Annoying noise from computer

[adamsonm]

This has been happening ever since I built my computer, but I was never too bothered about it. Now I am bothered! Basically, it a crackling noise. The exact same noise also comes through the speakers most times, when I'm watching a movie or just playing games or just surfing the web. The crackling is on and off. Also, when i scroll up and down really fast, the noise comes through the speakers too. However, the noise that comes through the speakers when I scroll really fast is more of a constant crackle, until I stop scrolling. Then it just goes back to being a random crackle. I have tried the speakers on a different computer and they make no noise. Also, I plugged in my headphones and the noise comes through that too. So it could be a problem with the motherboard sound I plug in the jacks into the motherboard. Finally, when downloading, the noise is constant crackle throughout. When I pause the download for example, the noise goes away for a few seconds, but then goes back to being a random crackle. When I resume the download, the noise again is a constant crackle.

I have been reading a few forums, and it seems as though they call it hardrive noise/interference.

I hope I haven't confused anyone!!

Any ideas???

P.S. My computer specs are on the left side when you click "adamson's system"

[peterb]

Well it could be electrical intereference, but my first thought would driver. Electrical interference is more likely to be a buzz or a whine.

It is difficult to diagnose these faults at long distance but have you checked to see if there is a new driver for the audio card? Do you get crackles if you record an external (analogue) sound source?

[kalniel]

These kinds of interference noises are sometimes a pain to diagnose - can be software, BIOS, or hardware interference/shorting. Making sure you have the most recent drivers for ALL your hardware is the easiest thing to check - motherboard drivers, sound chip etc. If that doesn't help, check if there's a BIOS update for your motherboard. If that doesn't help, check that your motherboard isn't shorting somewhere - that the standoffs are in place correctly and the back panel is properly in place. Check all your connections are securely plugged in - hard drive cables, power cables, fan header cables etc.

Which revision is your motherboard? Revision 1 boards and some early rev 2 board suffer from some electronic whine (separate from the audio interference) - the gigabyte forums have a lot of information on this, but I've only managed to reproduce it in very limited circumstances (resuming from standby with advanced power saving options enabled and while the computer is very cold). BIOS revisions might help, disabling the more advanced power saving modes might also help. Check your northbridge has enough cooling as well.

If you can get a clear way to reproduce the issue gigabyte will fix the board for free.

[adamsonm]

I have a rev 1.0. I bought it back in May 2010. I have already updated all drivers for the mobo and the mobo BIOS itself. But this was 6 months ago. I will check to see if they have any new drivers and install them.

[watercooled]

I've experienced this a few times especially on older systems, as you describe - worse when scrolling and such. Can you actually hear it from the PC, i.e. not just through audio devices? The cases I've seen it turned out to be the motherboard, probably iffy power circuitry. More recently on a Sapphire board, I got an annoying buzz through the speakers but that's just poor audio circuitry design.

[adamsonm]

I can definitely hear it from within the PC.

[kalniel]

I can definitely hear it from within the PC.

Does disabling C1E in the BIOS fix it?

[adamsonm]

Haven't tried that yet

[watercooled]

Does disabling C1E in the BIOS fix it?

In my experience that often makes it permanent (i.e. always on, until you enable it again), but at least it would narrow down the cause.

[0iD]

Sounds like Creative Drivers (if you had a creative sound product).

But these things can be a mahoosive pain in the arse to track down. Took me months to track down a buzzing in my case that turned out to be the crappy plastic HDD trays.

[freakyshadows]

It could be the PSU, how old is it? Some get leaking caps etc after a while and start emitting a buzzing. Have you got a spare PSU you could swap yours out with to test?