Can figure out source of noise

[lefty2]

I've being trying to make my PC, so to figure out which component is making the noise, I switched off all the fans and the hard drive. Amazingly there still is a noise coming from the machine. It sounds like a faint fan noise, but there are no fans powered on. What can it be?

 

[MongGrel]

PSU ?

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

Yup can only be the fan inside the power supply.

 

[lefty2]

Yup can only be the fan inside the power supply.

Nope. The PSU is fanless.
But now I'm thinking that there might be more than one motor in HDD, so when the main motor is powered down it still is making noise. I don't know.

 

[lehtv]

It might help to list your components rather than have us guess which component you may or may not own is making the noise.

 

[lefty2]

It might help to list your components rather than have us guess which component you may or may not own is making the noise.

Sorry.
This is it:
Gigabyte GA-B85M-D3H
Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3 1600
Core I5-4570
Samsung 840 Evo
Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 1TB
BitFenix Prodigy M
cooler master hyper 212 evo
Seasonic x460 fanless

 

[DrMrLordX]

If the PSU is fanless, then what you need to do is:

Unplug the PC(PSU) from the wall, and hold down the power switch to discharge the PSU properly.

Unplug every device that draws power from the PSU (yes, that includes your motherboard)

Plug the PSU back into the wall socket, and make sure it's switched on. Check for noise.

Unplug PSU, plug in motherboard only, discharge PSU, then plug the PSU back into the wall and check for noise. If no noise, plug the fans back in and then check for noise. If no noise, try to boot system. Assuming it boots, shut it down and check for residual noise.

If still no residual noise, plug in your drives one by one and check them for noise before and after a successful boot (you don't have to get as far as the OS booting, you just need it to POST and to power up everything.

After doing all that, you should be able to isolate the cause of the noise.

 

[lefty2]

I tried unplugging the SSD and hard drive and there still is a noise. It sounds like faint fan noise, but intermittantly gets louder. What can it be? I am guessing that it has to be the motherboard. Has anyone else come across a noisy motherboard?

 

[lehtv]

What I'd do is try to locate the source of the noise with the case open. Listen through a kitchen towel cardboard shell or some such tube to "probe" different parts of the case and identify the source. You should be able to eliminate each fan one by one pretty easily

 

[ClockHound]

The fanless Seasonics have been known to suffer from coil whine. Sometimes it's louder and more annoying that fan noise. It was with mine.

 

[Yuriman]

Agreed, probably coil whine. I've had video cards with coil whine so bad it could be heard in another room, in certain circumstances.

 

[lefty2]

ClockHound is right. It was the Seasonic PSU D:

 

[tweakboy]

Yup PSU noise, It will die soon, so grab a new one asap!

Its probably the PSU fan my guess gl

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

Hell, I never even seen a fanless PSU. You can use some goup and try to quiet it down, if its an old unit.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Hell, I never even seen a fanless PSU. You can use some goup and try to quiet it down, if its an old unit.

I don't buy fanless Seasonics, although I mostly buy Seasonics.

The way I've designed my cooling system --and always picking the high-efficiency "Gold" or "Platinum" PSUs -- the PSU fan seldom cuts on or spins up, except under stress-test.

I believe that you'll find units of otherwise "good" product that show coil whine. I've just never had one.

 

[lefty2]

I don't buy fanless Seasonics, although I mostly buy Seasonics.

The way I've designed my cooling system --and always picking the high-efficiency "Gold" or "Platinum" PSUs -- the PSU fan seldom cuts on or spins up, except under stress-test.

I believe that you'll find units of otherwise "good" product that show coil whine. I've just never had one.

Yeah, buying that PSU was a really bad decision for mine . I sent it back anyways. Thanks for the help.

 

[ClockHound]

If you still want to play the silent, fanless PSU lottery, the Rosewill Fanless unit (made by Super Flower) have basically zero reports of coil whine.

I used a EVGA G2 750 to replace my whiny seasonic. Not fanless, but fanless up to about 370W. And NO coil whine.