Laptop beeps randomly

Hi all

I have the same random beeping problem with my M70. It was purchased three weeks ago. It is very annoying though it seems not affecting its performance o far. It beeps when it is being used or in idle.

I rang Toshiba Australia three times, logged my issue and they advised me to format the hard drive with the recovery disk which I have done, but the beeps still go on, as they said it is likely a software issue.

So I took it to Toshiba service agent and have it looked at by them for two days and they could not hear the beep. So I took it back and this morning it beeped again.

Kenson, can you give an update how you go with Toshiba in Australia as I live in Australia too, any luck with the replacement. I really don't want to have spent nearly 2 grands for a potentially faulty machine.

Any other suggestions from forum members are welcome.

Many thanks.

PeterK

 

Hi Peter,

Ah no good, you have the same problem as well. When i first told them about it, they wouldn't believe me. It took Toshiba 2 days to actually hear the beep.

I gave it to them on the 5th of April, and they still have it now. (22 April)

They wouldn't actually do anything since they said the beeps do not affect the performance so I decided to write a letter of complaint to the head office

I then called the following week and now they are changing the cpu and mobo and doing some more testing but no replacement. Hope i get it back soon.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea that I give out a job number, but maybe mention the link to this forum post (that's what i did) and email the Toshiba mobile care place where my laptop is getting sorted out:

TOSHIBA Mobilecare WA

* Toshiba (Australia) Pty Limited
* Unit 5, 17 Welshpool Rd., St.James, WA 6102
* Phone: 1800 021 100
* Contact: [email protected]
* Toshiba Notebook warranty and non-warranty repairs

Ask them about the problem and see what you can do then.

Hope that helps

Kenny

 

Hi Kenson and others

Thanks Kenson for your update.

I 'll try my luck first with a replacement with Toshiba as the lap top was olny less then 3 weeks old when I noticed this problem. I don't like this beeping noise, as I believe that it is more than an annoyance. If it beeps randomly it is telling me that something is going wrong in the computer and waiting to blow up, after the software issues have been ruled out. (I forgot to mention in my ealier thread that it even beeped when I was doing a recovery on the hard drive so that the macine starts with a "clean slate".)

Since I l live in Canberra, I guess I'll have to deal with their Sydney people.

I have done a Google search on this issue and noted that this beeping problem is not uncommon to us both. It seems that it also happens to other Toshiba M series lap tops (M70s and M100s). There must be other people in Oz who have made similar complaints to Toshiba.

I'll give them a call tomorror and mention this thread so as to draw their attention to this seemingly common problem.

If any other forum member have M70 or others please advise whether they have this issue.

I'll keep everyone posted on my endeavour to deal with Toshiba Australia.



PeterK

 

Good luck Peter

My laptop has been repaired and the beeping has apparently stopped. It will get delivered tomorrow since today is a public holiday

I guess I'm satisfied with Toshiba's service. The only problem has been the wait. They've had it for 3 weeks now.

It's a weird problem and I thought it was really rare. But it seems other's are finding this problem too.

Cheers

Kenson

 

got my laptop back today

Been running it for about 3 hrs and i heard the beep...

Time to call Toshiba again. I don't know if i can be bothered

 

Hi Kenson & Others

We went back to Dick Smith again this Wednesday and told them the problem. The manager was very sympathetic and finally we managed to convince him and got a replacement.

I ran the new unit that evening and the whole of next morning, and there was no beep at all. So I am really happy now.

I guess this is one of the benefits with buying from a large reputable retailer, despite it was about 3 weeks old and just outside the 2-week exchange/refund period.

Thanks everyone again.


PeterK

 

Hi

I got my M70 last friday and guess what? BEEP!! It's driving me crazy right now. Is it really confirmed that it's a faulty motherboard causing it?

 

wow pretty common problem now

Nah it's not a motherboard problem, well for my case it wasn't. I got my motherboard and cpu replaced and it still beeped. Ending up getting an exchange. no more beeps now! but a long wait

if you can, take it back to where you bought it and ask for an exchange. Seems like it worked out well for PeterK. Otherwise call Toshiba and watch them screw you around

 

Hi I'm a first time caller and the proud owner of a toshiba satellite m70 with the curious beep.

I live in NZ and toshiba's service centre scoffed when I mentioned this forum and told me to reset the BIOS. Noel Leemings insisted the service centre take my laptop in for a look see for two weeks, where of course they couldn't find the beep. Funnily enough it beeped for me five minutes after getting it back

When I emailed them and said "hey it beeped for me as soon as I got it back" they said- and I quote: "wow maybe there really is something wrong with your computer".

Oh god, make it stop!!!!!

