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http://www.macnn.com/articles/02/11/27/imac.superdrive,/

iMac SuperDrive, PowerMac firmware updates

updated 09:30 am EST, Wed November 27, 2002

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Apple has posted the ]

Apple also posted the Power Mac G4 Firmware Update 4.4.8, which it released yesterday evening via the Software Update funciton. The update improves fan control behavior and reduces high speed fan cycling when running in Mac OS 9 and will only run on "Power Mac G4 computers with Mirrored Drive Doors." [1.2MB]

by MacNN Staff

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MacNN.com Reader
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11/27, 10:02am | report spam | close Reply |
Update kills G4 noise?

Because it can't get that much freaking louder.

MacNN.com Reader
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11/27, 10:45am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Update kills G4 noise

Geez, they post a fix for the problem, and you still complain. How about a "Thanks, this really helps" once in a while?

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11/27, 10:45am | report spam | close Reply |
Shameful

Apple should be ashamed for releasing the MDD series of towers. I have to work next to a guy who uses one, and I've been getting headaches from the damn whine the thing puts out. And that's when it's at its quietest - when the fan kicks in it is simply ridiculous. This is the worst box Apple has ever released, IMHO. There is no justification for that type of noise.

I know I will NEVER buy one of these models personally, and if I have to use one at work I will replace the fans immediately. Shame, shame, shame, Apple.

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11/27, 10:47am | report spam | close Reply |
unbelieveable

Its is unbeleievable that Apple would make such a noisy computer from all the complaints I hear about the new G4's. I always thought that they did everything they could to have quiet computers, and then all of a sudden they put out a line of noisy ones. It doesn't speak much for consistancy of their products in that regard. I know that the Dell machines have done a remarkable job on their new systems in regards to noise. They are all so quiet, and the P4 CPU's put out quite a bit more heat than the motorola CPU's, yet they are quiet as a mouse... I'm sure Apple will remedy this soon...

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11/27, 11:46am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: shameful

Of course, not everyone had the noise, and it was mostly heard under OS 9, not OS X (another reason why Apple wants to dump OS 9, so they don't have to write firmware and OS underpinnings for such stupid things as fans for two different OSes).

And it could be worse. My PC c***-box at work, when put to 'sleep' still runs at least one fan (out of a total of three on the back, who knows how many inside). Sleep ain't exactly quiet.

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11/27, 12:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: shameful

While there have been quite a few complaints regarding the noise of these units, it's not a universal problem. My dual 867 is not louder than my old 733, although I don't ever boot into OS 9. People like the poster above ("Shameful") have developed an uninformed bias toward these machines, with not much thought put into it.

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11/27, 12:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
Not much difference

Installed the update... not much difference. Fans in OS 9 are still loader then in X. Fans in X.. no change.

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11/27, 12:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Not much diff

Is it any quieter in 9? You just say its not as quiet as in X.

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11/27, 01:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
Definitely quieter

Since the upgrade it doesn't do the 'Rocket Launch' noise it did before. But I guess the only real solution to a quieter MDD is to change the HUGE fan inside.

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11/27, 01:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
no luck

the horrible keyboards they ship with these new G4's don't have a power button, and so you have to push the button on the front of the machine. For me there was no tone after pressing this to start up after a shutdown. The cd tray opened and closed and the mac started up as normal. the light on the button did not flash either. So now I get the same firmware install dialog every time I shutdown. And yes - I have one of the new G4 dual 1GHz machines.

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11/27, 01:31pm | report spam | close Reply |
no bias

As you note, I certainly have developed a bias against these machines, but I assure you it's not "uninformed." I've personally bought a half dozen Macs through the last dozen years, and have been in charge of a couple of labs with 25 or so Macs in each. In addition, I have bought and built several PCs. Although the PCs require aggressive cooling, there are numerous fan options available that keep the noise down to an acceptable level. I have a couple of dual Athlon machines that have 8 fans in each box, and they aren't even close to being as irritating as these new Macs. As I noted, even when the large fan is off, the MDD Macs emit a whining, variable, irritating sound that drives me nuts.

