Here's an odd one: hotmail is noisy

[Craig234]

When I bring up Chrome with a tab open on hotmail listing e-mails (no e-mail opened), a high pitched noise starts and continues from the PC.

If I minimize Chrome or switch tabs, the noise ends.

What the heck?

 

[Craig234]

The problem quit on its own, but happened several times testing when I posted.

 

[VirtualLarry]

With all of the troubles that you've had with your PC, it's time to call The GhostBusters!

 

[VirtualLarry]

What happens if you disable "C-States" in BIOS, and/or select "High Performance" under Power Plan?

 

[Craig234]

What happens if you disable "C-States" in BIOS, and/or select "High Performance" under Power Plan?

If it happens again I can look at that.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The reason that those options might fix it is, Windows' Power-Managerment, is by default, set to Balanced, in which case it will adjust frequency and voltage thousands of times a second, and sometimes, with certain C-states, it will actually stop powering certain CPU cores, at least partially or nearly entirely.

This high-frequency swinging and loading on the VRMs, can sometimes cause "coil whine", either on the mobo VRMs, the GPU's VRMs, or the PSU.

Setting the power plan to "High Performance", locks the Power Management at "full on" settings for the CPU, and disabling C-states disables the ability of Windows or the BIOS from shutting down cores.

Edit: And honestly, the amount of extra power those settings costs, is not a whole lot. Most modern CPUs are very power-efficient anyways. You may find that those settings (recommended for DAW workstations), make your PC seem a tad more responsive as well.

 

[Craig234]

The issue is happening again. But having second thoughts about bios modifications. I don't know if simply rebooting which would be done as part of changing the bios might even get rid of it for a while.

Something else strange: when I try to listen closely to see more specifically where the sound is coming from by listening closer to the MB, I can't hear it. In other words it sound like it's coming from the (open case) PC, but when I listen more closely it's not audible...

 

[Craig234]

And minutes after it's not happening.

 

[lxskllr]

A piece of hose can help isolate sounds.

 

[Craig234]

Back again and strange. If I listen about 18 inches away, I hear it. A few inches closer and it gets very quiet.

 

[VirtualLarry]

But having second thoughts about bios modifications.

I'm not asking you to "modify" (patch) your BIOS. Only to change a few settings. You can DO IT!

 

[mindless1]

Maybe it's coming through your (analog?) audio, unplug the speakers and see if it remains.

 

[Craig234]

Maybe it's coming through your (analog?) audio, unplug the speakers and see if it remains.

No speakers - just headphones, and they're on the other side.

 

[Rifter]

came here to suggest same thing larry did, try that see if it helps.

 

[gorcorps]

I wonder if there's some sort of fan vibration, or case vibration coming from a fan or something. Can you change the sound by putting your hand on different parts of the case?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Probably coil whine. I had an old PSU that'd randomly kick up the whine when doing very specific things, like displaying a full white page (think google home page), a few other things would 'trigger' it. If i minimized back to my normal black background, coil whine went away. Full screened again, whine came back. Replacing PSU fixed it.

 

[Craig234]

Probably coil whine. I had an old PSU that'd randomly kick up the whine when doing very specific things, like displaying a full white page (think google home page), a few other things would 'trigger' it. If i minimized back to my normal black background, coil whine went away. Full screened again, whine came back. Replacing PSU fixed it.

Happening again; touching different parts of the PC doesn't seem to affect it. One more thing that doesn't help is that the quiet sound gets hard to hear after about 10 seconds - like tinnitis you don't notice unless you listen for it - and I have to switch tabs to turn it off and then back on to hear it again, but it's there and easy to hear about 5 seconds. It doesn't go away though.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Happening again; touching different parts of the PC doesn't seem to affect it.

I wouldn't expect it to.

I have to switch tabs to turn it off and then back on to hear it again

That really sounds a whole lot like coil whine.

What i'd try to do if i were you, take off the side of the case, roll up some paper or use a paper towel roll, and try to scope what component the noise is coming from by holding your ear to the roll and move it around the case. Start with PSU, check GPU next if you have one, then start looking at motherboard components. Whatever component is making the noise, replace it with something better. Hopefully it's 'just' the PSU.

 

[Craig234]

For the first time I noticed, it happened with a different tab than hotmail, another forum. Even when I switch between AT and the other forum, the noise is only on the other forum.

Not surprising that it's not specific to hotmail, but it is strange to have two different forum tabs cause this hardware sound, and that the sound is also only audible in some areas near the PC.

When the sound is going on about 18 inches away, moving even about 3 inches closer to it it goes away. I can't even localize which part of the PC it's from.

 

[Jaskalas]

I'd like to say that I know the sort of noise Craig is speaking of. I too have experienced it on my PCs. Where simply having a certain screen from my browser "in focus" will cause an audible noise. Thanks to those who contributed, I might check out some of these options if / when next time I notice it.

 

[sdifox]

Try turning off the monitor next time you hear the whine. Might be coming from there.

 

[Craig234]

Try turning off the monitor next time you hear the whine. Might be coming from there.

No, that's not it. Monitor in front, PC on side, while I can't localize it in the PC, it's definitely from the PC.

 

[Craig234]

Try turning off the monitor next time you hear the whine. Might be coming from there.

This is interesting - while the noise isn't coming from the monitor, I turned it off and the sound does go away, so it's somehow related to the monitor and the browser tab.

 

[HutchinsonJC]

Is the electrical plug the computer is plugged into properly grounded?

Also, maybe read this:
https://www.techhive.com/article/30...noises-from-your-audio-and-video-systems.html

 

[Craig234]

Is the electrical plug the computer is plugged into properly grounded?

Also, maybe read this:
https://www.techhive.com/article/30...noises-from-your-audio-and-video-systems.html

No idea if it's properly grounded, probably not. Interesting article, but doesn't really sound like the issue given changing tabs turns it on and off.