 

Oh yes forgot to say I bought my beast in the last week of Feb and it was beeping from day one, but being a mac user I thought it was some weird PC thing

 

Hi My benq r53 has the random beep.
I have had the motherboard changed, the fan changed and the ram changed but still have the random beep. Driving me nuts. Right now it is in the Benq service center again. The manager told me yesterday that she only heard it beep once so there is nothing she can do ie replace another part.
Strange thing is that the bios Phoenix does not have a single beep(1 to 2 second beep) in its list of beep errors.
I have also reformatted the hard drive too and reinstalled win xp but still the random beep.
Has anyone found out an answer to this issue yet?

 

I have the Dell E1705. Same issue, Recovery did not work. System speaker disable did not work. Tweakui did not work. Disabling Wlan did not work. Long story short (oops, too late) nothing works. Pulled the memory and reinstalled--no help. My brother suggested pulling the battery and working without that for awhile and see if it still beeps (need to try that).

I am going to try uninstalling the Logitech Mouseware with my USB cordless mouse and see if that has any affect.

Can't really swear that the machine did this from day one with just the Dell bloatware installed (I wanted to use the thing, after all), but I may try another recovery and let it sit running for awhile without any of my useful software installed.

Problem seems pandemic. Talk about worldwide and all makers. Must be something in common between all of these affected machines.

I am leery of sending it back to Dell. I mean, all these guys do is plug stuff together I am thinking, not really have an in-depth knowledge of these machines.

If I find an answer, you'll be the first to know. If not, I'll be the guy in Bellevue in the corner going, "Beep."

 

Well, unfortunately, it was not the Logitech USB mouse or its software causing the problem--still beeping. Had it with me all day at work yesterday, doing various things with it and no beep. Got it home started it, a little while later it beeped, then again several minutes later.

Ran memtest86 for a couple of hours--no errors reported. Ran Dell diagnostics, no problems.

Weird.

 

I have come across some talk online about maybe the beeping is a problem with the Hitachi HDD. Can everyone having this problem confirm their HDDs here as a process of elimination? Thanks.

 

As best I can determine from hearing the beep/screech yesterday it is coming from the hard drive area (as well as that can be determined). So I called Dell and they agreed to ship a replacement HDD. Hopefully it won't be a Hitachi since if it beeps/screeches again, there'll be no telling if it is another bad drive or if I need to start narrowing down other hardware.

Anyway, I'll post again either way. Maybe it'll help someone else somewhere down the line.

It is strange that this problem appears to be inflicting only laptops and those of various makers, which makes me think it is a common component.

 

I have toshiba m70 and "beep" problem. Looks like it comes from hitachi HTS541060G9SA00 hard drive. It only happens when hd is very hot (i.e. when notebook is on soft surface and no ventilation for hd). But it doesn't make any perfomance problems anyway.

 

Don't just wanna bring up an old thread but i just registered on this forum by "googling" : Toshiba beep random. hehe
and yes i am having a beeping problem with my m40.

In fact when my laptop beeps, it also :
1. freezes (mouse cannot be used, keyboard as well)
2. randomly opens menus and windows
3. randomly types stuff

i do have an extended warranty from the store i got the laptop from. this weekend i dont need the laptop so i will go to the store. but i dont want an exchange - i will ask for a refund even though its been nearly a year i got this laptop.

what do u all think of that? anyone else having the problems i mentioned?

thanks for ur help.

 

Hi, I'm on a Dell Inspiron E1505 and I heard those random beeps as well. I think I may have found a solution. (For windows...)

Start > Right Click My Computer > Properties > Hardware Tab > Device Manager > View > Show Hidden Devices > Non-Plug And Play Drivers > Beep > Device Usage > Do Not Use This Device (disable)

I really hope this helps, any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Disabiling the beep is not a good solution, it is just going to hide something that could be more serious. I have a Inspiron 6000 Windows Media Center Edition and have the same problem. I sent it back to the shop and the determind that it was the motherboard. Not true since it beeped like 30 minutes after getting it back. Now they are sending me two new memory sticks and see if that helps. It's funny that they told me if I wanted to send it back to get "fixed", I told them that if that happends and I get it back with the same problem, that I was going to lose it. It not a software problem since I did the Symantec PC restore 2 times and still beeps. I looks like everyone I've seen her has a Hitachi hard drive and me as well. So maybe this is the problem. But hard drives are not suposse to beep, they don't have system speakers unless it's going from the motherboard too. I have the Hitachi HTS541060g9qtco

 

I'm having this same problem with my Compaq Presario V2000. It sounds just like the "battery Low" beep. But it is happening when the computer is plugged in and the battery is at 100%.

It really does appear to be random.

But here's an interesting twist...

