Fix CPU Whine On Intel Systems

How IdeaStorm Works:

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) Comments | Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) Ideas | Laptops Comments | Laptops Ideas

1550

Fix CPU Whine On Intel Systems

1550 points posted to Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops by codemonkeyx 08/08/07

This issue has been ignored by Dell, and other manufactures for far too long. I was hoping the issue had been addressed with the new M1330 laptop I just bought, but it has not.

When the CPU enters low power mode it makes a whining sound all the time. It's quite bad, and has been reported all over the web by thousands of users.

Dell needs to sit down with Intel, and figure out what is going on and stop ignoring the problem.

premcv 08/08/07	AMD for me! Haven't heard of any AMD proc's with such problems.
benjesuit 08/08/07	Your house is too quiet.
premcv 08/08/07	Nope! With my kid bawling around (he's just a month old) it isn't quite anymore! :)
codemonkeyx 08/08/07	Well I love the M1330, everything about it is just perfect for me except this noise. :) Yes my house is very quiet. I spent a lot of money on my desktop system to make it a near silent PC in my room. So the only real noise late at night is this whine. I do not think it is a deal breaker, but I would like to have it fixed. If they had an AMD M1330 I would have got that in heart beat. I would sacrifice some speed and battery life for a silent PC.
sigma 08/08/07	I have always stood by Dell, but this needs to be fixed so I can start suggesting Dells new laptops to all my friends again.
jdelidc 08/08/07	i can barely hear my TV when my old hard drive is being used
benjesuit 08/08/07	@premcv Congrats on the newborn! Best wishes.
anorecticus 08/08/07	My m1330 is whining as well. I contacted Dell Korea and they were not even aware of the problem. They asked me to deliver my unit to the service center so that they can take a look at it. I will probably do that later this week. Answers like "Your house is too quiet" are not really that helpful. ^^ Should I just ask Dell to send me 3M earplugs and the problem would be solved?
davmcn 08/08/07	I have had that problem also well my friend's Laptop so annoying He doesn't use it anymore because of that.
md2k7 08/08/07	Same here... I have the problem not longer after getting m1330.. it didn't bother me as much at first but now it's becoming a pain in the butt so I'm here to support this.
premcv 08/09/07	Thanks, benje! :) I'm not sure, but isn't the 1330 have a choice with the processors, or is it only Intel?
codemonkeyx 08/09/07	Only Intel. One of the big selling points is the Santa Rosa chipset which is only Intel. If AMD was an option I would have gone with it.
codemonkeyx 08/09/07	For a minute I started thinking I am being too picky, but now I just tried an experiment. I turned on my house fan, and started playing some music on my main computer. My laptop is sitting 3 feet away on the desk and I can still hear the whine quite clearly. This is not normal operation, and Tech support seems to have no information whatsoever about this problem. Even though I have read several threads on Dell forums begging for Dell to do something about this. Right now I do not care if it's Intel or Dells fault. I would like to get a straight answer before I have to return my laptop in 30 days. :( The problem is so many people are reporting this noise on their new M1330 that I do not think a replacement unit will even help. Dell can not fix a problem they do not acknowledge even exists.
davmcn 08/09/07	i totally understand you. Noises like that just get me so agrovated i don't wanna use the product anymore. i send it back and forget about it. I am not so happy Dell_admins haven't even suggested anything. Anyways Only Dell_admin1 is the only i have seen recently on. Maybe she will answer some of your question i don't know hope your problem gets fixed.
codemonkeyx 08/14/07	I actually think I am going to return mine. I have contacted customer support twice about this, and they have no idea what is going on. This problem has been well documented on the net for a long time. The M1210 had it too, so how can Dell have no records or information at all about the problem? I am upset, because I like everything else about the system. I want to keep it, but I am tired of trying to find a solution all by myself, and getting no help from Dell.
davmcn 08/14/07	that sucks...but i understand..
codemonkeyx 08/15/07	Yep I am waiting for the returns department to call me back. I contacted Technical Support last night, and they basically told me they have zero information on this problem. Their suggestion was to return the system so I do not have to wait a long time for a fix. That is why I am pushing this Idea, because at the moment Dell will not even recognize the problem. They think it is a normal noise or something and do not seem care about it. I was shocked when his only idea to fix the problem was to return my system for a refund. That was it, no send a tech out, no replacement system, no BIOS settings. Just return it there is nothing we can do. I guess it's back to shopping again. I think I might try buying a system from a local store, so I can check for the whine right away and return it to the store if there one.
