My computer makes odd noises when overclocked hard.

[Marty502]

I redlined my CPU a few minutes ago (made it hit 2.85 Ghz with 1.47v) but quickly pulled back to 2.4 Ghz, which is the moderate OC I've had pretty much forever.

The reason? In Windows, while programs loaded and stuff, I heard a distinctively odd noise coming from my case, I'd say it was from the hard drive. Sort of a very subtle and high pitched TSK TSK TSK TSK TSK thrashing noise... it really frightened me, so I rebooted inmediately. My motherboard has locked SATA ports though... I think. Otherwise my HDD would have been fried right away, isn't it?

I'm back to some moderate settings now (my sig) and the noise is gone.

Anyway. What the hell was that? Has this happened to any of you? I'd never read about such a situation, much less been through it... I couldn't be comfortable with my computer buzzing away like that.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Are you sure the noise wasn't normal? You do know that parts do scrape inside your hard drive?

 

[Marty502]

It was very, very weird. My rig's pretty silent overall and I can tell you for sure that it had never, ever sounded like that. I've had this computer for nearly two years, with the same hard drive.

Don't forget I'm assuming it was the hard drive though. It could be something else. And yes, I know how HDDs operate and sound, but this was much louder and different. I'd record a sample of how it sounds and upload it for you to listen, if I wasn't afraid that some component is being damaged.

 

[Drsignguy]

How many fans do you have and what are the sizes? When a fan starts to go bad, they start to "wine". When there is a load change they can fluctuate a bit and change pitch.
Even your GPU fan.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Marty502
TSK TSK TSK TSK TSK thrashing noise

What? You forgot to oil the hampster wheel in your PC again?

:laugh:

 

[Marty502]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: Marty502
TSK TSK TSK TSK TSK thrashing noise

What? You forgot to oil the hampster wheel in your PC again?

:laugh:

Hahaha, it's not that old! Bug off :laugh:

It wasn't the fans... they're all in perfect condition. Still:

1x Thermaltake Mini Typhoon.
1x 80mm intake fan
1x 120mm exhaust fan
2x ??mm on the PSU (TT 430W)
Stock GPU fan.

I think I'll try and record the noise.

 

[VirtualLarry]

It's probably the power-supply circuitry, either in the PSU or on the mobo, that was stressed under high load, and was "buzzing".

 

[Marty502]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
It's probably the power-supply circuitry, either in the PSU or on the mobo, that was stressed under high load, and was "buzzing".

That sounds dangerous. Frankly, I did the overclock again but I couldn't stand feeling that odd noise again, so I turned it off and set it back to 2.4 Ghz. It's like a piece of my computer is about to snap or something.

It's not like I'll notice much of a difference between 2.4 and 2.8 with my s**t videocard anyway!

 

[geokilla]

I have the same CPU as you. However, I don't hear any weird noise when overclocked hard. I do hear my CPU making like very soft whisper noises when it's under load.

 

[Rhoxed]

I doubt its the PSU (unless its dieing anyway)... I have a TT 430W (im sure the same you have, 2 fans ect. ect.)

Phenom 9550 @ 2.7ghz 1.3V
ECS A780GM-A
1x DVD-RW
1x 250GB SATA 1x 500GB SATA
8800GT
2GB G.SKill DDR2-800
3x 120mm 2x 80mm case fans
Xigmatek HDT Cpu cooler

Runs everything very easily...

 

[WA261]

Sounds like your HDD

 

[crontab]

Does it sound like high pitched squealing? My PSU experiences that when my OC'd box is under full load for some period of time. Running prime for about an hour. It's a corsair hx620w. Other people on the corsair forums have reported the squealing in this PSU and other ones. People have replaced it and I kept mine the way it is as I never run a load of 100% for an hour let alone a coupe minutes.

 

[Marty502]

Originally posted by: Rhoxed
I doubt its the PSU (unless its dieing anyway)... I have a TT 430W (im sure the same you have, 2 fans ect. ect.)

Phenom 9550 @ 2.7ghz 1.3V
ECS A780GM-A
1x DVD-RW
1x 250GB SATA 1x 500GB SATA
8800GT
2GB G.SKill DDR2-800
3x 120mm 2x 80mm case fans
Xigmatek HDT Cpu cooler

Runs everything very easily...

Wow! I'd never imagined the TR2 430W could handle all that. Some people bashed on me for plugging a x1950 Pro into it...

Good to know, because I love it. Extremely silent! Great PSU.

 

[Quiksilver]

Sounds like HDD or a Fan is on its way out as it sounds more like a mechanical noise than an electrical whine.

 

[Marty502]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Sounds like HDD or a Fan is on its way out as it sounds more like a mechanical noise than an electrical whine.

Then how come it only happened while the computer was overclocked hard, yet now that it's at 2.4 Ghz it doesn't make the odd noise one bit? All fans are fine, by the way. Checked them all, tried them at full speed and at lower speeds. Put a bit of oil in the bearings just in case.

Frankly, I don't have a clue what was going on. But what the hell; I don't really need the extra Mhz anyway.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Probably the power system on your motherboard. Not necessarily being over stressed, maybe just an inductor is vibrating (oscillating).

The TSK TSK could be because it's really high pitched and you can't properly hear the noise?

My video card "talks" sometimes whenever I play games.