8 Core, Power Macintosh 7500/100 My iStuff: 32 GB iPhone 4, 30 GB iPod Video, 16 GB iPod Touch My OS': Mac OS X Tiger, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS 8.6, openSUSE 10.3, Win XP I was on the Mac-Forums honor roll for September 2007
	QUOTE Thanks

mac57 #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 29, 2006 Location: St. Somewhere Posts: 4,547 Mac Specs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, 120 GB SSD, 500 GB HDD	09-25-2007, 02:25 PM Agreed Geeky1, that is why I suggest pulling it out and seeing if the noise goes away. If it does, it is heat. If it doesn't... It could also just be a mechanical problem - something not quite put back together as tightly as it originally was. My Macs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, Mac Pro, 3.2 GHz 8 Core, Power Macintosh 7500/100 My iStuff: 32 GB iPhone 4, 30 GB iPod Video, 16 GB iPod Touch My OS': Mac OS X Tiger, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS 8.6, openSUSE 10.3, Win XP I was on the Mac-Forums honor roll for September 2007
	QUOTE Thanks

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iMac - Imac ''humming'' noise

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ID039 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 09, 2007 Posts: 35	09-24-2007, 08:12 PM Hi I just got a new imac, was absolutely silent, I upgrades the ram and now I'm getting a constant ''humming'' sound... not very loud but still enerving... is this a known issue? can somthing go loose inside while pushing the new ram in or something? thanks
	QUOTE Thanks

ID039 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 09, 2007 Posts: 35	09-25-2007, 07:57 PM thanks, I added a 2G bar from owc... I will try removing it to see of the noise goes away....
	QUOTE Thanks

giulio #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 19, 2007 Location: NY USA Posts: 1,813 Mac Specs: iMac 5.1 \| iMac 7.1 \| iPod Touch \| iPod Nano	09-26-2007, 08:11 AM Maybe the ram makes the airflow different, changing it's sound. Whatever the case may be, if something in my office wanted to hum for me, I'd surely not complain.
	QUOTE Thanks

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