Startup Sound Pref Pane killed Startup Chime...

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Level 1

39 points

Startup Sound Pref Pane killed Startup Chime...

I made the mistake of installing and trying out the Startup Sound Pref pane from Arcana -

http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~arcana/StartupSound/index.en.html

I'm running 10.5.6 on an Al Intel iMac. What it seems this pane will do is allow you to turn the startup chime down, but not adjust it back up...if you mute it, it's muted permanently. I've tried uninstalling the pane and flushing caches, and zapping PRAM (though I can't tell if it actually zapped). Still no Startup chime.

I want the Apple default back...how do I fix?..

iMac 24" Al 2.8Ghz / iMac G5 iSight, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Dec 28, 2008 4:21 PM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

92,998 points

Dec 28, 2008 4:35 PM in response to Ryfus

Hi Ryfus

If you have headphones or a speaker system connected, disconnect them and reset the main volume for the internal speaker and restart.

Dennis

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Answer 2

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,727 points

Dec 28, 2008 8:46 PM in response to Ryfus

The version that you installed is for iMacs with PowerPC processors only, not Intel processors.
I suggest using the version 1.1b2. It works great with 10.5.6 on my Core Duo.
In the future always make sure that you only install versions that say either Universal binary or Intel in the system requirements. If it only says PowerPC it is not for your iMac.

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Answer 3

Ryfus Author

Level 1

39 points

Dec 29, 2008 12:50 PM in response to den.thed

That did it - I've got my chime back! Thanks.

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Answer 4

Ryfus Author

Level 1

39 points

Dec 29, 2008 12:57 PM in response to Dah•veed

Yeah - I install the correct UB or PPC only versions on each of my iMacs...

I tried both stepping back to 1.1b1, and then reinstalling 1.1b2. Pulling my external speakers and restarting did in fact get my chime back to it's default.

I now have version 1.1b2 reinstalled and am checking again - so far it seems I can turn the startup chime down, but if I want to reset it I have to pull my external speakers and start over. I did notice a bug listing on the Arcana site saying that changes may not take on the first restart...I'll observe and see.

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Answer 5

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,727 points

Dec 29, 2008 1:11 PM in response to Ryfus

Just going by your link above, which is to version 1.0 for PPC.
I am not seeing this issue with 1.1b2, nor with 1.1b1 before it.

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Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

92,998 points

Dec 29, 2008 1:58 PM in response to Ryfus

Your welcome!

On that note why even use StartUp Sound.pref Pane? You should be able to lower the startup chime level by adjust the internal volume to the desired level, then reconnect your external speaker system!

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Answer 7

Ryfus Author

Level 1

39 points

Jan 3, 2009 1:35 PM in response to den.thed

I've always understood that the Startup chime is independent of the Sound.prefs control because it does occur only once during startup. There's also no way to decouple the Startup chime volume from other Alerts in Sound.prefs.

It seems now that I've checked a bit that Startup Sound.pref isn't doing anything at all - I have my default chime volume back, and the pref pane isn't changing it one bit...even though I'm using 1.1b2. I do like to quiet it a bit as I use my iMac as an alarm clock of sorts - I have it start up 10 min after my alarm goes off during the week. Sort of a snooze-backup.

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Answer 8

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,727 points

Jan 3, 2009 2:34 PM in response to Ryfus

If you want to start from scratch I would download 1.1b2 and run the Uninstaller that comes in the .dmg, which should remove all vestiges of Startup Sound.pref from your Mac.
Normally the System Volume controls the volume of the Startup Chime if it is the last thing that you adjust before you Shut Down your Mac. For example, if you set the System Volume to the level at which you want to hear the chime and then Shut Down your Mac, when you Restart your Mac, that should be the volume level that you hear the chime. Likewise, if the last thing you do is mute the System Volume and then Shut Down the Mac, when you Restart the Mac, you should not hear the Startup Chime.
The one caveat to this is if your Mac has been sleeping. If you waken your Mac and immediately Shut Down, when you Restart the Mac, the Startup Chime will be muted. To insure that your Startup Chime is not muted, after you awaken your Mac, either play a sound intentionally or adjust the System Volume, then Shut Down your Mac and when it Restarts the Startup Sound should be the level that you have set.
On my iMac Intel, even though I have external speakers, the Startup Chime plays through the internal speakers. On my old iMac G3, with external speakers connected, everything plays through the external speakers.
The Startup Chime is your Mac alerting your that it has passed the POST (Power On Self Test), and that the Test has found usable RAM installed at startup. iMacs, based on the model, have a series on Alert Codes, chimes, beeps or flashing power indicator lights, that alert you when the POST encounters problems.

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Answer 9

den.thed

Level 10

92,998 points

Jan 3, 2009 2:34 PM in response to Ryfus

Again if I lower my Internal speaker volume then reconnect my 2.1 speaker system and leave it connected, the volume level of the Internal speakers and Startup chime is saved at that level.

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Answer 10

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,727 points

Jan 3, 2009 2:55 PM in response to den.thed

You bring up an interesting point Denny. If you conduct an experiement you can see that Mac OS X saves the internal speaker volume separate from the headphone/external speaker volume. Open AudioMIDI Setup and in Properties For: select Built-in Output. Using the volume control buttons on the keyboard set a volume for your externals. Then unplug the externals and watch the blue slider buttons jump to whatever the volume for which internals may be set.
Plug the externals back in and mute them from the keyboard. Then unplug them again. The slider buttons should jump to the setting for the internals, which were not muted.
What I stated in my post above should be effected by whether the externals are plugged in or not plugged in. I think that this is a safety feature for folks who use headphones, so they do not blast out their hearing. This may be also what is confusing the issue for Ryfus, whether he has the externals plugged in when adjusting the volume.
Happy Birthday to your Mac, Abuelo!

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Answer 11

den.thed

Level 10

92,998 points

Jan 3, 2009 3:28 PM in response to Dah•veed

Yes exactly, the last set level is saved for both the internal and external volumes.

Thank you for reminding me my Apple Care expires on the 21st, but no way would I'd trade her in for a 20" aluminum.

Happy early Birthday party to you as well, as I recall both you and your iMac's are the 18th.

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Answer 12

Ryfus Author

Level 1

39 points

Jan 3, 2009 3:47 PM in response to Dah•veed

Ok...here's what I just did - ran the Uninstaller, disconnected my external speakers, reset my System volume, restarted...that worked as you say. Then I reconnected my external speakers, reset my System volume for operating with them and restarted - the Startup chime remained at it's previous level, where I want it. Thanks - this did it, and I won't be reinstalling Startup Sound...pity, it worked great in previous versions and was convenient.

Here's the link to the 1.1b2 version of Startup Sound, if anyone is really interested:

http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~arcana/software.en.html

The page says 1.1, but the version available for download is 1.1b2.

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Answer 13

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,727 points

Jan 3, 2009 3:55 PM in response to den.thed

We are the 19th. The last day of Capricorn.

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