My PC "clicks" when I do something

randomcow · Post by **randomcow** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:51 am

I have already eliminated the hard drives. My PC boots and runs off of a networked server in another room so I shouldn't have any local HDD noise. My speakers are off too.

The clicking seems to happen when I do something with the keyboard or mouse. I often hear it for key presses, mouse wheel scrolls and also when I drag the side bar to scroll a window. It seems to have nothing to do with CPU or disk usage.

The noise is quite noticeable. I can hear it from about a meter away in a quiet room if I concentrate and it is starting to drive me nuts.

As far as I know the only moving components I have in my case are three fans for cooling the case, CPU and video card and another for the PSU. Would anyone know what could be causing this clicking?

My specs are as follows if it matters:
Athlon XP 3000+
Abit NF7
1GB corsair
Seasonic S12 380

Thanks.

Matzon · Post by **Matzon** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:15 pm

on-board sound ?
try adding a proper soundcard to your system.

Dazrin · Post by **Dazrin** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:40 pm

I had a problem like this a couple years ago, everytime I pressed a key, my headphones (no external speakers) would make a "click". I looked around to see what solved it for me, but could not find my solution.

This doesn't sound like hardware failure if it follows your keystrokes/mouse actions. Do you get the sound when your speakers/headphones are off/unplugged?

A couple ideas -
1) make sure your speakers and mouse/keyboard cables do not cross. There could be some interferance that is causing your speakers to make this type of noise. (This is likely what fixed it for me as I went to wireless headphones and no problems since. Just can't remember.)
2) mute your line input and microphone to see if that fixes it.
3) try unplugging a case speaker if one is installed?

randomcow · Post by **randomcow** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:45 pm

I forgot to mention in my specs but I am using the M-Audio 2496 sound card and on board sound is disabled. Speakers are also turned off. I muted my input but it didn't help.

Upon further investigation it really sounds like the clicking is coming from somewhere inside the PC. I listened closely on all on my speakers and I can't hear any of them making noise. I am not using a case speaker so that is also out. None of my three fans are involved either which I confirmed by stopping each one.

I have heard of components like the PSU buzzing but I haven't heard of any such noise reacting to keyboard or mouse inputs before. Very strange.

I have a 5-6 hr operation running at the moment so I can't shutdown and start removing major components but when I get the chance I'll try to single out the source of noise.

ronrem · Post by **ronrem** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:49 pm

Try putting your soundcard into another slot. It's getting some crosstalk from USB or PS2 on the same channell. You probably have not totally turned off ALL sound

psymanproductions · Post by **psymanproductions** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:39 am

i am not sure but i would try unpluging the motherboard speaker as when i have no drivers installed for audio i get the same thing.

i also have an m-audio delta 24/96... great card for audio work

edit; oh you already did that.... woops