IMac G5 20" rev. B

My iMac started to get slow so i tought i ran verify disk premissions, then repair disk premissions and then i hit the verify disk button and get this: The underlying task reported failure on exit. And it sayed allso that your disk needs to be repaired.
What i'm gona do?

Peetee, I would back my data up as quickly as possible.
After you have backed up, you might want to use your install disc to run Disk Repair, it may be able to repair the HD (you have to do it from another drive, not your main one, that's why you need to use the install disc). If it says repair successful, run Hardware Test and make sure everything is ok.
If that doesn't work, call Apple and take it in.
Good luck,
Miriam

Similar Messages

IMac - What is rev A, B, C ?

Hi All,
I will soon buy my next iMac, 2.1. I have been reading here about
"Rev A, Rev B, and Rev C.
What does "Rev" stand for?
How can I know which one I will get, in case there is a choice?
Is it in a description or code number?
Does every one out there prefer Rev C?
Thanks

I'll break it down for you;
Revision A; Was the first model iMac G5 released just over a year ago. This model (from first hand experience and written reports), has been marred by heat issues, noise issues, and horribly faulty power supplies. In fact this model had so many problems that it caused Apple to extend the standarad waranty on it by a year. I myself had this versison and it broke down on me 5 times, eventually being replaced by Applecare, out of waranty, with the new iSight or Revision C model.
Revision B; Was Apples attempt to correct many of the issues that plagued the first version of its new G5 iMac. Although the main problem with the model was internally where the parts of the computer were placed. This model is identical inside to the first only with a few more bells and whistles AND a light sensor to dim the sleep light, which many users complained was far to bright in a dark room. This model had the same issues with heat, noise and power that the first did.
Revision C; this model is the current model also being reffered to as the iMac G5-iSight model. This model saw Apple COMPLETELY redo the computers internals and much of the computer was changed. All the heat creating internal components that were at the bottom of the computers case in Rev A and B were moved to the top of the case nearest the vent. IMO this is the single most important thing Apple did to create a cooler iMac G5. Instead of the power supply, the G5 processor marinating the motherboard with the heat it created the new model flippep everything around sop the heat had an easier time to escape.
This model, so far, and from first hand knowledge is a much more viable G5 computer for Apple. The outside case anywhere you touch it is cool to warm. The first 2 models had places on the outsude of the case that were literally warm to HOT to the touch. Not only did Apple add evereything to Rev C that was an option in the first two revisions but it totally redid the placement of the compnents inside the computer.
The first two revisions were user accessible. Meaning that if something broke down and needed replaced APple had the option to send you the part for you to replace yourself. The iMac G5 iSight is not like this. The case is now sealed by screws that only Apple has the tool to open. Memory is now the only thing you can safely upgrade yourself.
I would suggest that if you are going to buy a new iMac and dont want to have the problems that are almost inherrant with the first two revisions, I would suggest you get yourself the newest iMac G5, the one that is revision C or the iSight model. Quiet, cool running, and stable, the newest iMac G5 is finally the computer that I had hoped for when I bought the first rev. almost a year ago. The new one has been completely redone inside and out. Heres a link to look at the insides first hand and see just how much has been changed about this model.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurlpagecontent?lp=ja_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.kodawarisan.com%2fimacg5isight%2fimacg502i.html
Good luck in whatever you do. If you get yourself one of the newest iMacs youll love it. I am so happy with mine! So much to love about them!

Looking for iMac G5 17 inch Rev. 1 Tear down guide...

Hello,
I have been through literally every post I can think of trying to find the tear down manual for my aged, yet loved iMac G5 (17inch REV 1). So far all I can find is links to the newer 17inch iSight... the problem with that is the lower fan (CPU fan) and shroud DOES NOT come off using the instructions from the newer model. Forcing any harder than I have would surely lead to breakage.
I have the noisy fan issue and I am looking to take this apart and either clean and reuse or replace the fan entirely. But again I can get no further than removing the shroud from the processors heat sink. The machine works perfectly aside from the jet engine like scream of the CPU fan. And I would like to take as little apart on the machine as possible.
So if any of the guru's (I say that will all love and affection) can point me in the direction of the REV 1 17 inch tear down manual or better yet, have tackled this job themselves I would be eternally grateful for some pointers!
Thanking you in advice,
DJPerry

Sorry, I've run into the same problem you have, all the info is for the Rev B. I've looked everywhere and come up with nothing. I guess you'll have to figure it out and then post pictures so others can be helped

My 13 month old IMAC finally died. Is it worth repairing?

