Thinkpads Forum

I had my Power Plan in my T61p set to Maximum Performance, but found that the computer ran too hot. All of the keys on the left side of the keyboard would feel quite warm. TPfancontrol gave a reading of 75F at idle. So, I changed the Power Plan to Energy Star and that seemed to make the system run cooler but I noticed a strange noise coming from the fan area. It's intermittent (every few seconds) and is sort of a high pitched-scratchy/whiny noise. I then created my own Power Plan that reduces 'performance' by two bars, 'system temperature' by one bar, ' and 'fan sound level' by 3 bars (compared to Energy Star). When I apply this setting the sound becomes much less audible. Interestingly, when the Power Plan is set to Maximum Performance, where the 'fan sound level' is one bar higher than Energy Star, the sound is also much less audible like my personal setting. This would suggest that the noise is not a result of a setting that determines the fan sound level. Anybody have any idea what the sound is and why it's only really audible in 'energy star' power plan? More importantly, is it something that should be fixed? TIA.

Hi all. I'm still hearing an intermittent buzzing noise on my T61p. It doesn't seem to occur as loudly when not on the advanced mini dock, so Lenovo very kindly sent a replacement dock to see if that was the problem. However, the noise persists. Sometimes I can hear it clearly when working at a normal distance from the computer (quite annoying). Much of the rest of the time, if I place my ear just above the computer I can hear it. Other times there's no noise at all. I think it's coming from the fan, but am not sure. If I place my ear just above the fan area I can hear the steady sound of air blowing out the computer, and beyond that this intermittent, electronic buzzing noise. If I then move my ear across the computer to the right I can still hear the noise, but it's not quite as loud at the right side of the computer. Is this normal with the T61/p? I would greatly appreciate it if those with a T61 would take a moment to listen to the area just above the fan and report if they hear a similar noise. Thanks.

I do not own a T61/p but from what i have learnt from all other thinkpads, the fan is located at the left hand side beneath the keyboard, and on the right hand side is the ultrabay drive (for your CDs & DVDs)..

Could you try to make a record of that noise? From your description it may be similar to that sound I get on my good old A31 - while transferring with high rates over the build-in ethernet interface.

Just "for fun", please check whether your sound may have something to do with LAN, too.

RichIE

Make sure the power supply (AC Adapter) is not generating the buzzing noise. In addition, some HDD are known for making noises, you can ask lenovo for a replacement of either parts, if nothing works out, you can send out your machine to IBM repair services or take it in person to any IBM authorized repair center in your local area for full analysis.

richie23 wrote:Could you try to make a record of that noise? From your description it may be similar to that sound I get on my good old A31 - while transferring with high rates over the build-in ethernet interface.

Just "for fun", please check whether your sound may have something to do with LAN, too.

RichIE

I tried to record it on my lifedrive, but the microphone isn't good enough to pick it up. It doesn't seem to correlate with ethernet, nor wireless LAN.

ryengineer wrote:Make sure the power supply (AC Adapter) is not generating the buzzing noise.

The AC adapter that came with the notebook made a buzzing noise after powering down the computer. Lenovo sent a replacement along with the new dock. If I hold the adapters to my ear, both adapters make a bit of a buzzing noise when plugged in (so I assume that's normal--I also listened to my T30 adapter and it makes a bit of a noise too). But, thanks to your post, I listened to the adapter when the computer was on and making the noise. I hear the exact same noise in the AC adapter! It's the same with both adapters. My wife listened to the adapter and myself to the computer and she described it as like Morris code. One of us would beep when when we heard the noise and the other would hear the same noise on their end. I plugged the adapters into different plugs (I normally have it plugged into an APC Back-UPS XS 1300), with the same result. So, the source seems to be the computer itself. Anybody know what part would be causing this?

I have a T61 and used to hear a same high-pitched sound which was rather loud when I wanted to enter rescue and recovery before windows start.
However after a system restore to factory settings I only hear the sound in lower level and not that annoying when I am on battery and resume from sleep.

