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Newly assembled computer making a high pitched noise

A

AAMAA

Junior Member
Hello, this is my first post on these forums and I need some help.

About a week ago I assembled my own computer, everything went fine and it is now working perfectly except for the high pitched noise. I am 100% sure it is not suppose to be making this noise as it is incredibly annoying, I would say that it is comparable to a CRT monitor which has its refresh rate set wrong.

I can trigger this noise my moving the volume slider up and down to play a system sound which will then make the noise occur however this does not always work. The noise also starts up at random times when I am browsing the web or playing games. This noise has also occured as soon as I plugged a USB flash drive in.

I would really appreciate any help to identify what is causing this problem.

Thanks.

My computer specs are:

Intel i5 2500K @ 3.3 GHz
650w Antec Truepower New Modular PSU
8GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 RAM
1TB Samsung Spinpoint HDD
1GB Asus GTX 560 Ti Direct CU II Top
Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3-B3 Motherboard
Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler
 
Diagnosis and elimination will probably be time consuming and you may never get to the bottom of it. Recommend to just buy yourself an inexpensive sound card.
 
Make sure you have the chip-set and latest Sound driver installed for you motherboard.
RMA the motherboard if the problem continues.
 
Your (video card mostly, as it changes from light to more loaded state, combined with rest of system) is drawing an amount of power that causes the onboard sound to get dirty power at just the wrong frequency. There are lots of things you could fiddle with to try and change the power consumption and noise such as changing bus clock speeds, under or overclocking CPU or video card, changing PSU, or as someone already mentioned just buy a sound card.
 
Ok I bought a sound card, installed it, updated drivers but the noise has persisted. Im not sure if the noise is exactly the same but it is definetely still there. What should I do?
 
using any fan controlers? Iv seen digital fan controlers make that noise at certain speeds, were as Analog ones such as Sunbeam Rheobus will not.

If you cant tell what component it maybe coming from, only suggestion i have is.. bench test it out of the Case just to pinpoint it. reassemble it on a wood table or something Not static, any extra accessories disconnected, and try to reproduce the noise.. then you can put your ear closer and move around to try and rule out some things... cause a high pitch noise like that could be from any device with a power circuit like - your PSU/Motherboard/Graphics card
 
For some reason I was under the impression the noise was in your audio subsystem, heard over the connected speakers. If that is not the source then you have some magnetics causing it, a resonating inductor or transformer.

Open the case, put a straw or tube to your ear and probe around for the source. Typical components that have magnetics prone to noise include (but this is not an all-inclusive list, just among the most common PC components people use):

Network adapter (less common)

Motherboard CPU (VRM) power subcircuit (very common on older mobos but yours appears to use all solid inductors making it an unlikely suspect)

Video card power subcircuit (as above, if solid inductors or they are potted with epoxy, it is less likely). Here is an example of epoxy potted inductors, 3 of them on the back edge of the card, http://www.3dnews.ru/_imgdata/img/2007/06/07/50607.jpg

Power supply (very common)


Fixing the problem involves either changing the power consumption levels by changing system settings for voltage, bus speed, etc, replacing the noisy component, replacement of the particular magnetic discrete component making the noise, or fixating the coils so they don't vibrate with something like epoxy, lacquer, etc... anything that gets into the gaps while curing reasonably hard and heat resistant but does not contain any solvent that could potentially degrade the original *enamel* on the windings (which are usually polyurethane, polyamide, or polyester etc resin based).

What I'd do... if the parts are under warranty still and you have a spare replacement and/or use of the system isn't critical (you can suffer weeks of downtime) then send in the part for RMA replacement. If not under warranty or you can't wait, get some clear 5 minute epoxy from the hardware store and put that on any suspect parts, keeping in mind that doing so may void the warranty on that part. Some people just dribble or spread the epoxy on, while I like to take a piece of heatshrink tubing large enough there is a bit of a gap all around, NOT heating it just using it as a form to pour the epoxy in around the inductor.

If it's the PSU transformer it is IMO, not reasonable to try to fix that. You could try squirting some lacquer in at the top of the wrapping around it with a blunt syringe, or desolder the whole thing to dip it, or replace it, but IMO that is too much work to bother with.
 
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I have attempted to pinpoint the sound as you suggested without success. You say that the power supply is the most likely reason for the sound so would it make sense to replace that and if that doesn't fix it I can at least rule it out?
 
Well, you could certainly try doing that but it becomes costly to start buying more parts without being certain... unless you have a viable spare PSU already. On the other hand, even if a different part is making the noise, a different model of PSU "could" result in the part making noise, ceasing to doing so.
 
Check your speaker cables. Silly question: When you installed your sound card, did you plug the cables into it or, leave them attached to the onboard socket? 🙂
 
Take everything out. rebuilt on a cardboard.start it and if the problem still on.change the mobo.(only if you have try all the above.)
 
Keep something in mind. If something magnetic is resonating, it is often an interaction between the load placed on the power supply and the switching noise resulting, putting the magnetic part within a resonant frequency range.

This means you could have an entire system as-is making noise, but unplugging a part that is not at fault could change the total load and get rid of the noise. Similarly, slight variations in pressure on a PCB when mounted in a case, or video card screwed into the rear bracket mount, can flex it a little causing different tension on an inductor causing it to start or stop making noise. "Can" doesn't necessarily mean "will", but it is something to keep in mind.

Thus, while connecting and disconnecting different parts has merit, as does putting it all out on a desk for testing, it can also lead to wrong conclusions sometimes about cause. Even so, if the final system config you end up with doesn't make noise any more and is acceptable, the problem is still solved... at least until changes are made again.

Even something as obscure as a change in operating temperature of the PSU (if PSU is the noise source) from having it outside the case instead of inside the case, can change the noise level if not get rid of it since it is potentially an electro-mechanical problem with several variables involved.
 
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