Hi all,
"Could someone tell me how to forward this post to apple asia, what is there email address as i would like them to get a copy" thanks all.
Some may have seen my posts. I am working in Jakarta and 13 months ago i bought an Imac g 5 , serial w844...., rev a. I also own a g4 powerbook.
The imac was nothing but trouble since i got it. Fan noise made it useless as a day to day desktop. So i keep using my powerbook. Well my business stuggled last year so i did not use the Imac very much. Basically got the imac as a heavy design machine and for backups . Probably only used for a few months in total. When i did use it and needed it during two busy periods, it broke down. Screen failure, TWICE. It also went back for screen flickering and fan noise in the first month i got it. . Last week was the last straw. Needed it for backups and for heavy work, had people coming in to use it. It died and it cost me money as we could not work as planned. Well its been a disaster. Agravation and lost money and time. Spent more time last year setting it up than using it. Everytime it come back from service, they apologised and said they could not back it up for some reason. Then i had to set it all up again.
The little shop i bought it from here always took care of me. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago the original owner left the business to his partner. Now the new owner says he has to go back to apple for a new logic board and its not under warranty, even though its serial number is in the extented warranty list. Logic board at least 2 weeks, ( most likely a month). He also says i may have to pay cause its out of warranty by one month. Even though it was in the shop 4 months ago for repair. Records, what records, where is your receipt? I am asked.
Anyhow, sadly, i have spent 1,000's at that little shop, dotmac membership, network gear ,airport, wireless mice, and so forth. Now i do not think the imac platform is appropriate as a reliable work machine. If i am asked to pay for the repair, i will just take the machine back and use it as a joke for my friends. I will just buy a cheap desktop as the backup machine. Even if its repaired i dont think its reliability is good enough to keep using it. Lets see about the warranty first.
I encouraged a lot of people to switch to apple. Now i look very stupid. I paid US$1565 for the machine, with extra ram etc.. Not cheap.
Two years ago there was only 1 good apple store in Jakarta, now there are at least 100 with the explosion in ipod sales. Unfortunately, they have no decent staff or support and are only interested in immediate sales. I feel that the apple reputation will be taking a big hit soon.
I would really like to ask APPLE for my money back. People around town know me as the apple nut. I encouraged lots of people to switch to mac. Lets just say, the hardware issues may force me to switch back.
Sadly, i have really enjoyed these discussion groups, great way to get help. i am just a little sad and a lot angry now.
Thanks again all for listening to my rant.
Joe

I know exactly what you are going thru Joe. I had a first generation iMac G5 and had it break down 5 times in the first 11 months of its life. I had mine replaced after some very long discussions with AppleCare. I must say, at first they just wanted to send me yet another replacement part. BUT< I begged, pleaded and begged some more. ( Always remaining calm and not getting mad.) And finally they conceeded. I got my new iMac G5 iSight, rev. C after 13 months of nothing but trouble with the Rev. A.
I had 2 motherboards fail, a video inverter, an optical drive failure, and finally a video card failure.
I would strongly suggest you ask for a replacment. The particular model you have is a horribly faulty machine. Many, many people have had issues with their machine. I would imagine thats why the Rev C machines have been COMPLETELY redone on the inside. Completely! Although there is no three strikes law, you just may be able to convince them that this computer has given you more trouble then you thought you would have had when you bought it. Let them know how dissapointed in Apple you are. I think if you are persistant and respectful you just might be able to get Apple to do the right thing and replace this computer.
It's a shame so many have had and WILL have so many problems with the early iMac G5s. Shouldnt have gone down like that.