This is a new dual 1.25 machine - your assertion that not all the MDD machines are loud does not help the matter. Are we supposed to roll the dice and take our chances? One of the aspects of Mac hardware that I've always appreciated has been the relatively low noise factor. After hearing all the complaints about these boxes, I assumed they were overblown and that the problem probably wasn't all that bad. Until I actually had to spend my days next to one. The only solution I've found is to wear headphones in order to escape the noise, and that's an irritation in its own right. It is extremely frustrating.

These machines should never have left the prototype stage without modification to reduce the noise. As was mentioned, Dell has engineered a quieter box even though their chips run hotter. And the dual chip excuse is dispelled by my own experience with dual Athlons - chips that are much hotter than the G4s.

There's no excuse - this was a mistake on Apple's part. It will keep me from buying a new Apple box until the issue is addressed, and I'm not alone.

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11/27, 01:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
pull mains plug after shu

My MDD g4 also repeatedly asked me to press the powerup button, without producing the flashing lights. Pulling the mains plug and inserting it again after a few seconds did the trick. No noise improvement, as it was quite normal before.

jimothy
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11/27, 02:02pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: shame full

I'm irritated by the annoying whine put out by some MacNN readers.

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11/27, 02:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
Losers

You freaks don't desderve to own one of these Macs.

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11/27, 03:04pm | report spam | close Reply |
heh

What a load of bitchers. ITS FAN NOISE. I have one of these "worst machines Apple has ever put out" and its fine. Yes the fan is loud. I felt like bitching alot but didnt, then while over at a friend who owns afew PCs including "excellent systems Dell puts out that are very quiet" and the noise those things make is probably louder than my ultra noisey G4.

Thats because a noisey mac is what PC users get with almost every system. Because Mac users have been especially spoiled with quiet machines doesnt make having a model which needs more cooling, poorly designed pieces of c***.

Now if Apple is going to start replacing fans with quieter ones, I'm up for that, if they release software solutions then great, if after my warrenty expires I want to buy a quieter set of fans, then thats great to. The only thing that wont help is bitching, trolling and pissing ones pants over it.

Grow Up.

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11/27, 03:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Dell

How old were your friends Dell machines? The new ones are so quiet, I cannot hear anything from them. I have to do a double take to verify that the machine actually is turned on...

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11/27, 04:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
re:heh

if you read as well as you spell, you have have read that not ALL the new machines are loud, but enough of them are that people are complaining. Maybe its a quality control issue, nonetheless, there are some loud machines...

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11/27, 07:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
Curious on firmware

I bought one of these machines in mid September. It was very quiet. It turned out to have a defective FireWire port, so they replaced the motherboard. Then it was very loud. More problems developed with the machine and I ended up returning it and buying a new one direct from Apple in mid October. It has had no problems and is always very quiet. I downloaded the firmware update but it didn't need it, already had the current firmware.

This is not conclusive but my guess is the update really will fix most of the problem with fan noise.

Note that all this is in OS X, I hardly ever boot to OS 9.

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iMac SuperDrive, PowerMac firmware updates

updated 09:30 am EST, Wed November 27, 2002

Update kills G4 noise?

Re: Update kills G4 noise

Shameful

unbelieveable

Re: shameful

Re: shameful

Not much difference

Re: Not much diff

Definitely quieter

no luck

no bias

pull mains plug after shu

re: shame full

Losers

heh

Dell

re:heh

Curious on firmware

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iMac SuperDrive, PowerMac firmware updates

updated 09:30 am EST, Wed November 27, 2002

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Recent Articles

Update kills G4 noise?

Re: Update kills G4 noise

Shameful

unbelieveable

Re: shameful

Re: shameful

Not much difference

Re: Not much diff

Definitely quieter

no luck

no bias

pull mains plug after shu

re: shame full

Losers

heh

Dell

re:heh

Curious on firmware

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

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Most Read

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