Z61m: Audio interference running on battery power.

[ZeroPlay]

Hi.

I got a brand new Z61m 9450 HAG yesterday. I generally like it very much, but have come across this problem:

When running on battery power, there's a high-pitched ringing noise coming from the speakers (sounds a bit like morse code with some crackle added). It's faint, but clearly audible (and quite annoying) in a quiet environment.

The noise goes away when I switch to AC Power. It also doesn't come through to headphones, although it still comes out of the speakers when headphones are plugged in.

My system (Win XP Pro) is up to date with all critical and recommended updates according to ThinkVantage Update.

Anyone got some advice for me?

Thanks.

[hawkbox]

Mine does something similar but it sounds more like its coming from my CPU fan. I have a 9452-J4U and if I plug it in no problem, but if I use battery it makes that annoying whining click. I think Im going to let my supplier figure out the problem when I get back from my course.

[ZeroPlay]

An update:

The local ThinkPad distributor exchanged my Z61m for a new unit. The new one had slight audio interference on the left speaker when running on battery power, but one can't hear it unless one puts one's ear close to the speaker. I think this is the same interference that hawkbox is hearing. It's not as bad as the noise I was getting on the first unit, which was from both speakers and audible without having to put one's ear close to the speaker when in a quiet environment.

I actually ended up exchanging the replacement unit for another one due to uneven backlighting on the LCD display of the replacement unit. The top left of the screen was noticeably darker than the rest of the screen. Strangely, while I was at the distrbutor demonstrating the problem, the problem pretty much went away. I'm not sure if that LCD needed some "warming up" before working correctly, or what, but it was a bit embarressing.

Anyway, the local distributor was kind enough to give me another (3rd) new unit (just in case the problem resurfaced). The 3rd one had the same audio interference as the 2nd one (and probably the same as hawkbox is experiencing) - slight buzzing, fan-like noise from the left speaker when running on battery, but only audible when putting your ear close to the speaker. It seems like this could be a design issue with the entire Z61 range (and maybe others too?). I've decided to live with it.

While on the topic of audio on the Z61m, does anyone else sometimes have a loud cracking noise as the windows welcome jingle starts playing (when loggin on)? I wonder what causes that? It's happened on all 3 of my Z61m's.

[gotconsultants]

yea.. it happens on mine as well... i just ignored it though... :/

[chaukap]

Nothing of that kind on mine except the fan and hard drive sound which remain the same with battery and AC supply.

[happyhippo]

haii..

I have a brand new z61t, and I was wondering that my laptop sound level is noisy enough.

Is anybody knows, how to make sure that my fan sound level is running a normal level?

Is it true that thinkpad z61t, produce a noisy fan sound level?

What is your opinion of the fan sound level, if I compare with the same thinkpad products or with other brand?

Thank you..