Imac 20" N. American model to be used in Europe

I am having an iMac 20" come from Canada but I would like to know if they absolutely work here in Europe. Apparently there were manufacturing processes/decisions with the iMac G5 that lead those models to fail if plugged in to European sockets.
Of course, we all know that physically the outlets in North America and Europe are different but will the internal power supply handle the different electrical standards?
Can anyone verify, without a doubt, that the North American Intel iMac 20" will absolutely work in Europe, granted I will merely need an adaptor to fit plug into a European outlet.

Thanks.Here's the Apple link changing power supplies, and here is the Apple chronolgy:
Mac G5
iMac G5
The iMac G5
The iMac G5.
Type: Desktop
Developer: Apple Computer
Released: August 31, 2004
Discontinued: {{{discontinuation_date}}}
Processor(s): PowerPC G5, 1.6 - 2.1 GHz
Base Price: {{{baseprice}}}
Website: {{{website}}}
* August 31, 2004 — Apple releases an all-new iMac line, with both the LCD screen (17 or 20” widescreen) and computer (including power supply) contained in a 2” thin flat-panel housing, powered by a PowerPC G5 processor at 1.6 or 1.8 GHz, Serial ATA hard drive (ATA in the Education Model) and an Nvidia GeForce 5200 Ultra GPU. USB 2.0, FireWire 400, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet ports, a V.92 modem, a video-out port, an analogue audio-in jack, and a combination analogue/mini-TOSLINK audio-out jack (like the one in the AirPort Express units), as well as the power button, are all arranged at the rear of the unit. The enclosure is suspended above the desk by an aluminum arm that can be replaced by a VESA mounting plate, allowing the unit to be mounted using any VESA-standard mount. Apple boasts that it is the slimmest desktop computer on the market. The iMac G5 is available in three retail models (17-inch, 1.6 GHz is M9363LL/A; 17-inch, 1.8 GHz is M9249LL/A; 20-inch, 1.8 GHz is M9250LL/A) plus one education-only model that has no optical drive, no modem, and a more modest GeForce MX4000 graphics system.
* May 3, 2005 — Apple releases "Rev. B", or the “Ambient Light Sensor” line (the name refers to a new light sensor on the bottom of the iMac that adjusts the glow intensity of the white pulsating sleep indicator light according to the ambient light). The entry model is now 17-inch, 1.8 GHz (M9843LL/A). The mid-model is 17-inch, 2.0 GHz (M9844LL/A) and the top model is 20-inch, 2.0 GHz (M9845LL/A). All models now feature 512 MB of RAM standard; the hard drive capacity is increased to 250 GB on the top model, with an option of 400 GB. Optional upgrades now include a double-layered 8x SuperDrive. All models now feature Airport Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and an ATI Radeon 9600 graphics chip with 128 MB of VRAM as standard. Also the 10/100 network interface has been upgraded to 10/100/1000. All models now ship with iLife '05 and Apple's new Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger”.
* October 12, 2005 — At the “One More Thing” event, Apple released new iMac G5s (the "Rev. C", or the "iSight" line); a 17" display running at 1.9 GHz (MA063L/A) and 20" display model running at 2.1 GHz (MA064L/A) with:
o A built-in USB 2.0 iSight camera
o A remote control called Apple Remote
o 512 MB PC2-4200 (533 MHz) DDR2; expandable to 2.5 GB total memory
o Slot-loading 8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
o Mighty Mouse
o A PCI-Express ATI Radeon X600 (Pro for the 17" model and XT for the 20" model) graphics chip with 128 MB DDR VRAM
o Built-in media center software called Front Row
o Horizontal input ports rather than the less stylish vertical configuration.
o Thinner 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) flat panel housing with a curved rear housing
o Note: the built-in V.92 modem was removed and is now offered as the optional Apple USB Modem. The USB modem is available on the Apple Store website and also in Apple Retail stores.
o In February 2006, Apple discontinued the 17” iMac G5 and began solely selling a 20-inch iMac G5 for $1,499.
o The iMac G5 was completely discontinued in March 2006.
Good luck and please let me know if this is what you wanted,
Miriam

Where can I access / download an iPhoto version to run on a G3 iMac?

