please see if you hear this noise too

I'm trying to figure out if this noise is inherent to the 3250 or if it's in need of repair. It's a faint, pulsing, whirring sound off the left (hard drive) side heard best when the room's quite and ear's close.

I'd really appreciate it if we see if the same noise occurs on other 3200s in this scenario:
1. ac adapter connected
2. power off
3. usb wired or wireless mouse connected
4. notebook open

If you do hear the noise, does it stop when you disconnect either the ac adapter or mouse? If you add a usb key does the noise change? If you have the mouse and usb key both connected does the noise stop?

Please let me know.
tia,
ruthe

 

sounds to me like normal harddrive noise. and the reason it would go away when on battery is that the harddrive shuts down more/sooner to save power.

 

The noise occurs when the power is off so how can it be the harddrive?

 

The computers off and the noise is there? wow, thats weird. Maybe something isn't actually turning off.

 

AFAIK usbs are always on. I can change the noise by adding a second usb peripheral, stop the noise by disconnecting usb peripherals. Do you think this a critical situation; that repair must be attempted?

 

Does the noise also go off when you take out the battery and the AC plug?

 

The faint pulsing changes to an even fainter steady ringing when ac adapter's disconnected. There is no sound at all when battery's disconnected. Can I ignore this or do I have to send it in?

 

im pretty sure that when you shut your computer off, the usb ports should as well, and that has been my experience. One port that i have found that is always on is the ps2 ports on my desktop, my optical mouse still lights up and the numlock light on my keyboard is also on. Go figure, but my usb hub also shuts down with the computer.

 

On my 3250 there is always 5-volt power to the usb ports. My powered chill mat stays on with the computer off, so I have to unplug it to turn the chill mat off.

 

I shipped the 3250 off to Twinhead tonight. It's at the warranty deadline. I will post Twinhead's diagnosis and solution. I spoke with a technician at TH who, speaking only for notebooks they build, said there should not be any noise when powered off. Between Geek Squad and Computer Builder's Warehouse techs, I understand there may possibly be a short, grounding issue or mobo capacitor issue. I'd hate to see it fry cause I didn't send it in, so I did. I envy you guys who can work on these yourselves. Do you have your own diagnostic equipment?

 

Twinhead? Is that where Averatec's repair place is?

 

yep. fremont, ca