CPU Noise????

A

ATITek

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 6, 2004
Messages
138
I have been chasing a noise coming from my PC for a few weeks now. At first, I thought it was the hard drive, but now the noise continues after I have installed three different hard drives.

Basically, when the computer "thinks" I can hear a deep noise. It kind of sounds like playing cards stuck in the spokes of a bike wheel turning at a medium speed.

My case is all aluminum and my hard drive is soft mounted with rubber washers.


It is not a fan or power supply as it only happens when the PC is processing data. Could my quad core be making noise? Three different hard drives have been installed and the noise continues. I only have ONE drive in the PC. I didn't think it was possible for a processor to make noise. My only other thought is my case amplifies hard drive noise.


Thoughts?
 
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All my computers do this -- exactly the sound you're describing. I haven't put in my SSD yet so I'm not sure if it's just mechnical drives.

AFAIK this is perfectly normal. Sorry I can't give a detailed explanation of what exactly the noise is.. I'm just as interested to find out.
 
I'd say if you want to get to the bottom of it, remove the HDD from your case and just plug it in and keep it outside of the case. If the sound goes away, it is making parts of the case vibrate (which depending on the case can be normal). Also keep in mind that different brands/models of HDD make different sounds, some quieter, some softer. You could just be hearing the drive it's self.

I know some components can cause a whining sound (coil whine) but that doesn't seem to be what you are describing here.

Sounds like HDD noise to me.
 
HDD seek noise would be a small ticking sounds (not clicking; clicking would be bad, coming from a HDD, lol). Cards in spokes would be fan related, IMO.
 
I pulled the HD and ran the rig. No noise. So that means it is not the fans.

However, with no HD the processor is not "processing" any data.

Can a processor make noise? Otherwise, is my case and how a hard drive sounds in it.
 
It's probably the Power Supply and/or it's influence on the motherboard power circuitry.


I recently upgraded my old Enermax Noisetaker 600W to a Corsair 650TX which uses a single rail for the 12v line. Since getting this new PSU my PC now emits the noise you describe when doing stuff, especially 3D rendering in a window. The graphics card also emits similar electrical noise for the same reasons.

People refer to it as "Coil Whine" (google it). Simply put, it's normal and nothing to worry about.

If the noise bothers you then you can either invest in some noise dampening foam for your PC case (use with caution as improper installation can cause over heating) or buy a new PSU which is known not to do this.


If I were you and wanted to get a new PSU to solve this problem I would look into Enermax's new Eco series of Power Supplies.

Hope this helps ;)
 
spine said:
It's probably the Power Supply and/or it's influence on the motherboard power circuitry.


I recently upgraded my old Enermax Noisetaker 600W to a Corsair 650TX which uses a single rail for the 12v line. Since getting this new PSU my PC now emits the noise you describe when doing stuff, especially 3D rendering in a window. The graphics card also emits similar electrical noise for the same reasons.

People refer to it as "Coil Whine" (google it). Simply put, it's normal and nothing to worry about.

If the noise bothers you then you can either invest in some noise dampening foam for your PC case (use with caution as improper installation can cause over heating) or buy a new PSU which is known not to do this.


If I were you and wanted to get a new PSU to solve this problem I would look into Enermax's new Eco series of Power Supplies.

Hope this helps ;)
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh ha! I think you found my problem. This all started after I had a new Corsair 850TX PSU installed!


So I have been replacing hard drives for nothing since December.....


I don't understand why that should cause the change in the noise. However, my old PSU was a Silent Engine.


It kind of sounds like this, but deeper. I could take my own video at some point. However, this is close:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9obzgmWrlM
 
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I've had the card/spokes sound come and go and my computer. At first I thought it was a wire brushing up against a fan blade (which has happened sometimes before), but all fans were clear. Sometimes if I poke around and move wires, it went away, so I always wondered if something was loose on my PSU. Glad to hear it's pretty normal. Weird thing is, I used the PSU in a previous build and never heard any sounds. Computer runs fine though, and that's all that matters as long as it's not going to cause something to fail.
 
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