Re: PROBLEM: MacBook makes whining noise when usb-uhci active

[Tim Hull]

After reading the ThinkPad wiki link, I've found that the problem has
to do with the C3 and C4 ACPI states.  I'm guessing that the 2.6.18
kernel I was using on Debian Etch just happened to not support full
power management on my MacBook - hence, the problem didn't occur.

Sorry for all of this - I guess I'll pass this info on to Apple and
see if they may be able to fix this with a firmware update (it occurs
on OS X too).
On 7/8/07, Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sat, 07 Jul 2007, Gerald Britton wrote:
> > On Sat, Jul 07, 2007 at 10:17:34PM -0400, Alan Stern wrote:
> > > > [2.] Full description of the problem/report: On my MacBook (first generation
> > > > Core Duo 1.83GHz), I can hear a faint whining noise that becomes audible
> > > > when usb-uhci is loaded and remains audible except when the USB ports are in
> > > > use (i.e. the noise temporarily stops when I'm copying music to my iPod).
> > >
> > > You have a USB keyboard, right?  So the ports are always in use --
> > > unless you unplug the keyboard.
> > >
> > > > This problem occurs on both 2.6.21  and 2.6.22-rc7, but does not occur on
> > > > 2.6.18.  Unloading usb-uhci when booted in 2.6.22-rc7 makes the whining
> > > > noise stop, but the system is useless in this state for obvious reasons.
> > > > The same whine does occur in OS X that occurs in 2.6.22-rc7 (though it does
> > > > NOT occur in 2.6.18)
> > >
> > > Anyway it's clearly a hardware problem, even if it is triggered by
> > > something in software.  About all I can suggest is to surround the
> > > MacBook with something sound-absorbent.  (Not very helpful, I agree.)
> >
> > I have a similar problem with my new Thinkpad X60 Tablet.  In this case,
> > I have a high pitched whine which is only caused when USB drivers are loaded,
> > I am on battery, and there are no devices connected to USB.  I suspect
> > something involved with CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND (which is enabled) is causing this
> > whine, but I haven't dug deeper to find out a more precise cause.
> >
> > For reference, I'm running Fedora 7's 2.6.21-1.3228.fc7 x86_64.
>
> http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_high_pitch_noises  might give you
> some hints, and yes, it is a hardware design problem.
>
> --
>   "One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
>   them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond
>   where the shadows lie." -- The Silicon Valley Tarot
>   Henrique Holschuh
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