strange hissing sound

If the sound contains various clicks, then it would be the hard drive. Or is this a sound in addition to the hard drive?

John

I'd try muting the microphone volume just incase you're getting feedback or something. Could be worth trying muting all the options in the volume control ( double click the yellow speaker in the taskbar and a window with loads of sliders should appear ) and seeing if one of those is the offender...

hope this helps,

nry

Soon to have Inspiron 8100, P3-M 1Ghz, 128MB Dell RAM 128MB Crucial, 20GB ATA-100 HD, Win 2000, 8xDVD, 15.1" SXGA display, 2nd battery, 32MB GeForce2 Go, 56k Modem/LAN....

For sure it is not the hard drive noise, just sounds like an electrical buzz, but at a very audible level. I tried muting the mic but noise is still there. Any techs who can respond to this issue? This unit is only 3 days old!

I sympathise with you. I have the same problem and it has been brought up many times in this forum but Dell seems to have no answere for it. I called tech support about it, and they actualy had me send my inspiron 4000 in, but when I got back, nothing changed. It still makes the noise, which is a static buzz that is amplified if you use a mouse, touchpad, or button mouse. I believe it's an actual problem with how the whole motherboard is set up and that's why there's no solution for it. Dell says that they are researching the problem but, it's been a month since they've said anything else so I'm gessing there kinda hoping the problem will go away. I for one am very dissapointed that dell hasn't solved the problem. I've used gateway notebooks, along with compaq, and HP that don't produce this annoying static noise. I believe it's just the design of the computer. Hopefully there's a solution.

This problem is a very annoying one and I'm sure Dell knows about it. Unfortunately, they can't do anything about it. I've had my laptop for 4 months now and haven't been able to do anything to it with all of the attempted repairs:

changed modem, changed harddrive, changed system board, changed LCD, and the latest: changed palm rests... I think Dell has paid more for shipping my computer back and forth than the cost of the computer itself.

I was very hesitant to send it back for the 4th time and they promised to send it back fixed correctly. When I got it back, only the palm rest was changed and problem still exists. This is getting very annoying.

please check and reply to these posts:

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/messages/message_view.asp?board_id=44&id=zzufw


http://delltalk.us.dell.com/messages/message_view.asp?board_id=51&id=zyunt

I have a D500 and had the same issue. The strange sound was only there when no USB device was connected. I have an internal bluetooth card which is connected through internal USB.

What I did is I disabled Windows XP option of the USB Root Hub where the bluetooth card was to not have Windows shut the power supply automatically to save power. Instantly the sound went away.

So please check the various USB Root Hub in the Control Panel -> System -> Performance -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> Hardware (at the bottom).

Check each one to see if a bluetooth or LAN card is visible. Then disable the option to have WinXp shut the device down to save power.

Voilá and the sound is gone! Hope this helps.

RS66

 

>>>> SPREAD THE NEWS <<<<

that worked for me, thanks RS66, id just about given up!

there were four USB Root hub items at the bottom of the universal serial bus controllers entry in device manager.  i disabled the first one and annoying noise has gone!

Ahhh Relief!!!! No more buzzing. IT WORKED!!

RS66, You don't know how many people you have just affected. The buzzing problem has been driving people nuts for over 9 months, with no avail. I too had to only uncheck the property from the first of 4 USB Root hub devices. And it is now quiet.

PURE GENIUS!!

Thanks...From all 53,000 of us Dell Laptop users with this problem.

You are god!! Thanks a billion for the fix..I can finally use this laptop in peace. This should belong on the Inspiron knowledge base.

Message Edited by bytezboy on 11-08-2003 12:41 AM

MESSAGE TO DELL: PLEASE PUT THIS IN THE KNOWLEDGEBASE SO ALL DELL USERS CAN LIVE IN PEACE :-)

WoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooW

It worked for me too! I just dissabled the first USB-hub in device manager.

Thank you!

This is probably because the south bridge in the chipsett supports 4 USB ports and this machine only have 2.

That Dell did't fix this and a lot of other laptops also have this problem proves how stupid those engenieres, techincans and support guys at are. They should bee fired all of them. With this irritating sound my 500m had no value for me. Now its super.

I know HP have a new BIOS that resoulves this on some new HP laptops. Dell should do this too.

Again: Thank You!!!! 

To be fair to Dell I'm not sure if it's a fault with their hardware or related to WinXP power management functions. As various laptops with USB seem to have this issue (different brands with total different BIOS versions), I suspect it to be an OS issue instead. Bill, if you read this please pass on to the XP dev team ;-).

No!

This is a design flaw by the hardware manufacturer.

I have used hundred of hours to fix this probem and the solution was so easy....It really makes me angry!

 

hmm.... interesting.....

i'll observe my 600m after these changes. i also experience the buzzing sound...

RS66, you are god!!! I've posted about the noise multiple times, I've phoned Dell Support and the buzzing still existed. 1 simple click and it's gone after 6 months of torture.

Bless you!