davmcn 08/15/07	You know what i have an idea. Codemonkeyx: what you could try is tell them that you will send it to them and they can hear the annoying noise and after that they can talk to Intel an replace your CPU Or just give you a new one.
codemonkeyx 08/16/07	Well I have a little update. I was contacted by a Dell support manager, and he is sending me a new replacement system. He promises that it will be perfect with no noises etc, but we will see. The interesting part it though, that he said a guy (with an American sounding name) will be contacting me and is going to take my laptop to take it apart and try to figure out where the noise is coming from. They could be just trying to humor me, but if they find something wrong it might help us all in the future.... hopefully.
davmcn 08/16/07	Looks like dell responded then.
jdelidc 08/16/07	yea but if it's a widespread problem, they need a bigger response
davmcn 08/16/07	Yeah..for sure...but dell is living on the edge at the moment...
codemonkeyx 08/17/07	Well the noise is pretty loud on my system, so if they are serious about taking it apart and trying to find the problem then hopefully they can figure out whats up with it. Keep voting though people.
lnahid2000 08/19/07	Dell really needs to fix this issue. My laptop spent a month in the depot to get this fixed. They replaced a bunch of random parts and it is still whining. I called Dell about a replacement and they refused, saying that the noise is "normal" and "within specifications". My warranty ended that day as did my love for Dell machines. It's ironic that I first started liking Dell in 2001, when I saw that my friend's desktop was the quietest computer I had ever seen.
codemonkeyx 08/19/07	I think the noise has different levels of intensity, some people say they can hear it only when they are a few inches from the keyboard. I can hear it from across the room. If any company says it's normal for a $2000 laptop to make a whine you can hear from across a room they do not deserve my business. I have been promised a refund if my replacement still does not work, if they try and mess with me then I will be mad.
lnahid2000 08/20/07	I can hear mine from across the room as well. I wouldn't say it's loud, but the frequency is high enough to irritate me whenever the computer is on. But there's no hope now since my warranty is over. Dell no longer has my business because they consider this normal, and in addition I will not recommend Dell to my friends. I helped a friend purchase a Vostro 1400 last month and that was my last Dell recommendation.
codemonkeyx 08/20/07	Yeah this Idea is not really for any current line of systems, Dell can not really retrofit all their systems, unless it's something that can be addressed in the BIOS. But this problem has been present in many different models, and from different manufactures for several years. They need to get together with Intel figure out what the hell this noise is, and make sure it is not in any future systems. And hopefully change their current lines so no new systems have the problem. It seems like the sound is not present in every system though, so I am thinking it a hardware manufacturing defect. Anyway, I pray that my new replacement is silent. If not I will be asking for a full refund and just not getting a laptop until it's fixed. @Inahid2000: That's the problem, it's not like really really loud, but because it's so high my music does not drown it out, and it vibrates in you head.
davmcn 08/20/07	Joy...maybe they are thinking of something have you tried updating some stuff maybe...cause my graphics card makes a really irritating sound...Maybe it's that. or maybe some of the fans sometimes they make annoying noises...Check those..
codemonkeyx 08/20/07	@davmcn: It probably not the graphics, because the noise happens mostly when the CPU is in a low power state. And you can alter the noise by using software tools that change the way the CPU handles power management. So I think it's either the CPU itself, or some of the motherboard components that are affected by the CPU's power state, like the FSB, and power sub-sytems. But it's not the fan. A fan would have a constant analog whine, like a whistle or something. These noise is like thousands of digital beeps all going off in a row. Exactly like very fast Morse Code, as other people have described it.
davmcn 08/20/07	If this is not to much work for you i may be able to determine your problem if you have your pc on a record the noise put it on youtube and then put the link here...and i will take a look see if i can help you.