My parents run OS 9.2 on an old blue G3 iMac - great machine, but not upgradeable to X. They have a large number of old family photos which I have been scanning for them. Is there an available iPhoto version which I can access for them to run their slideshows? If so, where can I find it? Thanks.
G3 iMac Mac OS 9.2.x G4 tower, iBook, G5 iMac

re iPhoto on iMac G3 OS 9 --
All versions of iPhoto require OS X. So if your particular iMac G3 is not going to be running OS X, you will need to use a different application.
Apple requirements for iPhoto 4-5-5 here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93634
FYI: iPhoto (1) - Jan 2002
iPhoto 2 - Jan 2003, part of iLife (and available free)
iPhoto 4 - Jan 2004, part of iLife '04 ($49 SRP)
iPhoto 5 - Jan 2005, part of iLife '05 ($79 SRP)
iPhoto 6 - Jan 2005, part of iLife '05 ($70 SRP)
I have recommended QPict to several friends and clients who are on OS 9. QPict has versions for both OS 9 and OS X.
It is fairly reasonably priced (esp. compared to some of the other commercial products) around $35, has a fully functioning 20-day trial, and you can find out about it at their site: http://www.qpict.net/
Hope this helps. (sorry noway to get iPhoto running on os9
iMac G5 2GHz (rev B), 1.5G RAM; (prev: iMac G4, 10.3.9) Mac OS X (10.4.6) ~ the universe is intelligent and friendly ~

IMac G5 won't boot to OS X

Hopefully someone will be able to help as I am currently unable to use my iMac (17" G5 Rev B).
Last night I was watching EyeTV and it seemed to crash as I couldn't quit, change channels etc and I was just getting the spinning beachball So I switched off using the power button.
Since then it won't start up. It loads the grey apple screen then goes to a blue screen but hangs here and goes no further!!
Things I have already tried:
Resetting PRAM
Starting from Tiger install DVD and repairing disk and disk permissions
Attempting to boot into safe mode (it wouldn't start)
Rebooting in single user mode and using fsck
Checking inside for swollen capacitors
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Cheers,
N
iMac G5 Rev B 17" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Welcome to Discussions -
You may be eligible for the Apple Rev B Warranty Extension. Check and see if your numbers are within the parameters,what you have sounds like a power supply problem. You can also try resetting your SMU.
Please post back and let us know how you make out,
Miriam

IMac (iSight) Manual Available

Hey everyone. The new iMac's manual is now available for download. Althought I imagine most of us will elect for the Rev C description, its technical name is "iMac-iSight."
So, we have:
iMac G5 ("Rev A")
iMac G5 ALS ("Rev B")
iMac G5-iSight ("Rev C")
Enjoy!

You're right, but I think several people use the "Rev" terminology in reference to their G5 iMacs (I've done it myself, even though I knew it wasn't technically correct). As long as people use the iMac G5 descriptor, it will be clear. Personally, I will opt for "original iMac G5," "iMac G5 ALS," and "iMac G5-iSight" so there's no confusion.

Five dead iMacs, all in a row... help?

Hi,
Over the years I have had a dozen iMacs from the revA up. Now I have a collection of five of them that are dead. I would like to cannibalize them to see if I could get a couple back up. My question:
What three parts are the MOST likely failures? All present with no startup, no nada. And all were running MacOS 9. For example, is the internal battery the same part number on all?
I'm going to use one of the remaining 233 as the "good parts" bin for now. All
Thanks

Miguel V...
I would say the flyback is the most common expected failure in a iMac (CRT). My guess is about 90-95%. This involves the Analog Board in the Tray Loaders, PAV board in the Slot loaders. Power supplies and other related items seem to be more rare but possible.
The Mac(s) that use a 3.6v 1/2 AA Lithum, standard tip & base battery, is a common industry standard. My preference has been the Saft LS 14250C mainly because of quality construction and 1.2 Amp/hour capacity. Others are probably ok but I can get them at a wholesale price 3 to 1 of the Radio Shack or Apple price.
Apple does list their own part numbers of which was given when some specs was drawn up at the time of manufacture. Those are just for ordering purposes and may contain other brands of acceptable quality.
...Ron

