High pitched screeching noise coming from computer - Not fan

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:12 pm

Hi, just today I noticed a high pitched screeching noise coming from my computer. I tried stopping and taking every fan out and it didn't help. It isn't my hard drive either. Any ideas on what to try?

Striker II Formula
8800GTS 512
Q9450
Stacker 830

IsaacKuo · Post by **IsaacKuo** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:44 pm

It could be either the PSU or motherboard electronics. Sometimes, this buzzing/screeching can be incredible. I don't know how to fix it other than to replace the PSU and/or mobo.

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:04 pm

Hi, thanks for the response.

How can I know that this isn't just a problem with the motherboard, though? I doubt it is the PSU, as I have owned it for about 1.5 years without a problem.
The motherboard is about 4 weeks old, as is the CPU.

Aard · Post by **Aard** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:55 pm

Could be your graphics card, 8800's seem to have a problem with the power circuitry.

Is the noise intermittent or constant? If its intermittent when does it occur?

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:05 pm

Hi, thanks for the response.

I've owned the video card for many months, so I don't know.. but.. --

Its just about constant, and then it might make some sort of beeping noise.. and screech awhile longer, pause.. beep, screech etc. Its not literally beeping, its just the sound of it. I've tried tightening the power thing -- nope.

This just started today :/

What I've done today: Installed 4 blue LEDs included with CM stacker 830.
Installed F@H GPU
Removed two fans
Installed 175.44 drivers [ I think, the ones with CUDA ]

EDIT: I've tried listening for where its coming from but can't pinpoint it. I don't notice a change by putting my ear right next to the GPU power cord thingy..

I can't listen for long though, giving me a migraine.

charonme · Post by **charonme** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:12 pm

it's the coils on power or hi frequency oscillator regulation circuits. that's why the better mainboards seal them in some kind of hard goo/wax

beli ninja · Post by **beli ninja** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:58 am

I seem to have a similar problem on my 2nd PC. When idling it's not so noticeable but when I start, for example, the BOINC folding agent it becomes pretty annoying. I opened up the case and listened a bit and it seems it's coming from the PSU. I stopped the fan so it's not it. I know it's not the same PSU but I'm pretty sure it didn't make the same noise when it was new.

Aard · Post by **Aard** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:02 am

Well its highly unlikely to have anything to with the LEDs and removing fans won't do it (unless of course the noise was always there but now its more noticeable, or its heat induced).

What happens if you stop F@H? If the noise stops I'd blame the GPU, my 8800GT whines but only (so far at least) when starting Crysis so maybe some software behaves badly with these cards?

N.B. I would say that it is load induce because its Crysis but it doesn't appear to whine during game play which is somewhat odd (but not unpleasant

)

Can you double check that driver version? 175.44 doesn't seem to exist. I doubt it will be the issue but some drivers can do strange things.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:13 am

You can start up the PSU with no load by disconnecting all the power leads in the case and jumping the green wire to any black wire on the atx connector using a paper clip. If the noise is there, it's obviously the PSU that causing it. If not, the noise may only happen with high load on the PSU. You can connect things one at a time to see if the noise comes back.

You can't discount the screetching noise being any components, regardless of how long you've owned them. When you upgrade your rig, you put different stresses on the PSU.

bgavin · Post by **bgavin** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:50 am

It sounds like you might have a MOSFET singing away. This happens when it is dealing with a failing component, such as a shorting capacitor. I have this bug on a Dell board I have in for repair.

Open the PSU and look carefully at the caps. If you have any bulging or leaking, or rounded tops, the PSU is dying. If you have the chops, you can recap it. Most PSU are not worth saving, including the Antec, Bestec, Deer, and other problematic power supplies.

If you have a dying PSU, get it *out* of your system before it takes the motherboard VRM and anything else it can trash. The Bestec (HP, eMachine, etc) are notorious for devastating the rest of the system. If money is an issue, go buy a Sparkle such as the ATX350-PN. They will last a few years before their caps start to go bad.

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:32 am

Thanks for the responses.

The noise seems strongest right around the NB. This is also right below my PSU and right above my GPU [ I doubt it is the PSU though, because when I put my ear on the back PSU fan its not very noticeable. ]

Just today a relation started, too. Without F@H GPU running - the noise is GONE!!:). F@H CPU does not do this.

--------

Charnme- I'm pretty sure this can be called a "Better Mainboard". ASUS Striker II Formula - $300

. I do agree though that something is definitely wrong with the mainboard.

Beli ninja- For me the problem begins a few minutes after start up, and stops INSTANTLY after pressing shut down. I have an Enermax 530 watt.

Aard- Maybe it is heat induced.. but before I had the fans blowing on the NB and memory, it was fine also. I just didn't like the temperatures. Also, right after stopping F@H [ I tried this yesterday too and no change ] it stopped! WOO!! I guess I just won't fold

. I'll try some Crysis to see if I get the problem.

And sorry, the drivers were 174.55

.

Jhhoffma- I never do anything with a PSU, so I would have no clue if what I would be doing is correct. I understand the load thing though. That would fit with the fact the noise stops without F@H running.

Bgavin- I am now paranoid

. Would Enermax be a company to open up? Should I try to send it in? I know opening it = no more warranty.. so how can I even be sure that its the problem without going inside :/.

EDIT: If you read all my responses, you can see what I'm saying changes.. well that's because my opinion changed as well through it

.

Cistron · Post by **Cistron** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:59 am

aSASa wrote:Just today a relation started, too. Without F@H GPU running - the noise is GONE!!:). F@H CPU does not do this.

Why do you think it's the mainboard, when the noise is associated with GPU load? My GPU also intermittently whines when stressed (at least before I forced vSync).

Plekto · Post by **Plekto** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:04 am

Since the video card is the single highest draw of power aside from the CPU, if the caps and components are failing, it's logical that reducing the load to half or thereabouts would lessen their death-song.

As for motherboards, I swear by the Gigabyte models with the solid state caps and 8 phase power regulation. It's not what I run due to cost, but it's what I usually put in customer's builds.

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:04 pm

@ Cistron, my last statement after an edit said

" If you read all my responses, you can see what I'm saying changes.. well that's because my opinion changed as well through it

."

As I read on I thought more about it, and then at the end I decided either the PSU or GPU was the problem.. somehow.

@ Plekto, Haha, death song

. The S2F also uses an 8 phase, so I don't see that being an issue.

beli ninja · Post by **beli ninja** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:01 pm

thanks. I'll play a little and report the results.

Aard · Post by **Aard** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:16 pm

Take a look through this thread viewtopic.php?t=48743, it seems that F@H GPU doesn't play nice with some cards.

aSASa · Post by **aSASa** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:38 pm

Aard wrote:Take a look through this thread viewtopic.php?t=48743, it seems that F@H GPU doesn't play nice with some cards.

Its in games too -- like Crysis.