Awful noise coming from G9-793 - not a fan, not from speakers

touchnova

orudie said:

There is another forum thread with the same noise problem for Acer Predator G9-593 laptop. .........

Thanks for your comment.  I actually follow that thread as well and have commented/posted a video on it previously.  I read your comment about unplugging a connection, but to me that is a band-aid instead of an actual fix.  You didn't actually say what the plug/connection are for, which scares me more than the device making noises - that plug clearly serves a purpose, so unless you know what that purpose is, I'd be hesitant to even try.  Regardless, I dumped $125 yesterday to package, insure and ship my laptop back to Acer for repairs, so that's where I am at this point - depending on Acer to get it right this time.

Phoenix1966

lithics said:

Regardless, I dumped $125 yesterday to package, insure and ship my laptop back to Acer for repairs, so that's where I am at this point - depending on Acer to get it right this time.

Forgive my stupidity. Acer does not cover shipping when the laptop is under warranty?

touchnova

Phoenix1966 said:

Forgive my stupidity. Acer does not cover shipping when the laptop is under warranty?

There was no mention of this in the email I received from them with instructions on the process.  It would be ***** nice if they did, but at this point all I've received was instructions on how to pack, what carriers to use, how to label the package, etc...but definitely no pre-paid label.  Can't believe it cost so much to package and insure mine with UPS, I was less than pleased...but have no other choice, live in a small town in Montana.

Phoenix1966

The reason I asked was because when I checked my warranty status, it listed SMW-2 yrs (2 Way Shipping) in the "Warranty Type" field. There's an approved, 3rd party service center in my area, but I'm not sure if it's just better to send this in to Acer. 

Rares95

From what i understand in my email, the shipping is covered (EU)

touchnova

Phoenix1966 said:

....listed SMW-2 yrs (2 Way Shipping) in the "Warranty Type" field ....

Unfortunately, I don't have extended warranty coverage, just the 1-year that came with the product.

Rares95 said:

From what i understand in my email, the shipping is covered (EU)

Might be you have extended warranty?  Or possibly an EU thing?  Am in the States and only have 1-year coverage.

touchnova

lithics said:

Phoenix1966 said:

....listed SMW-2 yrs (2 Way Shipping) in the "Warranty Type" field ....

Unfortunately, I don't have extended warranty coverage, just the 1-year that came with the product.

Rares95 said:

From what i understand in my email, the shipping is covered (EU)

Might be you have extended warranty?  Or possibly an EU thing?  Am in the States and only have 1-year coverage.

Well, well, well...wouldn't ya know it? (because I didn't) These two replies got me curious, so I contacted Acer to inquire if shipping was included in my warranty.  Not only is it included, my warranty is for 2 years.  For whatever reason, Acer doesn't tell you any of this in the Case ID email that they send you.  They simply tell you how to package your device and that it must be insured for the value of the device.  Why on Earth would they tell me to insure my package if they are covering the cost of shipping it - which would include insurance?  The directions they provide both conflict with and are contrary to the fact that they provide shipping.  I spoke with a Acer rep on the phone prior to shipping my product, as well as chatted with one via their support chat system - at no point was shipping being covered mentioned by them, nor was a shipping label issued - which one would think would be an automated process, or at least communicated.  I wonder how many people this happens to...."give out directions on how to ship/insure, make no mention of shipping being covered, make no mention of it after the device has been received, fix the device, return it, save 50% on company shipping costs." That's pretty much exactly what would have happened had the two of you not piqued my interest.  When I contacted them today with my question on shipping - they tried twice to issue me a shipping label, even after being told twice that I had already shipped the laptop and that it was in their possession.  It took me telling them 3 times before the support rep seemed to actually read what I was writing.  I'll be calling them directly on Monday, I'm am rather less than pleased.

Phoenix1966

Hopefully, they'll issue you a refund immediately.