IMac not starting fully... going to full fans + HD not mounting

Hi. I'm using (or was using) a Rev. A iMac G5 17" 1.8Ghz with 1GB memory (of which 512 is third-party), running OSX 10.4.8
Recently I've been getting a fair few kernel panics, and I think (though I'm not entirely sure on this - it might just be me being forgetful) that the computer may have shut itself down when I wasn't in the room.
Very recently, I've noticed it having trouble playing certain DVDs either in DVD player or VLC - though it can do normal video files fine - and it's been taking at least 1 minute to shut down, when it only takes 30 secs to start up.
Additionally, I've been unplugging my Voyager 105 USB modem every time I shut down or restart, because this would cause it to get tothe point of shutting down the screen, then hanging for about 30 seconds before going to full fan speed.
A couple of days ago, when my brother switched on his computer next door (which is connected via ethernet), my computer froze completely (no force-quitting or anything worked), so I had to shut down with the power button. When I tried to restart it, it got to the grey apple logo stage, then hung for about 1 min before going to full fan speed and staying there.
I've run Disk utility from the DVD, and it has told me that the HD will not mount, and Apple Hardware check told me '2STF/8/3: S-ATA Bus 0-Master'.
I've reset the PRAM, and whilt trying to remember the key combo, I managed to bring up a console which showed a load of code and stuff about Kernel panics and ended ominously: "We are hanging here..."
I've heard about the recall programme for Rev. As with power and video problems, but this seems to be a problem with the HD bus.. might it be related?
I'd really appreciate any help as there are one or two irreplacable files on my HD that are not backed up and are of great value to me. That being said, I also don't have the applecare protection plan and I'm a student, so I really can't afford to get it seen to (along with the fact that I live about 4 hours away from the nearest Apple store)
Thank you!
iMac G5 17" - Rev. A Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1GB Ram

You would be considered lucky if your Mac fell in the repair program here: http://www.apple.com/support/imac/repairextensionprogram/ - you can find your Mac's serial number by using System Profiler...
If you machine does appear on the list, I suggest you call Apple, say your having power issues and take it from there. If your Mac does not fall within the serial numbers, I would still call apple and explain that you're just a poor student in need of help...
Good luck, Rick
iMac G5 iSight 20" - 30G iPOD in Slimming Black - Mac OS X (10.4.7) - HP Pav 15" WS and Toshiba Sat 17" WS LP's - Canon 20D & A620

Swapping CD to CDRW on an imac 233

I'm running a imac G3 233 (Rev.A), 190 megs RAM, 6 gig HD and OS 10.3. I just got a slot load CDRW drive out of a G3 500 Imac and I'd like to replace my tray loading CD drive with this one. The adapter plate (bridge board?) is different on the drives and I can't just swap them out. Can I just get a different cable to run from the CDRW drive to the motherboard? Are these cables generic or model specific?
Thanks for any help.
imac 233 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Yes they are model specific. You can get a usb drive
inclosure and a cd burner and do it that way ( you
will need Patchburn and Disk Burner to make it work)
or you can fork over 100+ bucks and get an
aftermarket one made for the tray loader.
http://www.mcetech.com/imacrw.html here is one and it
comes with software.
Are you talking about an external drive? That may be the best/cheapest way to go if so.
Thanks for the reply.