Thanks for the responses. I took it to a Lenovo partner for servicing today. The tech took one listen and suggested, given that it is brand new, to return it and get another. So that is what I'm going to do. Hopefully the new one will be problem free.

I have exact same problem as this.
To add more, it happens when I'm using T61 in battery only mode.
When with AC adapter plugged in, the noise is not heard.

Really weird thing is that,
that high-pitched whinning noise gets louder when I use the fingerpoint mouse(red point in the middle; dont know what its called). I dont know if the pad makes difference since I disabled it.

Hmmm, mine doesn't correlate with use of the trackpoint. It has occurred on both AC and battery power. Out of curiosity, do you have any wireless USB devices connected? Mine is intermittent, so it's hard for me to say with any certainty, but I have a wireless Logitech MX revolution mouse and the noise seemed louder when the USB receiver was in the dock or the hub (which is plugged into the dock) as opposed to when it's plugged directly into the notebook.

no i dont have anything like that.
it is very very annoying and driving me crazy.
I tried to return it but couldn't cuz its been a month since I got it.
plus, hard drive noise is even bigger that that fan noise.
thank that its not that high-pitched, whinning noise like the one we are talking about.

anyway, i called ibm about it they had no solution but told me to send my system in.
so disappointed.
not to ibm but the fact i got somewhat defect system.

Yes, it's frustrating. When you get it back from servicing please post what they said the problem was. Hopefully the problem will be solved soon.

i will.
but i havent got the box yet. hehe
so it may take a while.

famman wrote:TPfancontrol gave a reading of 75F at idle

Did you mean 75C? Because 75F is only 24 Celsius degrees.

Oops, yes, I meant 75C.

sent my machine to repair center and got it back today.
guess what...
absolutely nothing changed at all.
i complaint about this high-pitched noise, hard drive making too much scratching noise, and dvd drive making noise like flopy disk drive.
nothing's repaired.
they said they've done a bios and other things upgrade which i've done already.
they suck!!

Don't think this is a fan noise but seems similar to the problem discussed here. Noise only appears when on battery power. Here's a recording -- starts with the buzzing, high pitched noise then I go into standby:

http://dcguitar.net/MP3/T61p_noise.mp3

Of course, this is a bit exaggerated (how it probably sounds to a bug inside the machine!).

BTW -- this is a T61p with the 4x3 screen, no bluetooth. Turning off wireless with the switch didn't remove the noise.

Yep, that's it. Hope somebody knows what it is. Happens on mine even when docked in the advanced mini dock, so I doubt that it the problem is specific to battery power.

Kudos to you for finding a way to record it.

famman -- Did you get a new one as you said, above, you were going to do? If so, was the new one problem free?

famman wrote:Thanks for the responses. I took it to a Lenovo partner for servicing today. The tech took one listen and suggested, given that it is brand new, to return it and get another. So that is what I'm going to do. Hopefully the new one will be problem free.

BTW -- not hard to record this with good mics, preamp, & soundcard!

I did get a new one, but it had a screen defect. The new one also made the same noise, so I began thinking this must be normal for this model. Was going to try another but there was no supply and RMA ran out before stock came in. BTW, what specific model are you using, T61p 15.4 like me?

I have the 14" T61p (with the 4x3 aspect ratio screen) 8891-CTO. Talked with service & they are sending a box for me to send the machine to Tennessee for checking but I am afraid it will be fruitless & it'll come back no different. Guy on the phone was like: "Wow, I've never heard of such a problem." So, perhaps if I wait a while they can figure it out using other peoples' machines. It's not horribly loud -- certainly my desktop machines are much noisier.

famman wrote:... BTW, what specific model are you using, T61p 15.4 like me?

Interesting... So it's not unique to the 15.4 with the FX 570M. If you decide to send it in, please post what they say/do.

I have seen about 12+ T61s emitting a similar sound from the fan area...