lnahid2000 08/20/07	My friend just brought over the Vostro 1400 that I helped him buy and it doesn't whine! I put my ear to the back of it and there's no morse code. Damn, I wish I had a computer that was quiet. I guess this proves that it is possible to make a computer that doesn't whine. These companies just have huge quality control issues.
davmcn 08/20/07	Ok.
codemonkeyx 08/20/07	I tried to record it on my cellphone, but as you can guess it's not very good. I will see if I can get my hands on a better recording device.
davmcn 08/20/07	Sure I will try and determine when you put it on here...and see if i can help you or not.
lnahid2000 08/20/07	Someone else already posted a YouTube video of exactly what my whine sounds like. You can view it http://youtube.com/watch?v=ErkhU2qK-fM
davmcn 08/20/07	Ok....I feel sorry for you guys, that is so irritating it hurts to listen to it.. umm...i can tell you right off the bat that is the CPU. It need to be replaced...that is it...
lnahid2000 08/20/07	My CPU got replaced and it got louder. It's horrible. It's definitely the CPU though.
davmcn 08/20/07	Yah i have figured that one out i am will look into your problem a bit more and see what i can find over the weeks.
codemonkeyx 08/22/07	Dell on CPU Whine Well it seems they know about the problem. In the linked support post the describe the exact problem we are having down to the CPU power state.
davmcn 08/22/07	ok...
codemonkeyx 08/22/07	Well that's not good because they only have one solution, and for me that did not work at all. :P Also it's a pretty crummy solution because it requires bluetooth to be on all the time.
davmcn 08/22/07	Yah probobly makes the battery die faster....
lnahid2000 08/23/07	And I don't even have bluetooth, so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to implement that solution.
davmcn 08/23/07	That's gonna be a tuffy...
codemonkeyx 08/24/07	My replacement system just went into Boxing. I hope to god that it is perfect this time. I really just want to start using my system!
cred 08/26/07	I have bluetooth on all the time and it did not help. Hope Dell takes this problem seriously - it is great to see so many people noticing it. At work, I showed my M1330 to many people: some noticed the whine straight away some could not hear it at all - interesting.
davmcn 08/26/07	Yah interesting.
codemonkeyx 08/26/07	Cred: exactly the same for me. Some people had the put the computer right next to their ear before they could hear anything, others (like me) can hear it from across the room. I can hear it over music even! I think it is like that high pitched sound people use to annoy teenagers, because only their hearing is good enough to pickup sound at that frequency. It's such a high frequency that not all people can hear it, but if you can hear it it is one of the most annoying sounds you can hear. At the same time I hope I am wrong, because I have a replacement coming next week, and I am praying I can not hear anything.
cred 08/27/07	codemonkeyx: yeah I was also reminded of the teenage repellent :) It does seem to be in just that spectrum where some people can hear it and others cannot (though I am 30 so I would have hoped I was out of range). Like you I can easily here it across the room, even with noise. Please let us know if the same problem appears in the new notebook you are getting.
codemonkeyx 08/30/07	Sorry I was upset and forgot to post again. ;( The replacement was exactly the same. When I first opened the box I could barely hear it and thought OK I can live with that, but it quickly got louder as Vista finished booting up again. It was just as loud as my original system. Also, the replacement had other problems, there was a 1/8 inch gap between the left hinge and the screen, you could see the insides of the hinge and it's not pretty. And on top of that the charger makes a whining sound all the time when it is plugged in and the laptop is turned off! So basically I would have a sound all the time whether the system was on or off. :P Dell offered a 3rd replacement, but also said that I could not longer get a refund if I accepted another replacement. Needless to say I returned it immediately for a full refund. I am really annoyed because this system was perfect for me. Linux ran like a charm, and the size and performance were perfect. But I just could not imagine working everyday with that damn noise, and I should not have to after paying $2000 for a top of the line system. I really hope Dell seriously looks into this and fixes the problem. I am not going to buy another new laptop for awhile until I read more about this CPU whine and figure out if any systems to not have it. Good luck to all of you who still have a M1330 or any Intel laptop coming. I hope you do not have the problems I have had.
davmcn 08/30/07	That Sucks....Sorry To Hear That.
sebgood 09/03/07	Yes, that CPU noise is terrible! I just returned a new Thinkpad X61s because of it. I didn't know the M1330 would make that noise too, but from what I'm reading here, it sounds like it does.