IMac G4 800 vs 20 in Intel Imac

Every 6 yrs or so I like to upgrade my Mac
I have owned and loved the LISA, original Mac, Mac 512, Mac +, LC, Mac II, PM 6500 and currently , the Lampshade G4 iMac 800
Is it time to go to the intel Mac 20"
Methinks yes, but some honest, current user of th intel Mac feedback is sought
Thanks

Don't forget these other compelling reasons to upgrade:
The new (intel) imac has an option for a 256 MB video card, the largest card available in an imac to date (the G5 imac maxes out at 128MB).
and (my favorite)
The new imac supports extended desktop. This feature alone convinced me it was worth upgrading. I am hooked on using two monitors in extended mode (currently use my powerbook with an external monitor). Once you've tried it, you really get spoiled with the extra screen space. Anyway, I was pretty much set on getting one of the new imacs when they were announced at Macworld expo, but I've always regretted that imacs were limited to mirrored mode with external monitors. When I heard the news (about extended desktop support) that was the clincher! The new imac will be ordered within the week (a 20" model, with 2GB RAM and the 256MB video card)!
I am also upgrading from a "lamp" style G4 imac (1 Ghz, 17" model), so I am sure I will see a big jump in performance, even with Rosetta translation. And I am confident that new universal software (including games) will be rapidly coming down the pipe. I had actually quit buying games for my old imac because performance (with 64 MB VRAM) was getting outdated when it came to newer games (like Doom).
I was a buyer of one of the original bondi imacs (still have it, running Panther), and I want to be an owner of one of these first machines to start off the next era of Apple computers.
Pismo 400 / 17" 1 GHz imac G4/ Bondi Rev B Mac OS X (10.4.4)

March 08 software updates trigger iMac failure?

I just got back from a trip, turned on my iMac G5, came back with some coffee and saw "software updates are available for your computer - install now?" So I unplugged everything (old habit), said yes, and clicked on "restart" when it asked. The computer did the install, restarted, and came back on with no startup chime, no slot-loading CD drive noise, no monitor activity, and the fans running at 100%. I let it sit for a couple hours, still no change. After pressing and holding the power button to shut it off, I unplugged the machine from power (PMU reset procedure) and attempted to reboot. No luck.
Since then I've tried
- boot into Target disk mode: same symptoms, no FWTDM at all
- boot from CD: same symptoms, drive will not make a startup noise nor suck in a CD. Using original disks and/or Disk Warrior 4.1.
- boot into safe mode: same symptoms. Have tried wired and wireless keyboards both verified to work with other macs.
Next I'm going to try taking out the 2GB Ram and replacing the original Ram, but I don't expect that to change things for the better. The computer was working fine under the old RAM for at least 4 months prior to these software updates.
SO, any other suggestions? I've been using macs since 1988 and am considered the resident Apple Genius, but this one has me stumped. My iMac is a Rev B which has had the power supply and hard drive replaced on apple care. All the latest updates, regular care and feeding with Disk Utility, OnyX and Disk Warrior, backups with Time Machine, etc.

The saga continues. The iMac would not restart after either a shutdown, restart, or sleep cycle. I opened it back up, removed and replaced the RAM, and it started fine. But would not restart - just a black screen, no startup chime, and 100% fan speed.
I removed the back and put it right back on - no other hardware changes. Same sequence: good first boot, failed subsequent boots.
I unscrewed the back, DIDN'T move it AT ALL, screwed it back together, and same sequence: good first boot. Very strange. The iMac must have a continuity check that involves the three screws. When the screws get backed out, the circuit must get broken and trigger something.
So I ran the OS X 10.5.2 combo updater over top of the existing 10.5.2 install. After the install was complete, I got a little message that said the computer needed to update Boot Cache files and restart. Crossing my fingers, I clicked OK.
So far no problems. My guess is that there is a hardware override of boot cache after the case is opened. Then on subsequent reboots without a hardware config change (actual or assumed by a screw movement), the system looks for the boot cache. The recent updates corrupted those files or something in the process, making the mac hang. By over-installing the combo update, I forced the boot caches into a usable format again.
The phantom part is shown in this photo. (Right click and open in new window to see bigger). The offending part and gapping are both on the power button and peripheral port side of the computer (left when viewed from the back). It looks like a printed circuit board held on by a hard drive mounting screw: .
The right side is perfectly flush as it's supposed to be. The case warping on the left side is shown in this photo: .
Any thoughts?

