Computer making strange noise

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:15

I don't know for sure if it's because of the game but my computer is making a strange noise when i play.

The sound is something in between a rattling sound and a buzzing sound.
My computer is pretty new so i don't know if it's just handling hard processes (i'm not really familiar yet). I haven't noticed the sound while playing other games or running other software so i don't think it's a fan or a drive (at least not their normal sound).

Thanks in advance

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:28

Is it only when you play the game? does it start immediately and stop immediately when the game stops, does it take a little while to start and stop after the game is started/stopped.

Also have you tried running other software, cpu intensive and gpu intensive to see if those trigger the same noise?

First thing that springs to mind, is that either the cpu or gpu is under more use than it has been previously hence causing fans to work harder, which could trigger the sound if its a bearing at fault or another issue with a fan, or potentially even a cable rubbing against a fan. There might be other causes for it as well, but those are the immediate ones that spring to mind for me.

If you dont have any other graphic intensive games to check try getting this

http://unigine.com/products/heaven/

Legionnaire

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:38

As far as i've heard it's only with X rebirth. I've also played Fallout NV and Bioshock Infinite on max settings and heard no sound. It starts immediately when i run X and stops immediately when it's shut down. Sometimes during play, when it stutters a bit, the sound also stutters making me think it's the cpu. I don't have any programs requiring alot of cpu except maybe fl studio and i don't have problems there.

Thanks

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:50

I just used heaven and it's also making the noise but quieter. One of the things i'm worried about now is the fact that heaven says my gpu is 60°C while asus thermal radar says its 30°C.

Thanks

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:57

ok try grabbing MSI Afterburner or GPU-Z or Realtemp and run those and see what they report the temperatures as. because having two different bits of software giving a 30 degreee difference in temperature is a bit worrying.

Legionnaire

LastChime · Post by **LastChime** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:57

Check your fans, could be a dying one, or just have some dust in it, they don't make em like they used to :/

quintupularity · Post by **quintupularity** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 02:58

If its a brand new out-of-the-box pc, its probably a good idea to update as many drivers as you can. They ship with drivers that may or may not have been new even at the time they were built in the factory. At the minimum, update your sound and graphics drivers and see if that helps.

SyberSmoke · Post by **SyberSmoke** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 03:00

Well...the fan on the CPU Heat Sink could be going south. Your heat sink could also be covered in dust, and dust is an excellent insulator. IF you have a can of air or even a vacuum cleaner (Not usually recommended...) you can clean the PC.

Just make sure you unplug it, place it on a study surface and take extra care not to whack parts. PC's collect allot of dust and they can interfere with heat dissipation. IF you have a high end GPU with a Fan Cowling, you will also probably have to remove it from the PC and blow it out to make sure it does not over heat.

If a good cleaning does not stop the sound, look at the fans. If the CPU or GPU fans stat to spin up and then you get the noise, talk to the manufacturer to get it fixed...hopefully your still under warranty. If it is not the fan and your getting heat issues...the thermal interface between the CPU and the heat sink could also be bad. Excessive heat can damage the Thermal interface pad many manufacturers use. Had this on my PS3 amusingly enough. This is why people that build their systems usually use a high grade thermal paste.

Hope this helps...

quintupularity · Post by **quintupularity** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 03:03

HAHA, yeah. I ruined my GTX 460 because dust built up inside the plastic housing. I took PNY at their word when they said opening the housing would void the warranty. My replacement card has no housing, thankfully. Its easy to clean.

Haiko, I guess I'm not clear on something. Is the sound a mechanical moving-parts kind of sound or does it come from your speakers?

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 03:29

Thanks for the replies guys

I'm gonna check multiple temp meter now.

A dying fan is possible but since the computer is only about 3 months old i'd say that would be strange.

Dust is certainly a possible cause but the problem is i have a warranty for the computer as a whole (also on the parts individual) and i do not feel like breaking the seal to clean the pc only to find the sound still being there with no warranty.

As for the updates, i always make sure everything is up to date.

And the sound is definitely not coming from the speakers

Thanks guys

SyberSmoke · Post by **SyberSmoke** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 03:48

A fan like anything can be bad out of the plant that made it. There is always the possibility that the fan is defective. But if the maker says you can not open it, even for basic maintenance...then may be you should consider or find some one to build you a PC the next time your in the market. You wind up paying less for more typically.

quintupularity · Post by **quintupularity** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 04:00

Egads, you can't even open up the case? That would be strange. Then again, I've been building my own PCs since the early 90s, so I have no idea what full system manufacturers demand these days.

What if you want to upgrade something simple, like a hardrive or some ram? You can't do that yourself?

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 04:02

Yeah the thing is this is a build pc but by a shop and the very basic maintenance i can do myself but from the moment i get a problem like this i don't know where to turn except to the shop.

I just checked the temps, looks like asus' thermal radar is a shit program that makes you believe everything is alright. Playing a few minutes of X rebirth gives me a GPU temp of about 40°C and CPU 30°C. When i try to run heaven along with any temp meter i get a black screen and i have to hard reset my pc.

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 04:05

I have a warranty on both the computer as a whole and the parts. Opening the case forfeits the warranty on the computer as a whole so i can still fix parts but i'd have to know which one (and i'm not an expert obviously)

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 04:39

Those GPU and CPU temperatures in and of themselves really arent anything to worry about, I've seen systems where the CPU sits close to the 60 mark, and GPU can run a lot higher - 70+ without issues, of course the lower the temps stay the better, each GPU and CPU have their own safefy temps so i wouldnt worry too much about that the odd noise is the concerning bit. If everything is under warranty rather than open it up and potentially cause an issue I would contact the store if they built it they should know what the specific components are in the case, not just cpu fan model and gpu etc, but also case fans other additional coolers etc, and might have a better idea due to cable layout etc(having built it) what might be the cause of the noise.

If you have a clear side panel can you look in and see if anything is potentially making contact with any fan you see?

AS i said im more tempted by the bearing idea but without actually hearing the noise theres no guarantee. Another off the wall idea for the noise is that this might be the first game putting strain on your psu by causing both gpu and cpu to run at a higher level of demand than previously, so it could be the fan in the psu.

If theres no clear window/side to the case can you tell roughly what part of the case the noise comes from if you listen to the side of the case?

Legionnaire

Zileene · Post by **Zileene** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 16:32

Could be a humming coil on the motherboard.

Mine hums a bit when running two intensive games at the same time.

Lwerewolf · Post by **Lwerewolf** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 21:35

Zikco wrote:Could be a humming coil on the motherboard.

Mine hums a bit when running two intensive games at the same time.

+1

Also called coil whine, could technically come from any coil but is usually due to the PSU.

Haiko · Post by **Haiko** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 23:08

I can't really see through the case, there is no glass or such. The sound could be coming from the psu but i can't really put my finger on it.

I'm gonna call the store tomorrow to inform.

Thanks guys for the help even if it wasn't about X: rebirth

Lwerewolf · Post by **Lwerewolf** » Wed, 11. Dec 13, 23:11

Try running furmark on it, see if it whines. 99.9% bet that it will.
Coil whine usually means the PSU is failing, or taking excessive load, so... you know

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Computer making strange noise

Computer making strange noise