# strange iMac noise



## unlearnthetruth (Dec 3, 2002)

Ok my friend who has the iMac has problems again... it's a slotloading CRT, special edition DV graphite one from back when... Anyway, whenever she tries to start it up it hangs on the grey screen and makes a horrible tonal-buzzing kinda noise - seemingly from the speakers or near the bottom of the computer, but we're not too sure (I'm on the phone with her) - she says it's more a weird electronic noise than a mechanical one... Computer won't start at all, from CD or anything... just stays on the grey screen. Noise will stop eventually but still nothing... oh, she's in 9.2, by the way... zapping pram did nothing, booting into open firmware works, noise is still there but it works, not that that accomplishes anything, but then once we typed in 'mac-boot' to go ahead, it went back to the grey screen... 

any ideas?


----------



## sautey (Dec 3, 2002)

Hi

I have a G4 with a USB hub for my extra CD Burner and floppy Disk Drive.  I get the grey screen once in a while,  then I unplug my USB hub or one of the others/reboot and the grey screen is gone.  I do not know about the buzzing noice though.  But the grey screen has usually meant an periperal attachment conflict.  Hope this will help.

Sharon


----------



## unlearnthetruth (Dec 3, 2002)

that's what i thought as well, so I had her remove all of the USB stuff - no change... thanks for the suggestion though!


----------



## Cheryl (Dec 4, 2002)

If you can't boot with a CD, even the OS CD, then I would take it in to an authorized tech. There is something seriously wrong.


----------



## evildan (Dec 24, 2002)

I have an idea... Does the iMac have a fan? If so, make sure one of the drive cables isn't just slightly hitting the fan blade. It may sound crazy, but it happened to me and I had no idea what it was until I opened up the machine.

It sounded like it was a buzzing noise from the speakers, but infact it wasn't. Just an idea.


----------



## dlloyd (Dec 24, 2002)

Don't you think that posting twenty days later is a bit late?
By the way, iMac DVs don't have a fan, they are convection-cooled.


----------



## unlearnthetruth (Dec 24, 2002)

Thanks for the suggestion Evildan. She ended up taking it to a tech, who said there was absolutely nothing wrong with it and it works fine. She took it back, and it works fine... odd...


----------



## Cheryl (Dec 24, 2002)

That's what usually happens when you take in your car with a funny noise and when in front of the mechanic, the noise goes away.


----------



## evildan (Jan 5, 2003)

20 days is not too late. Especially since it was a wacky proposed solution. Wow, I say that and it's been 12 days since I last visited this thread. Oh and I may come back in 30 days and resond again. Aren't forums great for that?


----------