davmcn 09/03/07	Again , Sorry To Hear So.
rakeshinnovation 09/03/07	Probably this could help you guys http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=... try this and let me know how it is working??? The notebook emits an audible high-pitched buzzing noise. » Enable Bus Mastering Devices to Prevent the Processor from Entering the C3 Power State Enable bus mastering devices, such as the onboard Bluetooth radio, to prevent the processor from entering the C3 power state. This will prevent the intermittent high frequency buzzing noise from occurring. However, when the system is running on battery only, the battery's operational time will be reduced. To enable the Bluetooth radio, perform the following steps: 1. Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray (Figure 1). Figure 1: Bluetooth Icon in System Tray 2. The Bluetooth Settings menu appears (Figure 2). Figure 2: Bluetooth Settings Menu 3. Left-click Power On if it is displayed in the menu. If Power Off is displayed, the Bluetooth radio is already enabled (Figure 2). Back to Top » What are the Intel® processor power states? Intel architecture-based processors operate in various power states (referred to as C states) ranging from C0 (full power) to C1, C2, C3, or C4 (lowest power states). C3 and C4 are low power states in which the processor saves power. This allows battery life to be extended by approximately 10% under typical use. The C3 and C4 states are entered when the system is idle with no input/output (I/O) or processor activity. The processor only takes a few milliseconds to enter this state. Any bus mastering activities will prevent the processor from entering the C3 and C4 states. The information contained in the above article consists of excerpts from Advanced Configuration & Power Interface (ACPI). The technical information and troubleshooting described herein are for informational purposes only. For additional information view the document entitled "Advanced Configuration & Power Interface Specification Revision 3.0, September 2, 2004" on the Advanced Configuration & Power Interface website. Back to Top » What Is Piezoelectricity? Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain crystals to generate a voltage in response to applied mechanical stress. The word is derived from the Greek "piezein," which means to squeeze or press. The piezoelectric effect is reversible in that piezoelectric crystals, when subjected to an externally applied voltage, can change shape by a small amount. The deformation, about 0.1% of the original dimension in PZT, is of the order of nanometers, but nevertheless finds useful applications such as the production and detection of sound, generation of high voltages, electronic frequency generation, and ultrafine focusing of optical assemblies. Ceramic capacitors are also affected by piezoelectricity and can cause audible electrical noise. The information contained in the above article consists of excerpts from Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. The technical information and troubleshooting described herein are for informational purposes only. For additional information or the complete article, go to the Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia support website. Back to Top
davmcn 09/03/07	Appearently they looked at that before and some of them do not have Bluetooth on them. Thanks for the link.
rakeshinnovation 09/03/07	But I think the reason for the high pitched sound is the same what is described in the article thank you rakesh
lnahid2000 09/04/07	Yeah, this is the reason, but there's definitely no solution. Just the RMClock workaround which reduces battery life and increases heat.
ellianth 11/04/07	Yes please fix the cpu whine. It's VERY annoying. The M1330 is perfect, save this annoying whine!
davmcn 11/04/07	Yeppers
aholetec 11/11/07	I just received my DELL M1330 and I have the same problem...this horrible noise. Seems that it affects your head, even if there's a lot of background noise. I always have music paying in my house. I did not know about this noise, but every time I was using my laptop I would get a headache. I thought I'm going crazy at the beginning but after I turned my music off I noticed this sound. I payed 2000 $ on this laptop, and tomorrow I will return it and hope to get my money back. I can`t stand this noise!
mike_dill 11/17/07	If it is too noisy then http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/68285/Low_Power_Usage_Machines might be the answer as no fan would be necessary.
statmo 12/03/07	Can we please have the BIOS option to disable the C4 power state? This might not fix the problem for everyone, but it would no doubt be helpful for many.
davmcn 12/03/07	yah, that would be a good idea.
joshmcx 12/14/07	I purchased a M1330 and received it 4 days ago. It had the whine. Dell support told me it was a known issue and the following day the motherboard was replaced. The issue remained... I returned the laptop on the third day. I want this laptop but I will not be purchasing another Dell laptop until I know this issue is resolved.
