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http://www.macnn.com/articles/03/02/10/users.establish/

Users establish G4 MDD noise Web site

updated 05:30 pm EST, Mon February 10, 2003

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Owners of Apple's PowerMac G4 (Mirrored Drive Door) computers have established a Web site to track developments relating to the . "[It] is a well organized and creative group of individuals researching solutions and actively trying to engage Apple so that they will correct these design-flawed machines," says one member.

by MacNN Staff

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02/10, 06:13pm | report spam | close Reply |
What?

Their intent is quite noble, but this is the most incomprehensible site I have ever seen!

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02/10, 06:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
still an issue?

i heard about this like everyone else, and every machine i have been near is as silent as my old G4 400mghz sawtooth. i guess this is a problem for the early adopters, because the new ones seem fine. I would not say the machines were designed wrong, just the fans that were used are not a quiet as they could be. I guess it voids a warranty, but some people have reported changing the fans to some other brand (try a google search for their step by steps) makes them run silently.

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02/10, 06:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
Boo Hoo

Whiners.

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02/10, 07:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
RE; still an issue

People just need an excuse to still complain, that's all. I had an old Powerbook G3 (Lombard) at one time, and although the fan wasn't on all the time, it was more on then off. When that fan was on it sounded like one of those Dirl Devil vacuem cleaners. Loud enough to be heard on the phone or from another room. Did I complain, no? Sure, I wasn' thrilled with it, but just get over it and appreciate the computer. sheesh, all this over a little noise...people have way too much time on their hands.

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02/10, 07:17pm | report spam | close Reply |
Solved My Fan Problem

I've Got a TiBook.

Comparing the fan noise to other computers I would but this right around average. The loudest computer I ever heard, (Aside from Compaq servers) is a 386 my roommate had in college, He would switch that on and I swore the air pressure in the room dropped. Anyway, this is the first computer Apple has ever produced that has had so much power and heat generation that they needed more than one fan.

I would hope with either the next generation of processors they may run cooler. Or find quieter fans...I know they exist...they are in the iMac after all. Put this G4 next to a Power Computing Power Tower Pro and you'll see that the G4 is NOT the loudest Mac you've ever seen.

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02/10, 07:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
A Definite Problem...

...for some of us.

Please don't label us as "whiners", or people looking to make excuses. These noise issues are a bona fide problem for *some* Power Mac users, not all.

If you don't believe me, then check out the following quote from an Apple executive named Tom Boger:

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0301/28.apple.php
(the quote appears in the middle of the article)

Why would an Apple executive boast about how quiet the current generation of Power Macs are if the previous generation didn't have any noise issues?

DoughBoy

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02/10, 07:37pm | report spam | close Reply |
Tricked mine out

I put straight pipes one mine...now it's even louder. Now I'm painting flames on it.

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02/10, 07:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
Not whiners....

But just exactly do you want done? Apple has acknowledged it. This sort of thing happens when you demand to be on the cutting edge....or in this case the bleeding edge.

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02/10, 07:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
What Apple Can Do

Well, the current case design isn't any different than the previous one, yet Apple apparently has *solved* the noise issues.

And the current, quieter models have the fastest processors to date (1.42 GHz), so being on the "cutting edge" doesn't mean I have to suffer with noise issues.

Some third-party companies are trying to come up with new power supply fans, which are the main cause of the problem. At the very least, I would like Apple to allow us to make these changes without voiding our warranties.

DoughBoy

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02/10, 08:24pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: What Apple Can Do

"the current case design isn't any different than the previous one, yet Apple apparently has *solved* the noise issues"

what, you think that there needs to be a case re-design to fix a problem with the fan? how about replacing the loud fan with a quieter one? why, exactly, would you need a re-designed case?

and just because *you* don't personally believe that Apple has fixed the problem, doesn't mean it's not true.

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02/10, 08:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
dear god

that is the single UGLIEST website I have ever seen.

nothing like confusing your readers...

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02/10, 08:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
shut up

this is annoying already. Just be happy you use a mac. You will never get a silent computer because the processors run to hot.

I have the first rev MDD, and sometimes the machine whines...but so what, play some music. STOP CRYING YOU LITTLE BABIES!!

It is not that loud. I sleep with it on all the time.

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02/10, 10:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
You shut up

It's just typical of Apple users to downplay the negative aspects of their expensive hardware choices while simultaneously sniping at those who are less than overjoyed by the lack of appreciation Herr Jobs shows his supporters.

Drink the koolaid, baby.

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02/10, 11:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
i thought...

they released a firmware update for this problem! One for 9 and one for X...

Marc

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02/11, 12:11am | report spam | close Reply |
whiners!

Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine Whine whine whine whine

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02/11, 09:23am | report spam | close Reply |
Missing the point

I bought a MDD unit last November, it seems to be an early production one and is extremely loud. In my case it is clearly the power supply fans that are creating the issue.

