Here's an odd one: hotmail is noisy

[ViRGE]

When I saw the thread title I went "this has to be a Craig" thread. I have not been disappointed.

Anyhow, I concur with the coin whine theory. In my experience, video cards are more likely to whine than the rest of the system. So my suggestion is to try disabling Chrome hardware acceleration and work from there. If the issue occurs even with acceleration disabled, then you can safely rule out the video card.

I'd also suggest running GPU-Z to keep an eye on video card clocks while doing this, just to make sure it's idling. But that's not strictly necessary.

 

[Craig234]

When I saw the thread title I went "this has to be a Craig" thread. I have not been disappointed.

Anyhow, I concur with the coin whine theory. In my experience, video cards are more likely to whine than the rest of the system. So my suggestion is to try disabling Chrome hardware acceleration and work from there. If the issue occurs even with acceleration disabled, then you can safely rule out the video card.

I'd also suggest running GPU-Z to keep an eye on video card clocks while doing this, just to make sure it's idling. But that's not strictly necessary.

I checked the Chrome setting, and it's a bad UI, I can't tell what's on and off. It has a left white setting and a right blue setting. It's set to left and white, so maybe off already.

 

[HutchinsonJC]

Interesting article, but doesn't really sound like the issue given changing tabs turns it on and off.

The article may have relevance if you consider that changing chrome tabs changes the power usage signature of the machine you're on. Not just from a standpoint of what the CPU is doing, or just from a standpoint of what your monitor is displaying, but rather from the combination of how everything comes together. Different energy signatures are going through monitor cables, power cables, etc. Depending how all that plays together, it could be creating ground loops.

 

[Craig234]

It just got a bit weirder. I was on the main page of another forum, no noise. When I clicked a thread, a high pitched noise started. Go back noise ends. I was curious, so I clicked the hotmail tab, and a *different*, still high pitched but much lower, noise began.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sounds like it's just coil whine. Either swap hardware, or look into using some "potting goop" on the device's inductors / coils, probably in the PSU area. (It's basically silicone hot glue.)

Edit: Maybe "potting goop" isn't the same stuff, not quite sure. But I've seen PSUs and whatnot, with white silicon hot-glue-like substances, holding them from vibrating.

 

[Craig234]

And recently, I was getting a sort of WHIR-whir-WHIR-whir sound alterating more than once per second that sounded like a (about four months since installed) hard drive going bad, but then it went away...

 

[Craig234]

Sounds like it's just coil whine. Either swap hardware, or look into using some "potting goop" on the device's inductors / coils, probably in the PSU area. (It's basically silicone hot glue.)

Edit: Maybe "potting goop" isn't the same stuff, not quite sure. But I've seen PSUs and whatnot, with white silicon hot-glue-like substances, holding them from vibrating.

That just sounds strange. Putting good outside components hoping it makes a slight sound go away?

Hard to see trying that. Not saying you're wrong, but hard to see doing it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You sure that this isn't just a temp-controlled CPU fan adjusting RPM, because some web site is running some looping detection code or something?

Try going into BIOS, and DISABLE "CPU Smart Fan". That should force the CPU fan to run at max RPMs. I often find that less distracting (constant white noise), compared to the revving up and down variable-RPM behavior of a temp-controlled fan.

 

[killster1]

im confused about this thread, they keep saying noise this and that but have tried zero things to fix?

If you refuse to pinpoint the noise then swap out the PSU first imo, you can check if the electric socket is grounded by purchasing a handy test light (that imo every person should own).

 

[VirtualLarry]

but have tried zero things to fix?

Don't ask that question; it's a Craig thread.

 

[killster1]

oh trolled..

 

[Craig234]

im confused about this thread, they keep saying noise this and that but have tried zero things to fix?

If you refuse to pinpoint the noise then swap out the PSU first imo, you can check if the electric socket is grounded by purchasing a handy test light (that imo every person should own).

That's a pretty aggressive tone. As I said before, I can't 'pinpoint' the noise because when I try to listen more closely, I can't hear it - only from a certain distance.

The PS is less than a year old and quality, so not a top suspect, and it's unclear how a PS problem would match the symptom. But it might somehow be related, or the grounding, etc.

 

[Craig234]

Don't ask that question; it's a Craig thread.

You do realize the balance between you posting something constructive and being jerky too often has the jerky side ahead?

 

[VirtualLarry]

You do realize the balance between you posting something constructive and being jerky too often has the jerky side ahead?

Point taken. I was trying to nip his criticism in the bud. But while we're on about it, why not try a few of the solutions posted? And keep us posted?

 

[Craig234]

Point taken. I was trying to ********* his criticism in the bud. But while we're on about it, why not try a few of the solutions posted? And keep us posted?

I appreciate the suggestions, but so far they mostly seem to be:

- pinpoint the source: I can't, as explained above
- Buy a new PS: doesn't seem warranted, especially with a nice relatively new Seasonic PS
- Put goop on connections: Not comfortable with that one
- Buy a 'test to see if socket is grounded' thing (and I guess use a grounded power strip?) - considering
- Force CPU to always run fan at max for noisy consistency: don't like that idea for either preference or wear and tear
- Disable Chrome HW acceleration: I'll try that if it's not already set
- Use another browser: considering, but the problem isn't that severe, more a curiosity
- Monitor GPU something or other: doubting that seems likely a cause, problem is immediate switching tabs

There might be more I missed.

This was more of a 'this seems quite strange' issue of interest for people to hear about and see if they had ideas on the cause. Some things are worse problems, this one isn't that big a deal if not fixed.

Now why it sounded like I had a (months-in-use) HD going bad and then it went away...

 

[Rifter]

im confused about this thread, they keep saying noise this and that but have tried zero things to fix?

If you refuse to pinpoint the noise then swap out the PSU first imo, you can check if the electric socket is grounded by purchasing a handy test light (that imo every person should own).

Its a troll thread dude.

 

[Craig234]

Its a troll thread dude.

No, your post is a troll.