Z2: Odd "Disk" Noise

I have noticed a funny noise emanating from inside the unit, around the "S" key. For the life of me it sounds just like what you'd expect from a disk drive in terms of frequency and cadence.

Anyone else seeing (i.e. hearing) this???

 

^Yup, mine does it too...weird. Reminds me of the c-state switching noise in the first gen iX motherboards. I assume it's normal.

 

^
+1 Same weird noises.

 

I can't seem to hear these noises...could it be because I have gen 2 and not gen 3 SSD?

 

could be. only happens to me when the machine is under heavy load. I think it's the cpu or cpu caps, not the ssd.

 

The SSD's can't make noise. If I have my bearings straight, they are on the other side anyway.

The CPU fans are below the S key, but could be the capaciters as beaups indicated. Haven't pulled the mainboard to see, but that's likely where they'd be located.

I think the S key is somewhere below the double line of electrodes up top in this pic. Remember, the pic is of the machine upside down.



EDIT: May be easier to get and idea of the layout in this pic:

 

And I shouldn't have said heavy load. More like rapidly changing load, like when running scandisk, bit file extraction, etc. I think it's c-states flipping quickly.

 

I'm pretty sure it's not the fans. I put my ear below them and the noise was a lot less than when my ear was just over the S key. The fans were making a pretty quiet "fan noise".

 

***nod****

 

I have the gen2 ssd and I can hear the noises.

 

Hi guys,

Mine just starting doing it today after having the laptop for 3 weeks, definitely seems like what you re describing. The noise is for sure located on the left side of the keyboard and follows the access to the CPU.

Do you still have the same problem ? Did you get an answer about this noise ?
I can be pretty loud and annoying sometimes.

Thanks a lot

 

Is this fixable other than with some engineering changes on the next refresh?

Is it annoying enough to reconsider purchase of a Z2 until after the issue is resolved? Does it only happen under heavier loads?

 

Noise due to rapidly changing voltages. Change your power plan if it drives you crazy. It's pretty standard for S/B laptops.

 

@lovelaptops: for me, it happens pretty much all the time, the loudness of the noise depends of the load though. It s annoying me especially that it wasn t doing it before and for this price, I would not expect this kind of thing. Now, I hope I ll just get used to it; it doesn t make the laptop less powerful and light as it is now.

@beaups: thanks a lot for the feedback. What kind of power plan should I try ? I tried all the pre-configured plans I have (power saver, Balanced, High performance) but not change except with the High Performance which then makes it much much worse.

 

I don't hear it anymore. Either it has subsided or I'm just used to it.

 

Discouraging. Wonder why I've never heard about this before.

 

I´ve also this sound on my vpc-z21 with gen2 ssd.

 

You weren't supposed to find out until after you bought a Z2.

 

Funny man.

Thanks, Sir R. Do you find this noise: 1) frequent; 2) loud enough to be annoying?

To anyone else responding on this thread: it would be helpful if you could answer the two questions above - helpful for prospective buyers that is.

My Z1 is quiet, even its fan. I really don't want to "trade up" to a high pitch noise maker. I googled this and couldn't really see much about it, and nothing about it being a characteristic of all SB cpu notebooks.

 

^See my note above.

 

I try. Success, of course, is a quite different matter.

 

Thanks for reminding us. Would that you weren't the only encouragement to be found on the topic!

 

Even when I heard it, it had to be in an otherwise completely still room. It wasn't so much that it was loud as it was rhythmic, which for me is worse.

Again: It's gone now which might indicate a simple breaking-in issue.

 

You bring nothing but good cheer. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

I can confirm that with my new Z2, too.
Any ideas where this comes from?

 

Probably one of the SSDs' spindles. Have you folded, stapled or otherwise mutulated the SSDs while they've been in your possession?

 

^no it's a brand new Z2, didn't do anything to it.

Edit: It sounds pretty much like the old HDD access noise.

 

Same here (with Gen2 SSDs).

 

I think it's not coming from the SSDs
There are tons of similar reports:
https://www.google.com/search?q=noise+from+motherboard+on+scrolling
I found some statements, that it's a power converter noise, too.

It's not a big problem, but I wish it would just be quiet. And it's strange that some but not all of you have it.


Edit: It's a lot better when I'm in silent mode. This works for me for now because when I'm doing heavier stuff and need more CPU power the fan will kick in anyway which is louder than that noise.

 

I have the same thing with my Z214 i7 model (Sandy Bridge, SATA 2).

It's been driving me bonkers in a quiet room. Definitely sounds like a hard drive gone mental. Yuck.

Anyway, as someone mentioned, changing the power profile really fixes this. I had mine set to Max Performance, but Balanced still has the issue. "Power Saver" seems to be the only way to shut the thing up.

Really is a nuisance. Such an ugly sound!