I think this started happening when I went to the "Sounds an Audio" control panel and set the scheme to "No Sounds" which by the way did not turn of the sounds at all (?). I did that so I could record music from my sound card without windows warnings and beeps.

I have just reset back to my original scheme. Only time will tell if the mystery beeps are gone.

 

FWIW, are you sure it's your laptop? A friend had this problem. She even wrote to a couple of local "tech gurus" about it. She discovered it was her smoke detector beeping because the battery was low - random, sometimes every hour, sometimes several hours between beeps. Seriously.

She had her desk set up in an alcove and, even though the smoke detector was above her, the acoustics made it sound like it was coming from her notebook.

 

Funny!

But actually a good point. I got a new cell phone one time and I kept hearing this beep all the time. It was driving me crazy.... you know the rest. And I think I've had the same experience with the smoke detector.

Anyway, no it WAS my laptop and I say WAS, because setting System Sounds back "on" seems to have solved this problem.

So here's my strange experience using the sound and audio control panel to set my system sounds to "No Sounds":

1. Does not work. System sounds continue as normal and...
2. I get this random beeping sound which is the same beeping sound as the power warning sound.

Strange but true.

BTW I'm an IT professional, but don't ask me how to program the VCR.

And oh yeah, I have a hard-wired smoke detector.

 

One other point...

Since this seems to be happening to laptops of all makes, my supicion is this is a software problem, possibly Windows XP thing, not hardware or BIOS.

 

Hey all. Im on a desktop computer in a hospital and it randomly beeps aswell and my mouse cant move when the beep occurs. weird isnt it.

 

I have a constant sound comming under the key board that sounds like a drop of water hitting glass, is it the "famous" beep?

 

just wanted to post a follow up because I haven't had any luck with my beeping.

One trip to the shop where they replaced the mother board
Still beeps

Used Tosh Tech Depot they decided it was a bad optical drive and replaced that
Still beeps

Used Tosh Tech Depot again and they decided it was the keyboard so they replaced that.
Again, still beeps.

I've tried everything on my end that I can to figure out the problem. RAM has been swapped out, battery power, adapter power, battery and adapter connected, second power supply tried, safe mode, factory restore, used speedfan to monitor temps, and etc. Every single time the beeping continues. Too much time in computers to know that a diagnostic beep such as this (yes coming from something other than the speakers) isn't good.

Funny thing was I was on the phone with tosh CS on speaker phone when the beep happened. The rep denied they head anything. The mic was inches away from the laptop, no way they could have missed it...

 

i would like to add my own story of random beep frustrations:

Laptop: Dell Inspiron 6000
Hard drive: Hitachi HTS54106 (there was recent mention that it could be the HD)

i've contacted dell, and they've replaced my motherboard and system speakers
i pass all their tests from the standard dell diagnostic disk.
with the beeps still persisting, they told me that could no longer help me (apparently they have given up )

recently new and interesting information has come up. i installed linux on my laptop (ubuntu 6.06) (dual boot w/ windows XP). so i've ruled out that it is windows software.

i assume it must be a BIOS or hardware issue. anyone agree or disagree?

 

Hi,
I have a Gateway laptop -- pretty new, MX3225. The random beeping is driving me crazy! The wierd thing is, it only beeps in my office! When I take it home, and it runs all day, no beeps. I took it in to get a diagnostic, and they didn't hear any beeps, and told me it passed all the tests.

Then, I take it back to my office, and sure enough, it beeps right away. I tried unplugging everything -- the dial-up connection, the printer. Still beeps. I recently purchased a surge protector, thinking that perhaps it was getting weird power surges, and maybe that's why it was beeping (my office is in an old building with old wiring). We'll see.

I'm going insane!

 

I have heard that it is a common problem for Core Duo notebooks.

 

This fix applies to Intel ProSet/Wireless network adapters.

Right Click on the Green,Yellow, or Red Icon by the time that looks like a funnel.

Goto Open Intel PROSet/Wireless, left click.

Goto Tools Menu on the Top left, click and choose Application Settings...

Un check the boxes Below Notifications.

Click OK. I hope this works for some.

go wikipedia

 

Help ! This seems to be a good place for help with my excessive problems with my Satellite A70 - started with a cracked LCD screen - have lost 1/3rd of the screen, but since then an open window during unexpected rain means my laptop (open and charging, but not running) was swamped. Unplugged and upside down to drain for 2 days, tried turning it on with no success - just the fans running until the battery went flat. Now, when plugged in the power and charge lights are normal (green/amber), but when I try to power on it starts and then beeps - one long, 2 short - whether I have the battery pack in or not - and when I then power off the screen actually flashes.

