Apple has confirmed it's working on an software fix to appease MacBook Pro owners who've been complaining their new machines beep unexpectedly and suffer recurring temporary freezes.

The issue appears to specifically affect MacBook Pros fitted with 7200rpm 500GB hard drives and is thought to centre on code that's causing the drive to sleep during use.

"We are aware of the issue and are working on a software update," an Apple spokesman told website CNet this week, though he didn't say when the patch will be posted. ®