Random Phantom Sound - Where's it coming from?

finvarra

Junior Member
Jun 23, 2017
2
0
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Here's an issue that has been hounding me and I've exhausted all possibilities. Maybe someone here can come up with an out-of-the-box diagnoses.

I was using a self-built machine running Windows 7. Suddenly, about 3 months ago, random USB device disconnect-like sounds started occurring (sometimes 3x in a row, other times not for several hours) - I disabled all system sounds and it still continued, even though I didn't notice any USB hardware blips). Two months ago, I bought the new Intel NUC7i7BNH, installed Windows 10, and within a few hours the issue suddenly started all over again.

I've recorded the sound. Here's the link: https://soundcloud.com/finvarra/nuc-sound

I have replaced or swapped out literally all my hardware, disabled all Windows power-saving settings, turned off ALL Windows system sounds, tested the same configuration on 3 different computers (1 running Win 10, the others Win 7), been on several computer help forums, pretty much eliminated every computer-related fix Google (and several computer advisers) could suggest including testing all USBs and running USBDeview (with no hits) - and the same "disconnect" sound (or whatever it is) continues. So I don't think it's a Windows or USB issue - or even a hardware one.

It's definitely coming through the speakers b/c I can lower the volume. I get no hardware hiccops. Usually, the sound is the 2 tone Downward disconnect sound, but sometimes it just seems like 1 tone. The randomness is what is really frustrating. For instance it was silent all yesterday morning, then 3 times in a half-hour, then nothing until this morning - just once - and then suddenly nearly a dozen times in 10 minutes. There is just no pattern - no particular change in electrical usage - and the sound cannot be controlled or even disabled in Windows. The events viewer never shows anything that corresponds to the sounds. Also, the sound seems to happen much more frequently (but not exclusively) during the day.

One hypothesis was that it could be electrical in nature. I tested all the sockets on the circuit (tested fine) and even replaced them. No change. I thought that maybe it could be a firewall issue in my router (notifications???) and disabled it. No change. Someone thought it might be an alert from the router and sent packets to the router to try to replicate the sound. Nothing.

To summarize... I'm looking for something that (a) sounds like the above; (b) comes through the speakers ; (c) is totally independent of anything I may be doing (or not doing anything) at the time; (d) and is completely random.

The NUC itself is running great... and I would just like to figure out WHAT the sound is, WHERE it's coming from, and HOW to stop it.

*I would appreciate ANY direction as this has been very frustrating. Thanks!
 

finvarra

Junior Member
Jun 23, 2017
2
0
1
I did take the NUC upstairs (lucky it is so portable) and connected it to my HDMI TV, It wasn't a truly scientific test b/c the really does happen randomly (about 20x today, tho mostly spaced in a 2 hour late morning-early afternoon period) - but during the couple hours I had it HDMI connected there were no sound events.

This leads me to believe that maybe it is some sort of random electrical surge (aside from changing plates, I'm not much of an electrical whiz). Someone suggested I try Clip-on Ferrite Ring Core RFI EMI Noise Suppressor Cable Clips. Does anyone know if they would prevent that kind of sound?