iMac sound startup issue

cuencapcuencap
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
My family computer is having a weird problem. EVERY time we restart or turn on the iMac, the startup "ding" is at full blast - no matter what the volume is when shut down or restarted.



What would cause this and how can I fix it? There's also an error that appreas saying something about the input audio. We have the old iMac with the floating screen and the satellite speakers...



I've booted the computer up from the Tiger Install CD, and ran the disk utility as well. No problems found...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    djbamberdjbamber Posts: 13member
    Try putting the computer to sleep, and you won't have the startup chimes when awoken.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    rob05aurob05au Posts: 348member
    mute the sound before shuting down. then when you start it up no sound.

    I do this all the time.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    cuencapcuencap Posts: 99member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rob05au View Post


    mute the sound before shuting down. then when you start it up no sound.

    I do this all the time.



    Both of those no good - when I mute it, it still has full volume. I would like to shut down the computer. Both of the "fixes" are bandaids - I would like to fix my mac please.



    I've zapped the PRAM and that seems to be working. I've also ran disk utility and Onyx - hopefully those help clean up this machine.



    Thanks anyways!
  • Reply 4 of 7
    ricksbrainricksbrain Posts: 517member
    You really should just let it sleep. Restarting all the time is unnecessary.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    rob05aurob05au Posts: 348member
    Have you checked the sound level in system preferences?



    Can you also post what the audio input error message says it will help find the problem and hopefully solve it quicker for you.



    Try these it now sounds like a problem with a corrupt plist file.



    Trash these and see what happens



    HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist





    Also get Onyx and run a deep cache clean these can also have some strange affects.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    gwoodpeckergwoodpecker Posts: 367member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ricksbrain View Post


    You really should just let it sleep. Restarting all the time is unnecessary.



    If you live in a country where electricity costs a lot and you don't want to waste the relatively significant amount of energy those sleep/standby mode devices consume every day, shutdown is necessary...



    So let's see: VCR, cable set top box, hifi chain, computer, printer, ethernet switch, cable modem, TV, etc. --> sum all this up and you're at about 150 W (older devices: 200W) in standby mode only, i.e. the devices doing nothing!



    In a day, that makes at least 3.6 KWh (4.8 KWh). Costs here in Switzerland: 200 to 250 USD per year for energy wasted by standby mode devices in one single household...



    We could easily shut down one of the big nuclear power plants here if no devices used standby mode any more - or people shut off their gear when it's not in use!
  • Reply 7 of 7
    nerudaneruda Posts: 440member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cuencap View Post


    My family computer is having a weird problem. EVERY time we restart or turn on the iMac, the startup "ding" is at full blast - no matter what the volume is when shut down or restarted..



    In addition to all of the previous suggestions, you can also get this handy utility and adjust start-up sound accordingly.
Sign In or Register to comment.