iMac Fan Noise

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Level 1

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iMac Fan Noise

Good afternoon from Spain,

I have a iMac (late 2006) and during the last weeks, it's beggining to make a very strange noise.

The noise: http://rapidshare.com/files/170755323/Ruido.m4a.html

I supose that is from one of the fans, and o i'm trying to fix the noise with a SMC reset, but the noise doesnt disappear.

Any suggestion? I'm thinking to reset the PRAM but anything that Apple describes in the web is what apparently i need.

Thank you and sorry for my bad english

Message was edited by: luismerce

iMac Core2Duo 2,16, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 3 GB RAM

Posted on Dec 9, 2008 8:24 AM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 9

77,578 points

Dec 9, 2008 5:16 PM in response to luismerce

Hi Luis

Carefully follow the instructions in the SMC reset article:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543

Then to see what the fan speeds are download the iStat Pro Widget:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/istatpro.html

If just one fan is running fast it could mean that there is actually a overheating issue or hardware problem with a sensor. To find out run the Apple Hardware Test:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

Dennis

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Answer 2

luismerce Author

Level 1

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Dec 10, 2008 2:29 PM in response to den.thed

Hi den.thed

The first thing, thanks for your answer.

I reset the SMC following the instructions, i do it several time and nothing appears to happend.

I have de iStat Pro and the number or RPM are so normal. 900-1800...

I don't know what happend, everything look fine but the noise is so disturbing.

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Answer 3

Dec 10, 2008 4:48 PM in response to luismerce

Cant access your sound file with that link--Could you describe the sound--is it a buzz, a hum etc.

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Answer 4

luismerce Author

Level 1

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Dec 11, 2008 4:24 AM in response to davidmintzer

It's like hummmm with "something" more...

New URL: http://www.harrisonandpeterson.com/download/Ruido.m4a

Thank you!!!

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Answer 5

Dec 11, 2008 4:45 AM in response to luismerce

I have an unambiguous fan problem but mine is more of a loud airy continual whirring sound. Best of luck with a resolution.

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Answer 6

Kathykate

Level 2

248 points

Dec 16, 2008 6:07 AM in response to luismerce

Did you ever fix it? Just wondering as mine sounds exactly the same as yours, new problem recently noticed over the last few weeks.

Or have you just learned to live with it?
Regards, Kate

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Answer 7

luismerce Author

Level 1

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Dec 16, 2008 6:42 AM in response to Kathykate

I still have the same noise. Reset SMC and PRAM doesn't look to work. I try cleaning the iMac but isnt enought. Talking with Apple now...

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Answer 8

Dec 18, 2008 1:51 PM in response to luismerce

I too have a noisy fan, it started a few months ago as a whirring hum, gentler than the sound file.
But a few days ago its suddently turning into a noisy racket, I mean really really noisy, unbelievabley noisy. It happens for about the firest 10 minutes after restarting after the imac has been asleep or switched off. Thus the computer can't possibly be hot as its stone cold when the noise happens.

I've tried resetting various things as suggested on here but to no avail.

Anybody have any other suggestions?

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Answer 9

Dec 20, 2008 10:59 PM in response to hotcheese

The fan on my less-than-three-week-old iMac is starting to humbuzz all of a sudden too! Ever since I installed the 10.5.6 update a day or two ago as a matter of fact. Just a co-incidence or...?

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Answer 10

Kathykate

Level 2

248 points

Dec 20, 2008 11:54 PM in response to anklebyter

Anklebyter, I'm still on 10.5.5 and getting the noise...

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Answer 11

Jan 17, 2009 4:00 AM in response to hotcheese

Mine has just started making a strange noise this morning when I turned it on from cold, after a few minutes (maybe ten) the noise is gone and I'm left with the normal very quiet hum of the hard drive.

This is a little disturbing, especially as I have not done any updates recently (the iMac is on 10.4.11), and the iMac is well out of any warranty.

Is there an easy guide to opening up the Intel iMac CoreDuo? I'd like to have a look to see if it's just dust. What about replacing the fan (if that's the cause) - is that possible? Can equivalent fans be purchased easily, and if so what are they known as and where can we get them?

Message was edited by: Jonathan Mortimer

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