Graphics card causing PSU to buzz on load

[Brewster0101]

Hi

My MSI 6870 is causing my PSU to buxx when under load.

At first I thought my PSU was suffering coil whine (Zalman HP850), so last night I fitted a new Corsir AX850 - dead silent except when the GPU becomes active.

The old Zalman PSU would buzz when moving the page on web sites with lots of graphics and gets louder when playing games - The MSI burn in software also makes the PSU whine.

With the Corsair PSU its only whines in games and on the MSI burn software.

I noticed last night that the little red lights on the back of the graphics card (VPM indicator lights I think) are only 1 red light all is silent, but when more than one light is one, then the PSU whines.

Anyone experience similar or have any thoughts? Is my GPU dying - oh also the graphics card crashes after about 20 minutes of intense use.

[kalniel]

Might just be pulling a high load from a single rail or something. Check seating, check power cable seating to motherboard etc. Then enable V-sync or some other frame rate capper.

[Brewster0101]

Then enable V-sync or some other frame rate capper.

I've seen this idea bounced around on other forums. Can I do this in the AMD/MSI software or is it by App.

[kalniel]

I've seen this idea bounced around on other forums. Can I do this in the AMD/MSI software or is it by App.

V-sync can be set globally or per profile, as you wish, in the catalyst control centre, which will cap frames to your monitor refresh rate. It can lower performance if the card doesn't finish rendering a frame in time though, as it'll have to wait for the next refresh to update. In practise that means if you're running fine it'll run at 60fps (with a normal LCD monitor - rendering frame completes within one refresh cycle), and drop to 30fps for slow moments (two refresh cycles), or 20fps for even slower (three refresh cycles) etc.

FPS capping, as opposed to V-syncing, can only be done with third party software at the moment, like Radeon Pro. I don't really recommend this, but it might be useful if you routinely get just under 60fps but are sensitive to fps dropping to 30fps.

[razer121]

Just to point out my zalman psu did this, it is pretty normal really

[Brewster0101]

V-sync can be set globally or per profile, as you wish, in the catalyst control centre.

I can't find any V-sync options in catalyst control centre

[Hoonigan]

Are you saying you're getting the same problem from 2 different PSUs?

Sounds to me like there's maybe a problem with the GFX card instead of the PSU.

Do you have a spare GFX card lying about anywhere that you can stick in?

[Brewster0101]

Are you saying you're getting the same problem from 2 different PSUs?

Yes, One Zalman 850 watt - which I know from reputation can suffer from coil whine, but I think its a little odd that I only get coil whine when the GPU is in demand. Anyhow My Zalman PSU fan bearing had started to wear out and caused an annoying rubbing noise. So I got a new Corsair AX850 installed last night. Same buzzing noise under the same circumstances.

At first I though this issue was a motherboard issue. So I used my old MSI 790GX board and plugged everything into it. Same issue, but I could easily hear the noise was coming from the PSU once I had it all out of the case.

My next plan is to use the same 790GX motherboard and use its own on board GPU and see if I can get the same games to run. I might struggle with this. Otherwise I may have to buy another GPU to test.

[kalniel]

I can't find any V-sync options in catalyst control centre

Gaming->3D Application Settings->scroll down until you find 'Wait for vertical refresh', drag the slider to the right.

[Brewster0101]

Gaming->3D Application Settings->scroll down until you find 'Wait for vertical refresh', drag the slider to the right.

Got it, made no difference.

I am going to try and play with the voltages.

Currently my GPU voltage is 1.220V and VDDC @ 1.185V

[Brewster0101]

So over night I forced V sync on Battlefield Bad company 2 and this made no difference, constant during gameplay and when ever there is animation is the menus - like server browsing, and as usual crashed after 20 minutes or so.

I noticed while web browser on picture heavy website I get this noise too while the thumbs load and if I scroll around the page. I've tried full size HD video and no issues.

What I have noticed when using the MSI afterburner monitor is that my Core clock and memory clock are set very low while idle, seems the second they raise is when the noise occurs.

[Brewster0101]

My next plan is to use the same 790GX motherboard and use its own on board GPU and see if I can get the same games to run. I might struggle with this. Otherwise I may have to buy another GPU to test.

Ok, I ran the same scenarios today from the inbuilt 3300 GPU on my old motherboard and all is ok.

Really need to get this graphics card into another machine to see if it causes the same issues before RMA'ing

[Brewster0101]

Well yesterday I spend all afternoon tinkering with my fathers computer. He has an older socket 939 set up and a Corsair HX450 power supply. In his system the power supply buzzed no more than it already was when I put my GPU through its test. Problem is that is PSU was buzzing already quite a bit.

So put his power supply in my system and same result. Power was buzzing before testing the GPU and the buzz got no louder when under stress.

[shaithis]

Your not a teenager by any chance are you? If so, you might just have to put up with the buzzing for a few more years!

[Brewster0101]

LOL - No I'm 32 although I do have sensative hearing. Made Sky replace 3 sky boxes because they were buzzing, gave up on the third one and excepted it.

But it annoys me that my PSU is silent, complete silent, I have a almost silent computer which sits next to me on my desk. I've spent alot of time and money perfecting this and suddenly this happens. Its not always happened. I've has the graphics card for a few months and for two of those it this buzzing never occured.

[Brewster0101]

Anyone know of a place where I could buy another 6870 graphics card, try it and then return it. Doesn't DABS offer some kind of 7 day return policy?