I am a long time Apple user, my first was a IIe, a Mac SE, a Mac IIci, a revb iMac, a slot loading iMac and now this MDD, all bought new.

My newest acquisition (the MDD) is the second loudest Mac I have had (the SE being the worst). Compared to my 500mhzG4 at work, which is not silent but is completely acceptable, I was aghast at the sound level and its pitch. I specify and maintain the computers for my department and none of those Macs are anything like my personal MDD.

The firmware update was for the large fan that cools the CPUs and was intended to keep them from running at full speed all the time when running OS9. In my case that fan was never objectionable.

If I were to change the power supply fans, it would void my warranty, which makes it Apple's responsibility to repair. If you feel it is whining, that is your choice, but it does not diminish the fact that I have a machine that is far outside the acceptability range for me and clearly a large number of other users. I don't expect a silent computer, just one that is livable.

Ultimately this is a customer satisfaction issue. Part of Apple's job is to satisfy customers. Satisfaction has many aspects, and for the most part Apple has gone far beyond other manufacturers in pursuing that goal. I am satisfied with the general quality, speed and overall capabilty of the machine. I and many others are not satisfied customers regarding the sound of the machine.

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02/11, 11:24am | report spam | close Reply |
whine?

"Whine whine whine whine (and so on)"

Is that your impression of a dual ghz mac?

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02/12, 03:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
Thank you Jaguar Jim !

I just love the one-man Avenging Angel campaign by Apple.com's frequent poster, Jaguar Jim, who decided Day 1, without any data, that all issues re fan noise were baseless. When presented data fromover 500 longitme Mac owners from 25 countries around the world, he still shook his head NO, all of you are just making this up -- and are out to "get Apple". SO now he has made it his one-man Mission to discredit anything and everything about G4noise.com, including it being the worst adn most confusing website around. Which is his right, and I know it makes him feel good.

I have no problem stating that I did the info design and initial comps for that website, in addition to the layout of their forums at http://www.G4noise.com/forum.

I stand by my work -- I see the messages about by Jaguar Jim as simply spiteful, uninformed ranting to discredit... by the way, do you work for Karl Rove -- you've definitely taken pages from his bible.

In any case, it matters not to me what you or any uninformed reader may think. Those of us who have painstakingly presented our case to Apple have done so professionally, and the jury is still out regarding whether Apple intends to develop a fix kit. Looking inot my Magic-8 Ball, "my sources say yes".

And if and when that does happen, I sure hope none of the naysayers avail themselves of this noise fix -- for that would confirm their status as hypocrites of the highest degree.

Richard Hoefer
Filmmaker/Designer
San Francisco, CA
dv@on101.com
http://www.G4noise.com

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02/13, 12:37am | report spam | close Reply |
whatsit2ya

I don't hold any alliance towards Apple. This G4 I'm running makes more noise than any PC or Mac clone I have ever been around. Apple used crappy hardware in these machines and they should be willing to repair these things for nothing.

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02/13, 10:20am | report spam | close Reply |
Ditto

Apple is selling quickie cr*p hardware these days. Don't take my word for it. Look at the number of Class Action suits Apple has had in the last three years. Dell and Compaq certainly do not have this problem.

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04/18, 05:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
G4 MDD Noise

I must say, the noise issue is generating the same kindergarden responses that used to be in the mac vs PC forums. Apple has produced a fine computer with high quality industrial server fans- pumping three times more air than any "quiet" fan. This is just a bad call for the target group of users - professional creatives. The fans are not defective - just loud. I am sure if you fill the PCI Slots and add 10k drives, there may be no substitute for these industrial fans given the case design. For other users (non professional creatives or professional non creatives) the noise may not be an issue. Considering the price AND that Apple has not fixed the problem with the new FW800 MDD (I have one) this is a cause for concern. The dealers are helpless because even Apple doesn't know how to fix this (probably the case design). If you are not filling the slots, voiding your warranty with third party quiet fans is probably the only solution.
Maybe this is just a marketing ploy to sell more iMacs..............................

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Users establish G4 MDD noise Web site

updated 05:30 pm EST, Mon February 10, 2003

What?

still an issue?

Boo Hoo

RE; still an issue

Solved My Fan Problem

A Definite Problem...

Tricked mine out

Not whiners....

What Apple Can Do

Re: What Apple Can Do

dear god

shut up

You shut up

i thought...

whiners!

Missing the point

whine?

Thank you Jaguar Jim !

whatsit2ya

Ditto

G4 MDD Noise

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Users establish G4 MDD noise Web site

updated 05:30 pm EST, Mon February 10, 2003

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What?

still an issue?

Boo Hoo

RE; still an issue

Solved My Fan Problem

A Definite Problem...

Tricked mine out

Not whiners....

What Apple Can Do

Re: What Apple Can Do

dear god

shut up

You shut up

i thought...

whiners!

Missing the point

whine?

Thank you Jaguar Jim !

whatsit2ya

Ditto

G4 MDD Noise

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