My iMac superdrive is *really* loud -- is this normal?

Most of the time when I put a disc in my superdrive (20" Intel iMac), the drive revs up and there's a very loud groaning/grinding noise. Sometimes it doesn't happen, but most of the time it does.
Is this normal sounds for this drive? Everything about the iMac is so quiet and nice, I find it hard to believe thats normal.
Other than the noise, the drive seems to work fine.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Stephen

Hello,
The problem with discussions, is that it's hard to convey sounds. What I may interpret your description as could be totally different than what you mean.
But, I'll tell you that the CD-ROM / SuperDrive in all of my recent Macs have been very noisy.
I've had two iMac G5's with SuperDrives, a Mac Mini and iBook with Combo Drives, and I've also got an iMac G3 with CD-ROM, and have had several other Macs over the years.
On all of these systems, there is a very, very loud sound when the disks are spinning. But, you can tell that this is a spinning motion you are hearing. It's very loud, and very obnoxious. But, it's present on all my systems.
Now, my external Sony DVD-R drive on my Mac Mini and the DVD-R drive in my PC are extremely quiet even when in active use. You can barely hear them.
So, from my experience, the drives Apple uses (or at least the way they use them) are much louder than the other drives I've used.
But, it's hard telling from your description what you are hearing.
There is usually a sound that the drives will make when they are reading the disks and trying to locate information. To me, it sounds kind of like "Chee Chee..., Chee Chee..., Chee Chee".
But, from your description, I can't really tell what you are hearing.
But, if you are at all unsure, I would take it into your local service center and have them listen to it while you are there. That way you can point-out the noise you are hearing, and have them tell you if it's normal.
I hope this helps.

Black screen, powers up without hitting power button

After 6 months my iMac G5 20" rev. B working fine (other than failing to sleep automatically - will sleep display but hard drive does not power down) I'm having problems. The screen goes black and I cannot re-boot: I get power but the screen either stays black or, sometimes, freezes at gray. I have repeatedly tried resetting PRAM and PMS.
After 1.5 hours with an AppleCare rep, with no success starting the machine, I took it to my local Apple Store and (of course) they were unable to replicate the problem, although they did run Techtool on it all day and found no problems with either the hard drive or the memory. (I'm a little ticked that they didn't even bother to read the notes from the AppleCare rep - the attitude seemed to be that neither the AppleCare rep nor I knew what the heck we were talking about.)
So I took it back home and lo and behold it did start up normally. So (after backing up my files) I did a complete erase with only stock Apple programs reinstalled. It worked fine for a few hours but then the exact same thing happened: black screen, unable to start up although I get power (the screen stays frozen at black for about 60 seconds, and then the fans come on full speed which I understand is because there's no OS running to regulate them). Only now there's one new development: whenever I plug the iMac back in - whether by pulling the plug out of the back of the unit, or unplugging the cord at its far end - the computer automatically powers up without my pressing the power button. That happens even after I've used the power button to turn it off. That seems weird as well as potentially a safety issue.
I have it in for servicing again - this time, to the local reseller I bought it from, because they don't require an appointment and force you to wait around for hours merely watching them run Techtool - after another hour-long session with an AppleCare rep was unable to get it working and the rep said it was "definitely" a hardware problem. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues: especially the "powers on without pushing the power button" phenomenon.
I have 2G aftermarket RAM but don't think that's the problem because the same issues occur regardless which RAM stick is in the machine, even after resetting PRAM and PMS and doing the system erase and install. Also, the Apple Store did test the memory with Techtool and said it was fine.

After again experiencing problems I took the iMac back to the reseller where I bought it. They were able to replicate the defect and I received a new logic board. The invoiced cost (covered by warranty, luckily!) was $1,067 for the logic board and $85 for labor. The hard drive was erased but OSX Tiger was pre-installed when I picked up the computer. (BTW, Backup 3 is a very nice backup utility!) Now my iMac seems to be working perfectly, and the energy saver/sleep function works normally again.

IMac G5 20" rev. B

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