Can anyone advise what this beep sequence signifies ? Also, providing I am able to get the HD working again - is there anywhere in Aust I can access a replacement LCD screen.

Hoping I can get some assistance - need this for work (luckily have just bought a new desktop so can still keep going, but no longer mobile.....)

 

I have the same problem on my Toshiba A100 laptop. It beeps "randomly". Somehow, I don't think it is purely random. The first time it happened was two weeks ago after I converted a Word document to a .pdf document with PrimoPDF software. Some time later, it happened in this exact situation : when the conversion ended, it beeps about two seconds and the mouse is locked. I also observed this bug when my computer starts, but not all the time.

Maybe a device driver use this signal for debug pupose and the driver programmer has forgotten to remove it ? All driver executed in Kelnel space can call a system BIOS routine to activate PC speaker. It could be the video driver or even video BIOS that does that, but I trust my nVidia video software...

 

Wow!!!!! This Post Is Exactly What I Wanted!!!! I Too Have A Similar Problem!!!! While Drinking Guinness And Using My Computer... My Guinness Bottle Emits A Very Audible "clink" As I Up-end It. I Imagine It Is Sort Of Like Stan's Sound Of Water Dripping Onto Ice. Is This What Everyone Is Talking About?? My Solution Is To Not Tip The Bottle At Such An Extreme Angle, And The "clink" Goes Away!!! Hope This Helps!!!

 

so did anyone find a solution for the "drops of water"..?

 

I have the same problem with my Toshiba laptop, sometimes beeps, I'm thinking it's overuse, I run it all day, I even get low memory warnings on some days, I'm running a Duo processor 1.6 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB HD

 

Hi Guys!

I have a Macbook Core2Duo 2.0, with Mac os and Windows, and i have the famous beep!!!! its random, it sounds like an alarm, its irritating, its the beep.

I sent it to apple to fix it, 3 weeks after it arrives and it is exactly the same.....

I am pretty sure it comes from the HD, btw the HD is indeed an Hitachi...

Anyone tried to change the HD

Good luck to us all....

 

The beeping is coming from the hard disk. They have an internal warning sound when they cross a specific thermal threshold. The hitachi drives run hotter and could have a lower temperature before they start complaining. The chasis fan on virtually all notebooks is not tied in to the HD temp etc, so when the drive is in use or the chasis fan is spun down due to low cpu utilization etc, then the drive could heat up and start chirping. There are a number of free and not so free utilities for pulling the drives internal stats and SMART info. I'm willing to bet the drive has a record of all those faults for those of you out there getting beeps. I'm only working on this Toshiba notebook for a friend, or I'd run more tests. He's picking it up soon! =)

 

Yeah, my drive is a Hitachi HTS541060G and I'm getting the infamous beep. I don't believe it's due to heat though, as the laptop is on a laptop cooler (with fans.) The disk is reporting a temp of about 38 degrees Celsius. The beep seems to occur randomly and it's been more prevalent lately. All disk SMART values are in tact and all disk diagnostics pass without a hitch.

 

its DEFINITELY not the heat. i was sitting here working on my other computer and had my laptop on (just idling on the desktop) and it beeped and i looked around thinking it was my cell phone. the temperature has nothing to do with the beep.

 

i have the BEEP too
its quite rare, but its THERE...
not the temps for sure...
anyway i have Toshiba A200
with Tooshiba MK1637GSX hard drive...160GB 5400rpm..

hope my beep doesnt start appearing more often

 

I am having the same issue on my Toshiba M65 S9092, I was given the laptop by a client of mine and it works fine, I have no performance issues, everything runs fast, no problems except a small ding on the monitor which is noticeable if tilted back.

I started noticing the beeping about a month or two ago, it would happen rarely like the power connector was loose or the battery wasn't being charged but it was being charged. It would make a low pitched "beeeeep!" for about 1-2 seconds as described here. The only thing I can think of is maybe the computer was overheating, I noticed it when the computer would become very hot, actually 2 days ago my computer overheated to where it just shut down on it's own and I couldn't turn it back on until I pulled out the Ac plug and put it back in. The only thing I can think of is maybe it's related to the harddrive?

I am clueless what else could cause it, but even when it beeps, I don't get any slowdowns, everything is performing like it's supposed to though the laptop does run quite hot.

While sitting here at work, I've noticed it beeping more often than normal, usually it will do it every few days once or twice, today it's done it about 4 times in an hour, I checked my power settings and lowered the power consumption of the cpu as well as the monitor brightness, things are still running hot but looks to be about 48-49 celsius and I have not yet heard another beep so I will keep an eye on it.

My harddrive is a Hitatchi HTS541010G9AT00. I'm thinking of running off my external harddrive to see if the beeps go away?