Help! Computer sounds like vaccum cleaner on stereoids!

[Uberapan]

For a while now, I've had a 450 mhz computer that was very loud. I got myself a nice case of tinitus by using it too much, so I had to start putting paper in my ears to keep the sound out. It helped a bit, and I could endure it for a couple of months. I built a new computer yesterday, a p4 2ghz, 512 mb ram, geforce ti 500, sb audigy.
It sounds even worse. When I start it, it's not so bad. I can live with a couple of fans, but after a while it starts to sound like a low frequency tone generator. It seems like some kind of resonance builds up inside the case, and after a while it becomes unbearable. I shelled out almost $3000 for the equipment in it (hardware is expensive in Sweden). I paid $300 for a noice-control case (www.noicecontrol.de). It has a 1 cm thick layer of noice-absorbing material inside the entire case. But does it help? No.

In school, we have 20 1ghz p3:s. When all of them are turned on at the same time, they make about half as much sound combined as my new 2ghz makes alone.

I refuse to accept that I'll need to have paper in my ears as soon as I'm going to use my computer. After a while the sound becomes unbearable. Is there NOTHING I can do? I've bought extension cables, so the computer is about 4 meters from where I'm sitting, but it doesn't really help at all. Is this really normal?

Any help would be appreciated..

 

[bacillus]

sounds like your fans are too loud!
you could try running the fans on 7V vs the 12V supply that it's presently on with a simple rewiring mod.
this would slow the fans down , reduce noise but cooling efficiency will also decrease!

 

[Enigma]

I would agree bacillus, the loss of cooling efficency will be negligible compared to your sanity.

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

Two words.

Water cooling



It's fun to setup, brag about and it's quiet.

 

[Uberapan]

I wouldn't say it's the fans, since this sound doesn't appear until a few minutes after I power on the computer. The fans are really quiet...The noice control case supresses their sound, but something gives off a terrible tone. You must have heard one of those tone generators, the ones you hit on with a small club? It sounds almost EXACTLY like that.

 

[Uberapan]

BTW, how do I make the fans use 7V instead of 12V?

 

[NesuD]

Sounds like some sort of harmonics like effect. Almost like a sort of feedback coming through your case? It is caused by vibrations if certain frequencies that are (starting to do a little educated guessing here) actually feeding off similar frequency vibrations and amplifying themselves. I have had a similar effect on a case i once had. Basically the case is acting sort of like a bell. The cure is to determine the actual source of the vibration causing it and deadening it somehow or to change the frequency of the vibration to one that doesn't cause the harmonic like effect. The way i determined where it was originating was simply while it was making the noise to touch certain parts of the case with my hand to deaden the vibration until i heard it diminish. mine turned ut to be caused by a slide out motherboard tray that wasn't fastened securely enough deaden the vibration from a 7000 rpm delta. Or i could be completely wrong.

 

[Woody419]

Sounds like you got a few screws loose. Snug up the ps and case screws, the transformer could be vibrating. Or all the fans make the case covers vibrate. Take off all the covers and see what tune it hums. You may end up getting slower rotating fans, what do you have in that box? How fast is the fan on your heat sink?

 

[DN]

I'd unplug (remove the power connector) one component at a time, except for the hard drive of course, and see if you can eliminate the sound.. Start, one at a time, with the cd/burner/dvd (if you have either?) as that could be the culprit.. It's going to be something that "moves" which would be things like the cd, burner, hard drive, fans, video card fan, cpu fan, floppy drive, dvd, etc..

 

[fwupow]

Might there perhaps be some other machine or sound source in the same room or building as your computer emitting a sound of the same frequency and causing a resonance?

Try moving the case to another place in the room. Is it on the floor? Try getting it off the floor.

I'd try the simple and cheap steps before tearing it open and spending money.

Oh, one last thing. Is your pwr supply new or is it a carry over from your old system? If it is a carry over then it may be the culprit.

 

[Uberapan]

Thanks for all your help. The fan is the kind Intel ships with the P4.

 

[Pabster]

I personally thought the fan included with the Retail Box P4's was quiet. Not as quiet (nearly) as those on P3s, but the P4 dissipates significantly more heat. I know Dell had to stop shipment on several 8100's and fix others, as people complained about the fan noise (they were 2GHz machines.)

Unfortunately, any time you are cooling with air, there will be noise. And even with watercooled machines, you have noise (something has to cool that radiator ). With the retail fan and case insulation, I cannot imagine that rig would be too loud. You might have an issue elsewhere -- such as the power supply, like another member mentioned.