This might be bad...

[Scrode]

Hi,

I recently upgraded my PC and ever since I have been hearing a strange electrical sounding clicking noise coming from around the CPU


My upgrade consisted of

Chaintech VNF4 Ultra (Bios is at default settings)
AMD 3500+ 939 (haven?t OC'ed it)
Leadtek PX6600gt THD Extreme (Comes pre OC'ed 580/1150)



My System specs

Chaintech VNF4 Ultra
AMD 3500+ 939
Leadtek PX6600GT THD Extreme
1GB OCZ PC 3200 (2x512 in dual channel OCZ4001024P3DC-K)
Western Digital 80gb 7200RPM 2mb - a little over 2 years old
Vantech "Stealth" 520w PS (VAN-520A) - less than 5 months old

I haven?t overclocked anything, almost completely at default settings



The electrical clicking noise seems to be synchronized with the HDD activity light on the case. When the light flashes the clicking starts and as long as it stays lit the clicking continues. I have booted the computer with the HDD unpowered and the clicking persists. Also if the computer is left idle at the desktop the clicking noise follows a pattern, ever three seconds of so it will start then stop even if there is no activity on the HDD light.

On top of this my computer now randomly reboots. First the HD shuts down as if someone pulled the plug on it then my monitor flashes to the blue screen of death for less then a second, before it completely shuts down. Then the computer will reboot and start windows as if nothing happened.

These reboots tend to happen when the CPU is under a heavy load (e.g. playing games like UT2K4, multitasking, or burning a cd)

Also when the CPU is under a heavy load programs tend to have critical errors...this may be a separate issue though.

Until yesterday when I installed the parts I have had no problems with my HDD so I thing the problem could be bigger. I have updated and patched every piece of hardware in my computer and made sure all settings are at defaults, the only update I have not made is the beta bios patch for my MB.


I have no idea where to go next...any help is appreciated

Thanks in advance.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I suspect the clicking noise is probably coming from your PSU and the reason for the intermittent nature of the sound is that it is being caused by the fan speed varying due to thermal conditions inside the pc.

A build up of heat inside your pc is also probably at the root cause of your newly found stability issues. I would try running your pc with the fan switch on the back of the psu set to maximum for a period of time to see if stops randomly rebooting.

 

[montag451]

Welcome to the forum


Try:
disconnect everything from the mobo, EXCEPT psu/cpu/fans.

Once the system has finished beeping, do you hear the clicking noises still?
If not, then add RAM,
and try again.
try adding one thing each time.

Otherwise, i will go with what bob says

 

[Scrode]

Ok

I checked the bios temperature readings for the CPU after about an hour of gaming the reading was 39° Celsius. I am using the stock HSF that came with the cpu and I replaced the thermal paste with Artic Silver 7. Still the clicking is there. I?ve cleaned and reapplied the thermal paste three times and made sure the heatsink is securely attached to the MB

I also used a temperature probe on some of the hot spots in the system. The HDD read ~105° Fahrenheit from a few different locations; the CPU read ~107° Fahrenheit. Internal temp is around 93° I don?t know if that?s useful.



Right now I?m going to take the motherboard out of the case and try what Bob said, that might help pinpoint the source of the clicking

Also I?ll disconnect all the unnecessary components like Montag suggested and see where it goes from there.

I have 7 days left to RMA the MB so I?m hoping I can find the source of the issue soon

 

[Scrode]

Thank you everyone

I did a google search and there were many others with the same problem as me. That noise is coming from the power capacitors next to the CPU. When the CPU went under a heavy load the capacitors either failed or shorted out. I'm going to RMA it as soon as possible; newegg is generally good with that kind of thing.

Thank you again

 

[montag451]

well done, and thanx for telling us