Part of the reason I asked you about the shipping is that that issue didn't seem very clear in the general warranty information. On top of that, the authorized, 3rd party repair shop that is near me (one that is listed in the Acer Care Center app) actually states on their site regarding Acer and two other brands, "A small flat rate handling fee applies on these three brands, though you won't have to cover the shipping and packaging charges that the manufacturer typically requires you to cover if you send it to them." 

So if Acer does cover shipping, those local folks are making a little extra on their "small flat rate handling fee" for under warranty repair. When I first heard what you had to pay, I thought I'd take it in myself and save some money. But if Acer does cover the shipping, I'll send it to them and not deal with a somewhat sly, misleading local place (although I'm sure they feel their "typically requires " covers them).

Either way, there are a lot of folks that seem to be benefiting from the customer's confusion.

touchnova

Apologies to the mods of this thread - in editing my post I guess I triggered comment moderation and didn't realize it.  I tried repeatedly to repost my message because it disappeared from the thread and I wasn't seeing the "comment will appear after it has been moderated" pop-up in the bottom left. I would recommend, however, that the CSS for that pop-up be changed so it is clearly evident and doesn't blend in with the already-dark theme.

touchnova

Phoenix, here is the reply that was moderated out.  If the original does get approved, it will likely show up again, so disregard the duplicity if/when...
----
Interesting to hear how your local, authorized shop handles it, but it makes sense - they've gotta make a buck for their effort.  I just encourage you to contact Acer directly to request a shipping label. More on that below.

After the two comments above that mentioned shipping being covered, and after finding out from Acer that shipping was, in fact, covered in the warranty, I felt like an uninformed, mediocre consumer for not knowing the information already.  So I dug out my warranty booklet and read through the infinitely tiny text.  In section 6, subsection 4 it clearly states "You are responsible for properly packaging your Product, paying all shipping costs, insurance cost, loss or damage to the Product during shipping..."  I've read through a couple times and can't find any place that even remotely implies Acer will cover shipping, even though they apparently do. 

So in your case, Phoenix, contact Acer via telephone, describe your situation (they'll automatically try to get you to do the hard battery reset as a 'fix'), then once they realize that they have to repair your device, they'll create a Case ID.  Immediately after they have done this, REQUEST that they issue you a shipping label.  Save yourself the headache, and the money.

Phoenix1966

Thanks for the very helpful suggestions. I'll make sure I call support (as soon as I wrap up this project for work, since I can't send the laptop in until then).

I hope you'll share how the refund for your shipping (and insurance?) went and what they tell you was the issue with the crackle/speakers.

touchnova

After sending my laptop in for repairs, the issue was the motherboard needing replacement.  Just wanted to post this here for others who might run into the same issue.

touchnova

While others have suggested "remedies" to this issue, the ONLY solution is to send your laptop in to Acer for repairs...specifically, a motherboard replacement.  Bottom line - this device, despite the cost, was produced and shipped with a faulty primary component.  There is another, recently admin-closed, thread here in the forums that chronicles the fact that many, many owners of the g9-593 and g9-793 have run into this same issue and have had to send their devices in for repair.

However, 7 months later, I'm sitting here with completely dead laptop that will not power on.  I've reset the battery, tried powering the laptop with the battery disconnected, tried powering via battery-only...the device is completely dead.  Despite being a laptop, I have taken this device outside of my residence only once during my ownership, for approximately 2 hours.  It has literally been sitting in the same place and used as effectively a "desktop" the whole time.  This device has not been dropped or mistreated in ANY way...it is in perfect, MINT condition since I use attached keyboard, mouse and monitor.  That it simply died is nauseating, and now that I have to send it in to Acer (yet again) for repairs...another 3-week process where I am unable to produce work effectively...even more nauseating.

Phoenix1966

@touchnova , that's awful news. I would have replied to the more current thread that contained tons of important information, but it's been closed??? Not quite sure why since the problems that originated with strange speaker noises continue to have current repercussions and new folks were posting to that thread fairly recently where those of us who have been through it were able to direct them on how to proceed (mentioning the need to request shipping labels, etc). 