dollifer 12/16/07	I don't know how these companies are allowed to sell goods that have known issues. The least they could do is tell us about them before we purchase. If they were made to do that then no one would be buying the products and then they would HAVE to find a fix and quickly! Gahh!!!
davmcn 12/17/07	to say the least, it's been a long time since we have mentioned this to dell and it hasn't been fixed.
jtaylor8 Jan 1	Still no fix for this. Contacted Dell tech support and having a replacement system sent out but I doubt that will resolve the issue. If you have decent hearing I would caution against purchasing this system as the buzz is simply unbearable, giving me a headache after a few hours of use. Dell needs to solve this problem ASAP or many are finding it impossible to use the system. I love XPS, this being my second, but I wont be purchasing another as things stand now. Also, the newest BIOS (A07, not even listed on the dell suport site, just shipped with my new system) does nothing to solve the problem.
davmcn Jan 8	wow, it's been a long time and still no fix? hello? Intel And Dell... it's time to start working on something...
vardanian Jan 19	Heeey. guys, may it be because of the wrong electrical design of circuits and speakers. That noice is coming from speakers?! I have an Inspiron 640m. Annoying problem.
davmcn Jan 19	good point.
sean22 Jan 19	I never Head this on my brand new dual Core but im sure it happens
alireza Feb 3	Heyyyyyyyy I found a good & permanent solution ... Go and download the latest Version of CPU Right Mark from here : http://cpu.rightmark.org/download.shtml< the software and run RMClock.exe go to "Advanced CPU Settings" -- > Platfrom #1 check off (disable) these check boxes : Enable Popdown mode Enable popup Mode The whine will gone when you click on apply and You will not hear it at all Do not disable C4 Mode as it causes system random hang .. That works for me in Windows XP Professional .. I have not checked that in Vista but you can try it ..
vicynic Feb 9	6 months later (from this particular complaint) and Dell have yet to fix this issue directly. Workarounds that compromise battery life is NOT a viable solution. I just requested a system exchange of my brand new XPS 1530 because of this! Dell, WAKE UP! Apple has apparently addressed this issue head on with a mobo replacement solution, and seems to have fixed it.
agonzalez Feb 20	I have a M1530. The sound was not present within the first three weeks. And now I can clearly hear the sound. (I was not influenced by Forums. I wouldn't have searched this if I wasn't having the problem.) Now I am second guessing and I am wondering if I should just get a refund and not purchase until I know the problem is fixed. This system is great. But unfortunately, to the people who have good hearing in the 15 k to 18k, it is a total annoyance and should not be tolerated. Especially spending this kind of money for a laptop. I dont understand when so many people are reporting the problem, don't they think they should do something about it! And Vicynic....When you requested a system change. What system did you end up getting?
hantra Mar 5	That whole Bluetooth enabling thing doesn't work. The RightMark thing seems to work, but I don't feel good about it.
shl Mar 15	Any experience of this problem with the Presicion M2300, or the Latitude D630? ...more specifically with any of the Core 2 Due T7500 (2.2GHz) or T7700 (2.4GHz) processors? Thinking of bying a such, but get's worried about this. Need it to be as silent as possible.
thefirstm Apr 25	@ anyone who said to just get AMD to fix the problem, some of us who buy the Intel-based systems buy them for power. All of the AMD systems dell offers are somewhat lower-end than the Intel systems (like they don't have an option for discrete graphics).
thefirstm Apr 28	I know how Dell could work around this problem in the BIOS. They could provide an option to disable Popup/Popdown mode in the BIOS, which would fix the problem for every operating system and even after suspend/hibernate.
roosteronacid Jun 17	I have been talking with Dell XPS customer service technicians for more than 10 hours total by know. And Dell have yet to resolve the high-pitched noise on my Dell XPS M1330. I have run all Dell diagnostics several times. Re-installed my OS several times. I have updated my BIOS. I have had my motherboard replaced. Still nothing. What is going on Dell?
joshmcx Jun 24	Still happens with brand new systems. It's annoying, but I just ignore it. When I hear that new systems are shipping without the problem, I'll bug Dell to fix it. Until then, you're just spinning your wheels trying to get it fixed.

track comments for this idea

Please log in to post a comment

recently demoted by:

Status

IdeaStorm Team

Meet the Team!

How IdeaStorm Works:

Categories

Status

IdeaStorm Team