From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1756210AbXGHDZu (ORCPT ); Sat, 7 Jul 2007 23:25:50 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1755116AbXGHDZm (ORCPT ); Sat, 7 Jul 2007 23:25:42 -0400 Received: from eldorado.sekrit.org ([72.5.28.212]:58257 "EHLO eldorado.sekrit.org" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1755080AbXGHDZl (ORCPT ); Sat, 7 Jul 2007 23:25:41 -0400 X-Greylist: delayed 1842 seconds by postgrey-1.27 at vger.kernel.org; Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:25:41 EDT Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 22:54:57 -0400 From: Gerald Britton To: Alan Stern Cc: Tim Hull , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: PROBLEM: MacBook makes whining noise when usb-uhci active Message-ID: <20070708025457.GA2822@zante.sekrit.org> References: <9a7c669e0707071551v2705320dn876ad208fa60a537@mail.gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.1i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org 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. -- Gerald