I got mine replaced at the same depot as you within a week or two of your repair and am scrambling to get my current project finished, since I now feel there is a sword of Damocles dangling above this laptop. The fact that not only you but @Rares95 had continuing (but different) problems so soon after the "initial" repair do not fill me with confidence that my own machine is going to last much longer.

Thanks for taking the time to update this thread with information that is still important and relevant to those of us with this issue.

touchnova

@Phoenix1966 - I agree 100%, the fact that the other thread was closed is disconcerting and seems forced, especially considering the activity on the post and continuing numbers of those impacted by this major design/component flaw.  I started to message Acer-Manny directly, but decided not to...I'm sure some of my stronger comments are partly to blame for his choice to do so, and the last thing I need is to piss of the very people I'm dependent upon to fix their mess-up.

I hope you can avoid the continued curse of the g9-593/g9-793 devices. Honestly mean that...  Thanks for your comments.

touchnova

Well, the motherboard discharge noise returned in my system again this evening.  My motherboard has already been replaced twice by Acer, costing me 3 weeks of lost productivity each time at having to send the laptop to them.  Interesting change in the noise this time though...it didn't rise in loudness over the course of a minute or two as with the previous two motherboards, it was sudden and extremely loud in an instant and persisted that way until I shut down all running programs and turned the fan to max speed.  Guess I'll be contacting Acer Support yet again on Monday.  They extended my warranty by one month as a "courtesy" the last time....which expired mere days ago.  Frustrating, to say the least.

Phoenix1966

This is unbelievable! 

DETHx

This is unreal. I've had my G9-793 getting close on 2 years, warranty is still good through month 10 this year. This noise started after I owned it for about a year too.

The other day it came on right at startup loudest I've ever heard it. Something I've noticed is that it comes on when the machine is warm, that's why maxing the fan helps dissipate the noise I think.

Once the CPU, GPU, and System start hitting the 100 mark in fahrenheit the crackle starts in the right speaker, then the buzzing or humming kicks in.

I've added a m.2 nvme. Cleaned the factory thermal and repasted it with slightly better compound. With summer coming on, no AC, and a black top tar roof right outside my window it gets hot in my room. 

When the noise came on at startup the predator sense app was showing my CPU at 112°F, GPU was similar, and sys temp is usually higher by 4 or more degrees.

I stopped playing any games months ago and use it only for my school work at this point, lame for a gaming laptop that was $1200.00 (on sale).

Your experience is pretty disheartening, I had just created a repair case with acer, but I think I'll cancel it.

Generate some money this summer and part together a decent desktop for a few hundred, and likely never buy acer anything again.

Phoenix1966

@DETHx Sorry to have to welcome you to the club.

I would encourage you, since you are still under warranty ,to send it in. Since they replaced my motherboard, this issue (unlike @touchnova 's unfortunate experiences)  has not returned for me. Now, I'm not saying stick with Acer for future purchases, but at least get them to fix what was clearly a bad run of motherboards that was released with this laptop while you can still get them to eat the cost.

Also, I would suggest doing what seems to be common practice with the laptop if you haven't already: optimize Windows, undervolt CPU/GPU, make sure the back end is slightly elevated (or use a cooling pad), and/or aim a small fan at the function keys. You might need to repaste again if you do decide to send it in.

And, as many had to remind  support, your warranty should cover 2-way shipping, so make sure they email you a shipping label.

DETHx

It's kinda funny you mention the 2 way shipping, because they actually seem to have gotten that one down, it was in the email they sent me.

I'm honestly still kind of torn because I really want them to eat the cost of a machine they mass produced with issues and I can't find any recalls anywhere for it.

But I'm taking summer classes and sooo hate doing course work on campus.

At this point I've removed the speakers, that kills the noise problem completely, also pulled out the unused internal HDD, hoping less objects help stabalize internal temps. Lucky enough I have some decent headphones, and not so decent radioshack speakers where the noise doesn't generate so I can still listen to Jinjer constantly.