Loud laptop hissing noise when processor _not_ in use

reformist · Post by **reformist** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:56 am

I have a relatively new laptop, the Gateway 200x, bought just 2 months ago; it's a Centrino and runs linux.

When the processor is not in use, there is a very loud and annoying high pitched hiss (not air related, like fan noise) that the laptop emitts, from somewhere around the CPU area. I'm not sure if it's the motherboard or CPU, but I've heard of other motherboards on older PCs making buzzing noises when powered.

Does anyone have any experience/information on this, and how I can get rid of it? The pitch is so high and discordant that I cannot sit and work with my laptop powered on next to me, or I get a headache. I cannot determine whether this is hardware related, operating system related. As the topic says, it only buzzes when the CPU is idle; as soon as it is in use (~2% or higher) the sound disappears. Could this be faulty power management by the operating system, doing something that makes this noise when the CPU is idle? Any suggestions on destroying this cacophony?

axhind · Post by **axhind** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 11:53 am

my suggestion would be to take it back for warranty... if the sound is so loud that you get a headache, it's not normal. normally you should get it repaired (or maybe even a new one...) without any fuss.

trodas · Post by **trodas** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 8:33 am

Definitively a bad fan, needs replacing - or perhaps the fan-conrol is wrong and doing something wrong? On iddle this is unpractical, but hey, don't panic, i found a solution

What about download a linux version of the folding client ( http://www.stanford.edu/group/pandegrou ... nload.html ) and run it? This got you rid of annoing iddle noise as well, as you do something good for science, nature and research, that possibly could let us understand how to fight with cancer

...and you can fold in team too, teamnumber 31574 is the SPCR Folding team